The Shadow of Great Britain

175: Chapter 126: Madmen Gathering 175: Chapter 126: Madmen Gathering “Arthur, you’re here so early!”

Colonel Fitzroy, seeing Arthur’s arrival, stood up from the walnut sofa with a smile on his face and enthusiastically introduced him to several colleagues nearby: “This gentleman is the Arthur Hastings I mentioned to you before.”

The two Royal Navy Colonels looked at each other, and the one with a well-proportioned figure and short black hair asked: “The master of the aggressive Fiore Style Half-Sword Technique, who fights much like General Rotherham?

Is that him?”

Fitzroy nodded, smiling: “Exactly.”

Hearing this, the other extended his hand with a laugh: “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr.

Hastings.

George Elliot, Royal Navy Aide-de-Camp and current Captain of the ‘Victory,’ delighted to meet you.

I must confess, this is not the first time I have had the pleasure of encountering a Hastings with a natural talent for naval combat.”

The round-faced officer with a more portly figure also said with a laugh: “You remember him too?

That Frank Hastings, quite the capable young man and backed by his family, quite skilled himself.

However, his flaw was that he violated Navy regulations and to return to the Royal Navy, he could only join the ‘penitent fleet’ supporting Greece under Cochrane.”

“A golden boy always shines, no matter where he is, and his splendid military exploits there are proof of that.

If he had survived the Greek war of independence and returned home, he might have been reconsidered for use by the Navy Department.

Alas, he ended up like Lord Byron, dying in a foreign land at Myson Gin, for the independence of the Greek people,” the officer continued.

Arthur, upon hearing this, politely asked: “And might I ask who you are?”

When the round-faced officer heard this, he too extended his hand with a laugh: “John Franklin, at your service.

We three have already discussed your case, but unlike Elliot, I am less concerned with your Fiore Style and more interested in your academic contributions.”

“You see, I actually prefer exploration over warfare, and if you and Mr.

Faraday can create a ship with electromagnetic propulsion, perhaps the Navy Department might finally find that elusive Northwest Passage.”

Colonel Fitzroy, hearing this, quickly introduced Arthur: “Arthur, allow me to introduce you.

Colonel Franklin and I are tasked with exploration missions set by the Navy Department.

I am tasked with circumnavigational survey, while Colonel Franklin’s mission is to find the legendary Northwest Passage from the North Atlantic through North America eventually leading into Asia.”

“You must know that, at present, the only route from Europe to Asia is via Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.

If we could find this Northwest Passage, according to the calculations of London’s Geographical Society on the Earth’s radius, we could reduce the distance to Asia by at least 2,000 nautical miles.

You understand what a great commercial benefit this could bring to Britain.”

At this, Arthur’s interest was piqued, and he asked: “So, how is the development of the Northwest Passage going?

If it really is found, Colonel Franklin, whenever you consider starting a shipping company, I would be quite interested in investing.”

Franklin could only give a wry smile: “Ah…

if only it were so easy to chart.

Since I first received the mission to find the Northwest Passage twelve years ago, I have already embarked on several explorations to the northwest along the North Atlantic and Canadian coastline.”

“On our first expedition, due to unfamiliarity with sea conditions, we hit ice in the Arctic and had to return.

On the second, we couldn’t continue due to monsoon and climate factors.

The third time, we got smarter and didn’t set out by ship but rather took land-based exploration along Canada’s northwest Coppermine River to get a clear idea of the coastline.”

Arthur nodded: “That sounds like a very prudent choice.”

Franklin, holding his coffee cup, laughed heartily: “Indeed prudent, so this time we took several discontinuous months, longer than the previous two explorations.”

“And then what happened?”

As soon as these words left Arthur’s mouth, he saw Colonel Fitzroy and Sir Elliot beside him display a look of pity.

Seeing their expressions, Franklin shrugged helplessly: “It’s nothing serious, isn’t exploration always like this?

But this time was rather dire even by exploration standards; out of an expedition of twenty, eleven died, and the remaining nine resorted to eating lichen and leather boots for nearly two months due to a lack of supplies.”

“Still, despite that, I cannot forget that place; damn, it was too beautiful!

I will never forget the colorful aurora borealis and the howling snowstorms that lasted all night.”

The Red Devil, leaning on the sofa, couldn’t help but shake his head in mockery: “Truly irrational beings, humans are, like moths to a flame, wanting to embrace the thing you love the most without considering whether you have the capacity for it.

Arthur, I assure you, there will come a day when the very blizzards he adores take his life.”

Seeing the sparkle in Franklin’s eye, Arthur couldn’t help but advise: “The Northwest Passage and the Arctic may indeed be beautiful, but if you go there again, please make sure to prepare thoroughly.”

To which Franklin responded with a loud laugh: “Worry not, Mr.

Hastings; I will not be so silly as to throw away my life for nothing.

With the lessons of the past expedition, the folks at the Navy Department also understand that finding the Northwest Passage won’t be easy.

If they don’t provide me with a hundred men and three years’ worth of supplies for the next survey, I wouldn’t set out even if they dismissed me from the Royal Navy.”