The Shadow of Great Britain

176: Chapter 126 Madmen Gathering_2 176: Chapter 126 Madmen Gathering_2 At this point, Franklin couldn’t help but look at Fitzroy sympathetically, “Robert, take a lesson from me.

When you conduct your global exploration, make sure to stock up enough vegetables and citrus, and plan your routes well.

You need to know beforehand where you can resupply.

Don’t be ashamed to ask the Navy Department for money.

If you don’t secure the funds and resources now, they won’t be able to support you across several oceans if problems arise later.”

As soon as Colonel Franklin finished speaking, a lazy voice came from the front of the lounge, “Asking for money?

Who is trying to get funds from the Navy Department?”

Everyone turned around and saw at the doorway a middle-aged gentleman with curly brown hair, a few wrinkles on his forehead, holding a tailcoat in his hand, and wearing a rose-red vest.

Before Arthur could ask, he suddenly noticed that the three Royal Navy colonels, who had appeared quite relaxed, now had slight twitches at the corners of their mouths.

The colonels straightened their backs and saluted uniformly at the old gentleman, “Good afternoon, General Cochrane!”

Immediately, Colonel Fitzroy hurried forward to take the tailcoat from his hands and hung it on the coat rack, while Franklin and Elliot did not stand idle, one of them pouring tea for Cochrane and the other bringing a sofa chair.

The colonels’ swift actions even amazed the maid who entered with various snacks.

No one could quite understand why the usually haughty Royal Navy colonels were acting as docile as a bunch of tame rabbits.

Arthur was also curious about this, but it was not a good time for him to ask.

Just as he awkwardly wondered what he should do, he suddenly felt something tap his shoulder.

“Arthur!”

When Arthur turned around, it was none other than Eld, who was displaying a row of neat teeth and a beaming smile.

Arthur glanced at his empty space behind him and asked, “Why are you alone?

Where are your aunt and sister?”

Eld, unconcerned, took out his pipe and lit it while muttering, “General Cordington’s house has two lounges, one reserved for gentlemen to smoke and another for ladies to chat; they went to the ladies’ side.

But what about you, Arthur?

Aren’t you going to light up and drop the goody-two-shoes act here?”

Without waiting for Arthur’s response, Eld casually reached into Arthur’s coat pocket and stuffed a pipe into his mouth.

However, before Eld could light it, they again heard General Cochrane speak from the sofa behind them.

Cochrane tapped his cane on the floor and called out loudly, “Eld.”

“Hmm?” Eld leaned over Arthur to get a better look and nearly dropped his pipe in shock, scattering the tobacco on the floor.

“General Cochrane?

When did you get back?”

“Just got back not long ago,” replied General Cochrane, glancing at him as the old man tapped his own pipe, “Light mine up too, in a bit.”

Eld’s face was covered in sweat, and he replied with a nervous laugh, “Just a moment, I’ll be right there.”

He hurriedly pulled out a matchbox from his pocket and went over, but after searching, he found it was empty.

Eld felt his heart rise to his throat and he shakily responded, “Report!

I’m out of matches!”

Cochrane, hearing this, whipped out a shilling from his pocket and flipped it into his palm, “Go buy it quickly.”

Eld snapped to attention and saluted, a seriousness on his face that Arthur had never seen before in the lad, “Aye aye, sir!”

Eld hurriedly pulled Arthur out of the lounge, and soon after, bursts of laughter could be heard emanating from within.

Eld turned back and glared fiercely at the lounge, cursing under his breath, “Damn it!

These old farts, what lousy luck today!”

Arthur asked, “This General Cochrane, what’s his story?”

Eld frowned and muttered, “Arthur, haven’t you ever heard of ‘Mad Cochrane’?”

“Is he famous?”

Eld sighed helplessly, “Well, he might not be that famous in Britain.

But if you go to South America, whether it’s Brazil or Chile, people there will surely tell you that the most capable naval commander across South America, who also happened to be the first navy commander of those two countries, was General Thomas Cochrane.”

Arthur, puzzled, said, “Wasn’t he a Royal Navy general?

How did he become the naval commander of Brazil and Chile?”

Eld, irritated, responded, “Because he got into trouble at home.

Someone accused him of manipulating stock transactions for excessive profit, so he was dismissed by both the House of Commons and the Navy Department.

Out of frustration, he went to South America and helped Chile defeat the Spanish navy, and later went to Brazil to help them defeat the Portuguese fleet.”

Chile and Brazil’s independence from their colonial rulers is inseparable from Cochrane, and their navies still use English to issue commands to this day.”

Arthur was even more bewildered, “General Cochrane sounds quite capable.

Why do you call him mad?”

Eld glared back, “If he’s not mad, then no one is.

And that’s not even considering the things he overturned in Britain and with the Navy Department.

Once in Chile, he helped Chile take Valdivia, captured the Spanish navy’s strongest warship in South America, the Esmeralda, and naturally became the first-ever lieutenant general of the Chilean navy, and was even awarded the Chilean Medal of Valour, which represents the highest honor of the country.

Although life wasn’t too bad, he wasn’t satisfied and soon had a falling out with the Chilean Governor, O’Higgins.”

After the fallout, he ran off to Brazil, led the Brazilian navy to defeat the Portuguese South American and expeditionary fleets, and became the naval commander of Brazil, even being titled a Marquis for his military services.

But not long after, he threw a fit with Emperor Pedro I of Brazil, took his fleet, and plundered Brazilian merchant ships near Saint Louis.

When the Brazilian navy sent ships to engage him, he managed to capture an escort ship.”

Unable to get along in South America anymore, Cochrane desperately wanted to return to Britain.

At that time, the Greek War of Independence was in full swing, and our involvement wasn’t openly declared, so the Navy Department, seeing his proven military prowess, reluctantly sent him to Greece to help the newly independent Greece train its navy to resist the Ottoman invasion.”

This time he behaved appropriately, not stirring up any trouble.

So after the Greek War of Independence ended, partly because of his prior contributions during the Napoleonic Wars, the Navy Department reinstated his rank of junior general in the Royal Navy.

But thinking about it, had he not caused so much trouble, he might have been a senior general by now.”

Listening to his resume and knowing his temper, who could deny he’s a madman?”

Just as Eld finished venting, not even catching his breath, he saw an old man with a cane slowly sauntering their way.

As soon as he clearly saw the man’s face, he slapped his own face in exasperation, “Damn it, I take back what I said.

When it comes to madmen in the Navy Department, this one’s nearly on par with General Cochrane.

Who in the world did General Cordington invite today?”