The Shadow of Great Britain

104: Chapter 64: Exclusive Noble Phantasm for Eld 104: Chapter 64: Exclusive Noble Phantasm for Eld At that time, the sun had just risen, and the surface of the Thames River was still shrouded in fog.

However, the West India Dock was brightly lit, as the dock business was always bustling during the busy season for transportation.

At the sailors’ gathering on the dock, Eld was leaning against a railing, yawning sleepily.

He watched as sailors moved supplies from one box to another onto the ship, took out his pipe from his pocket, lit it, took a deep puff, and then exhaled rings of smoke, sighing contentedly, “Utterly comfortable!”

Darwin stood beside him, looking at the boxes of cabbage, fresh beef, and rum with some disbelief.

He nudged Eld beside him and asked in a low voice, “Eld, did you lie to me before?

Didn’t you say the Royal Navy’s conditions were poor?

But the food looks pretty decent!”

Eld glanced at Darwin, snorted disdainfully, “Charles, of course the food is good when we are close to shore.

If it were one of those months-long ocean voyages, you’d have a hard time.

And when I said the conditions were poor, I was mainly referring to the salary level.

I never said the Royal Navy had poor food!

Aren’t you a naturalist?

Then you should know that if the animals aren’t well-fed, how could they have the energy to fire two rounds of cannon fire within three and a half minutes?”

Darwin watched a sailor carrying a box of lemon juice walking by and couldn’t help but swallow his saliva, mumbling, “But isn’t this food a bit too good?

Does the Army have this kind of treatment too?”

“The Army?

They wish!

They might as well eat dirt!”

Eld mocked, “Those old dirt-hats nibbling on mashed potatoes with some breadcrumbs.

As long as the Army can walk and won’t starve, that’s good enough.

Who can’t join the Army?

Lining up for a firing squad is easy, train a few people for two weeks and they’re battlefield ready, what technical skill does that require?

Royal Navy sailors, on the other hand, are precious technical talents unlike them.

Charles, you should know how difficult it is to train a skilled sailor.

Many of our sailors started on ships at the age of seven or eight.

If you let them out, each of them could be a skilled worker on a merchant ship.

Merchant ships are willing to pay three to four times the price to poach them, and that’s not a joke.

Those shipowners aren’t stupid, at least they’re clear on their calculations.

For such talents, even if the Navy can’t afford to pay much salary, at least they need to provide good supplies.

That’s why, even in the most difficult periods of the Napoleonic Wars, Royal Navy sailors could still eat a few pounds of stinky salted beef per week and drink a gallon of beer a day.”

Upon hearing this, Darwin was stunned and exclaimed, “Are you telling the truth?”

Eld nodded, “Of course, why would I lie to you?

Right?

You’ll understand once you’ve been on the ship for a while.

As long as we’re not away from shore for a long time, the Royal Navy’s food is generally good, and almost all fleet commanders take supply issues very seriously.

One of the reasons General Nelson was so beloved in the Royal Navy was his strict demands on fleet supplies.

He personally sampled the sailors’ food, and whatever he found distasteful was returned and replaced.

That’s also why everyone was willing to risk their lives for him.

And after the Battle of Trafalgar, the captured French commander Villeneuve, dined aboard the Victory and arrogantly said, ‘No wonder you win, you eat so well.’

I can understand that, considering the salted beef most loathed by the Royal Navy becomes a delicacy to the French.

Even that they enjoyed thoroughly, no wonder they were amazed by our meals.”

Having said that, Eld suddenly pulled out the “Beagle’s Daily Food Ration Chart” from his pocket and started looking at it.

“Let me see, what good stuff did the Navy Department get us for this week’s naval training…”

Monday, a pound of biscuits, a pint of wine, a pound of pork, half a pint of peas, 3/4 ounce of lemon juice.

Tuesday, a pound of biscuits, half a pint of rum, two pounds of salt beef, a pint of oats, two ounces of butter, 3/4 ounce of lime juice.

Wednesday…

huh, isn’t that today?”

Eld looked closely, and suddenly slapped his forehead, exclaiming, “Oh!

Damn!

Today’s menu is freaking lavish!

Four pounds of flour and a pound of raisins, half a pint of gin, and also half a pound of cabbage and three pounds of fresh lamb!

And there’s even sweetened black tea for dessert!

My God!

Colonel Fitzroy sure knows how to plan.

He knows the fellas don’t like embarking, so he specially prepared a table of top-notch dishes for us!”

As Darwin heard Eld up to this point, he actually began to look forward to the coming week of naval training.

He swallowed his drool and pointed to his backpack, complaining to Eld.

“Eld, you little devil!

You had painted such a grim picture of life at sea before, that I bought a ton of food yesterday to bring on board.

Now it looks like I won’t be needing all that, just the regular meals on the ship are enough to stuff me.”

Eld shot him a glance, “Grim it was, and grim it will be.

Just wait until we start our global voyage and can’t dock to resupply, you’ll see what tough is!

Besides, I told you to buy some tobacco and playing cards, it was your own decision to buy food and now you’re blaming me.

Charles, that’s on you.”

“I don’t smoke or gamble, why would I buy those?”

At this, Eld angrily said, “Can’t you learn?

Besides, even if you don’t play, I can!”

Upon hearing this, Darwin too got angry, “Hey!

Eld, you damn…”

But before he could finish cursing, he saw three people in black coats running towards them on the dock.

Darwin pulled Eld aside and squinted at them, muttering, “What are those guys up to?”

Eld, carelessly turning his head but then quickly getting scared when he caught sight of their attire, began dashing towards the ship, “Damn it!

Definitely here to collect my debts!

These bastards are too persistent, am I not just owed over ten pounds in gambling debts?

Alas, alas, alas!

Charles, lad, stop gawking and hurry on the ship with me!”

Eld was thinking of slipping away swiftly, but Darwin grabbed him tightly.

“Don’t rush to flee, that looks like Arthur and those two Scotland Yard officers we know.”

“Arthur?” Eld hardly believed Darwin’s words, and he burst out: “Charles, am I just fooling you into buying some snacks?

Do you really need to retaliate like this?

Are you letting go or not?

If you don’t let go, I might turn hostile!

Although I, Eld, am a respectable gentleman who graduated from the University of London, if I unleash the devil hidden inside me, I can show you the fierceness of an Oxford thug!”

Eld wanted to run, while Darwin wouldn’t let go.

As they were in this standoff, suddenly they heard Arthur’s voice piercing through the entire dock.

“Eld, clear your damn head, I’m not here to collect debts!

If you dare run off, I’ll head back to Scotland Yard and dig up your entire record!”