He Became Napoleon’S Genius Son [EN]: Chapter 358

(358) The Royal Navy Halted by Steamships

It was still the early 19th century, when the Industrial Revolution was just beginning to emerge.

Thus, it wasn’t an era where the technological superiority of European civilization was absolute.

However, various parts of the world, especially the seas, had long been dominated by Europe’s absolute advantage.

Great Britain, at the forefront, was already navigating the five oceans.

In an age where only [sailing ships] existed, how was this possible?

“It’s all thanks to the courage and determination of our Great British seamen! Hahaha!”

It sounds like utter nonsense, but Sydney, a man who speaks the truth when you get to know him, laughed heartily aboard the flagship Theseus.

It’s just that it sounds like a lie because Sydney said it, but it’s true.

The British hadn’t yet fully embraced the idea of putting steam engines on ships.

There were plenty of inventors experimenting with various steam-powered devices, including carriages and trains, but the widespread adoption of steamships was particularly delayed.

Nevertheless, even before the widespread development of steamships, the British fleet was already intimidating and traversing various parts of the world.

Even though there were fleets in Europe with similar power to Britain, such as the French, Spanish, and Dutch fleets.

All of this was achieved through the hard work of the brave English sailors, who were often forcibly conscripted and worked tirelessly, confined within the ships.

Hardy, who had come along as a vice-admiral, shook his head at the sight.

“If it weren’t for that nonsense, he’d be quite respectable.”

“Oh, I can hear you, Mr. Hardy. Did you hear? The urgent message from the Governor-General of Canada!”

“They say Montreal and Quebec City have both fallen. They’re whining that Upper Canada is about to fall too.”

That’s why Hardy had abandoned the blockade voyage and joined the flagship.

British Canada wasn’t actually a very important colony from Britain’s perspective.

Compared to India, they might even trade the entire territory of Canada for a single island of Ceylon [modern-day Sri Lanka, a strategically important island for trade routes].

However, hegemonic powers don’t inherently expand their territory based solely on economic value.

The fact that the entire northern part of the New World was British territory meant that the seas in that area also belonged to Britain.

Therefore, when considered in terms of military value rather than economic value, Canada was clearly an important border for Britain.

But this important border area was about to be completely lost.

Still grinning, Sydney spread out a map on the deck and pondered.

“Anyway, those landlubbers are useless. They can’t even defeat the [Native American tribes], and they’re no match for European-style armies.”

Naval officers, including Hardy, turned their heads as if they hadn’t heard.

But despite his harsh words, Sydney often spoke the truth.

The perceived weakness of the British army was a common sentiment.

Furthermore, the army stationed in the New World was rumored to be full of low-quality officers who had bought their ranks.

Of course, even the famous Arthur Wellesley [later the Duke of Wellington] had initially purchased his rank.

On the other hand, even if naval officers bought their ranks, it was difficult to reach high positions without merit due to the intense competition and the demands of naval warfare.

Naval officers were full of pride, believing they had risen to their positions by earning their own achievements.

Among them, Sydney Smith, a man who had reached the pinnacle despite being good at talking nonsense, grinned.

“In this case, there’s only one way.”

“Surely, you’re not going to attack Nouvelle France [New France, the French colonies in North America] without instructions from the home country, are you? Admiral?”

“Oh, catching suspicious ships is our job anyway, isn’t it? It’s just that the French flag is included in addition to the Spanish flag.”

Sydney winked as he replied simply to Hardy.

“Besides, we need to make it clear whose sea this is, don’t we?”

Everyone needs to know that the sea belongs to Britain.

Only then can hegemony be maintained.

On the other hand, if the opponent mistakenly believes they might be able to win a fight, it becomes tiring in itself.

Of course, the British navy, with its skilled sailors and abundant capital, would eventually win.

However, they would have to repeat a very tiring battle to reach the result of victory.

Originally, in history, Napoleon was discouraged by the British navy and stopped challenging them at sea, focusing on land battles.

However, the later German Empire challenged Britain to the end and was defeated, but succeeded in significantly depleting Britain’s resources in the process.

Sydney hadn’t seen through all of this, but in the end, it was all true.

In short, they had to be intimidated.

Hardy, who thought Sydney spoke correctly even though he disliked him, asked.

“You’re not just going to go, are you? Do you have a plan?”

“First, when attacking the enemy, you need to know their vital points. Nouvelle France is largely composed of three parts: islands including Martinique and Saint-Domingue [Haiti], the peninsula centered on Florida, and the inland part of Louisiana.”

“The easiest thing to do is to cut off the exchange between the islands. Isolate them.”

Historically, France and Britain had often clashed in this region.

So, they considered the same tactic that Hardy mentioned.

However, a problem arises here.

Britain and France were still officially friendly nations that had signed a peace treaty.

Sydney smiled strangely and shook his head.

“But that wouldn’t be threatening enough, would it? Furthermore, to prevent them from intervening in the war recklessly, we need to strike a weak but important part.”

Hardy stared intently at the map and pointed to one place.

“Pensacola?”

“Oh, you have quite the strategic insight. That’s their de facto capital. But it’s difficult to strike directly because it’s the capital, and heavily defended.”

“Then where are you thinking of?”

Sydney’s baton pointed south.

“Miami, that’s the lifeline of Nouvelle France.”

Seeing that, Hardy stood up from his seat.

“So, a direct hit on Miami.”

“No, we’re going to Pensacola.”

“Excuse me? You just said Miami was the main target?”

All the officers, including Hardy, were taken aback.

This is why Sydney was often disliked in the British Navy.

Just when they thought they understood, he suddenly changed his words and shook them up.

Of course, Eugene [Eugene de Beauharnais, Napoleon’s stepson and Viceroy of Italy] would have thought of him as a witty general.

Admiral Sydney, who was hated by his allies and admired by his enemies, tapped the map and recited.

“This is like chess. Eugene Freischütz [a fictional character] would know the moves I’m making. So, I have to catch him off guard. Besides.”

Suddenly, Sydney Smith’s gaze turned to the Caribbean.

“We have two fleets in this New World, don’t we?”

That is, the Caribbean-based patrol fleet.

***

Of course, the admiral of the Caribbean fleet, Edward Berry, was strictly an admiral of the same rank as Sydney.

“It’s absurd. Sydney Smith seems to think of me as his subordinate.”

David Gould, one of the Band of Brothers [a group of Nelson’s most trusted captains], soon Nelson’s subordinates, asked, listening to Berry’s words.

“Then shouldn’t you disobey the order? It seems Admiral Smith is almost giving up the continental blockade and heading south.”

“But Sydney is arrogant, not stupid. The idea that Nouvelle France is behind it makes sense.”

“You’re going to blockade Saint-Domingue and cut off Nouvelle France’s supplies? This operation is…?”

It was strictly December 1805, winter.

However, the Caribbean was close to the equator, and the bleak appearance of the winter sea was hardly revealed.

Moreover, since it was winter, American merchant ships couldn’t set sail properly anyway.

The British Navy was in a good position to travel to French waters adjacent to the southern sea.

Then, why is the blockade of Saint-Domingue important?

Suddenly, Berry raised his telescope, watched the front, and said.

“That’s right. Nouvelle France has virtually no source of income of its own. All it has is sugar, cotton, and coffee from Saint-Domingue. Nouvelle France is virtually operated with the profits from here.”

So, they can control the finances of Nouvelle France.

Although Eugene initially operated the colony with the wealth of the Beauharnais Cartel [a fictional financial entity], it was difficult for that to continue indefinitely.

Local resources had to be expanded before sustainable colonial management became possible.

However, since the days of the old royal family, the islands of Saint-Domingue and Martinique in the Caribbean were famous for their highly profitable trade.

In the late 18th century, half of Europe’s coffee supply came from Saint-Domingue.

Although the situation changed after the Mediterranean Sea came into French hands after the Great Revolution [French Revolution], it was still an island full of farms that produced large quantities of sugar and cotton.

Moreover, with Eugene’s virtual feudal division rule, trade exports were also 활성화 [invigorated] once the civil war ended.

Thanks to this, more than half of Nouvelle France’s finances are currently secured through import and export tariffs from Saint-Domingue.

If this trade network is cut off, the Nouvelle France army will have difficulty maneuvering.

Berry didn’t like Sydney, but the blockade strategy itself was correct, so Berry was forced to move.

“So, now that it’s come to this, we’ll turn the Caribbean side of Nouvelle France into a sea of death!”

“Excuse me? Admiral, what do you mean?”

“It’s simple. A sea of death is a sea that cannot be navigated.”

Suddenly, Berry added his own strategy here.

“So, we’ll destroy all the port facilities and make them unable to move. Only as an [unfortunate] accident!”

At that time, Captain Samuel Hood, who was riding ahead on the vanguard ship, Artemis, shouted.

“There, I see a port!”

The signal flag fluttered, and Berry’s fleet began to moor all at once.

The name of the port that can be seen in the distance is Port-au-Prince.

It is the most important port city on the island of Saint-Domingue.

“Prepare to fire!”

“A, Admiral. You should stop for a moment.”

“What’s wrong?”

Just as Berry was about to shout excitedly, Vice Admiral Gould lowered his telescope with a flustered face and said.

“Enemy fleet, no, a Spanish line-of-battle fleet has appeared.”

A line-of-battle fleet of at least 10 ships can be seen beyond the horizon.

Of course, this side is also a line-of-battle fleet and has more numbers, so they can fight if they want to.

But that means entering a state of war with Spain.

Gould carefully asked Berry, who frowned.

“Shall we engage in battle as it is?”

“It’s absurd that Spain is coming forward. Could that story be true? That they virtually see Princess Marie Therese [likely a reference to a potential claim to the Spanish throne] as the heir?”

“Or, shall we move to Jamaica for now?”

While Berry hadn’t made a decision yet, a sudden roar occurred.

-쾅!

The ship shook, and when Berry barely grabbed the railing, Adjutant John Maple ran up and shouted.

“It’s shelling!”

“Spain must be crazy. Are they going to fight us?”

“Ah, no. Behind us!”

Maple shouted, pointing behind him.

“It’s a pirate ship! But, they’re riding a strange ship!”

A ship with no flag.

Pirates still roam the Caribbean Sea.

But a pirate daring to challenge a regular fleet is unheard of.

But when Berry turned his gaze, a strange roar rang out from the pirate fleet.

-뿌우우!

Looking at the ship spewing smoke, Berry opened his mouth wide.

“What the hell is that!”

Just when the wind stopped, the ship spewing smoke began shelling Berry’s fleet.

***

Sydney, who had approached Pensacola, also had to witness a similar scene.

-〈Nautilus〉

There is no flag.

The only thing that exists is the hull with the name of the ship written on it.

Sydney frowned as he looked at the English name engraved on the black hull, which could only be regarded as steel.

He would have found fault if it had been French.

“I’ve been hit hard.”

“It’s no secret that the Nouvelle France army has a line-of-battle fleet.”

“But those guys aren’t flying the flag.”

Sydney retorted sullenly to Vice Admiral Hardy.

“Officially, they’re pirates. Ha, to use such a trick. But, that’s.”

Suddenly, among the fleet that lowered all flags and maneuvered like a pirate ship, one ship spewed smoke.

-뿌우우!

Unlike Berry, who was flustered and couldn’t figure out the identity properly, Sydney and Hardy were calm.

First of all, it’s a ship made of steel, and it spews smoke.

He remembers seeing a machine that spews such smoke in his home country.

Hardy asked Sydney.

“Could it be that they put a steam engine on the ship?”

“Is that possible? Oh, that thing can float on the sea?”

“It, it’s coming closer. We should turn away for now.”

Suddenly, the ship spewing smoke, Nautilus, which spewed smoke even though there was no wind, approached faster than the wooden line-of-battle fleet.

-끼이익!

On the starboard side of the ship, which disappeared as if threatening to move aside, there was a [ship’s wheel] instead of oars.

Every time the wheel moved violently, ripples arose around it.

Looking at the ship spewing smoke that was returning to the line-of-battle fleet, Hardy swallowed hard and asked.

“Shall we engage in battle?”

Sydney frowned.

It’s worth fighting once.

If you look at it calmly, a sailboat is faster than that suspicious ship if the wind blows.

However, Sydney is not here for a formal war, but for a surprise blockade.

If he gets caught here suddenly, he may be held responsible for dragging France into the war.

“Retreat. If we lose our power here, only the Americans will like it.”

In the end, making excuses involving the United States, Sydney had to retreat from Pensacola.

-뿌우우! 뿌우우! 뿌우우!

While watching the steamship Nautilus, the Pensacola defense fleet, spew out smoke as if sending him off.

December 1805.

Britain’s Nouvelle France blockade operation failed.

-뿌우우우우!

Along with the ominous sound that seemed to announce the beginning of Eugene’s participation in the Anglo-American War.