## Chapter 165: The Generals’ First Encounter
The drawing-room was considerably livelier than when Arthur had first arrived.
While the invited guests chatted amongst themselves, sipping champagne, Arthur was busy in the courtyard, adjusting the Faraday cage and hand-cranked generator he’d just received from the Royal Society.
He turned the hand crank, aiming the discharge rod at the Faraday cage. Soon, a thin, wire-like arc of electricity crackled between the rod and the cage.
As Arthur finished his adjustments and raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his brow, he noticed three generals standing behind him.
They were Rear Admiral Thomas Cochrane, Vice-Admiral Edward Codrington, and Admiral Sidney Smith.
Admiral Smith, stroking his chin, gazed at the discharge rod and muttered, “Interesting.”
Codrington, holding a glass of wine, smiled and said, “Admiral Smith, I told you, Mr. Hastings is the top electromagnetic researcher after Michael Faraday himself. Look at this thing, generating electric arcs. Can any ordinary person do that?”
Cochrane, upon hearing the name Faraday, shuddered. He then furrowed his brow and whispered to Codrington, “This Hastings, his temper isn’t as bad as Faraday’s, right? I just mentioned using chlorine gas to kill enemies, and he kicked me out of his lab in a rage…”
Before Codrington could answer, Arthur interjected, “Mr. Faraday’s temper is mostly fine. He was angry with you because using chlorine gas for chemical warfare is truly inhumane.
Chlorine’s cruelty and destructiveness exceed your imagination, and its production process isn’t particularly complex. If you insist on using it in war, the enemy will soon use it against you.
If you plan to treat the Royal Navy’s precious sailors as disposable assets, then by all means, go for it. Soon enough, Britain will be filled with invalids who have lung problems and can never work again.
Besides, if you want to gain a battlefield advantage through science, there’s no need to use chlorine. I believe Britain’s outstanding scientists can support the most advanced navy in the world.
Only the weak resort to such measures when challenging the strong. If one day the Royal Navy, currently capable of withstanding attacks from three maritime powers simultaneously, declines, I believe you, the ‘Sea Wolf’ praised by Napoleon, can still utilize your remarkable tactical skills to lead us to victory once more.”
Cochrane was about to retort, but when he heard Arthur’s words, his anger dissipated.
He patted Arthur’s shoulder with his wine glass, chuckling as he said to the other two generals, “Look, look! Scientists are much more competent than those brainless fools at the Admiralty! Young man, if you were in command at the Battle of Basque Roads, instead of Gambier, we would have won for sure!”
Sidney Smith nodded slightly, “It seems Mr. Hastings is more approachable than Faraday. When Eld said you were a policeman, I thought you were no good. It seems Scotland Yard isn’t all bad, they occasionally produce decent individuals.”
Arthur smiled and replied, “Indeed, in that regard, Scotland Yard is like the Royal Navy.”
General Cochrane burst out laughing, his eyebrows raised as he quipped, “Parliament is the same, really.”
Codrington, roaring with laughter, handed Arthur one of the two wine glasses he was holding. Pointing at Cochrane, who was currently serving as a Member of Parliament, and then at Arthur, Smith, and himself, he asked, “So, are we saying the essence of Scotland Yard, the Royal Navy, and Parliament are all here now?”
Admiral Smith raised his glass and clinked it with everyone else’s, “Here’s to Scotland Yard, the Royal Navy, and those bloody bastards in Parliament!”
The sound of clinking glasses filled the air as they all drank deeply.
After finishing his wine, Admiral Smith savored the aftertaste, “Not bad, this Hock wine is strong!”
Cochrane, intrigued, set down his glass and picked up the hand crank and discharge rod Arthur had left behind. While turning the crank and generating electricity, he asked, “Mr. Hastings, is there any possibility…that we can use this on the battlefield? Like, we give each soldier a generator, they advance, and use the discharge rod to fire lightning at the enemy?”
Arthur, picturing the scene Cochrane described, felt like he’d seen it somewhere before. After a moment of silence, he hesitantly asked, “Mag…magnetic blast infantry?”
Cochrane, overjoyed, pointed at Arthur, “Yes, yes! I read in the Royal Society journal that the hand-cranked generator’s principle is magnetic induction, so calling it magnetic blast infantry seems fitting. And you even came up with a name so quickly, doesn’t that mean my idea has some merit?”
Seeing Cochrane’s enthusiastic demeanor, Arthur didn’t want to dampen his spirits, so he gently reminded him, “While currently, I believe the hand-cranked generator’s output is insufficient to support its use as a weapon. And considering the varying physical conditions of soldiers, not everyone has strong arms to crank the generator.
However, I believe you can apply to the Admiralty for experimental research. For instance, try using it to electrocute fish, maybe it can solve some of the supply issues for the ocean-going fleet?”
Arthur was simply joking, but Cochrane actually gave it some thought, then nodded, “You’re right, I’ll consider it.”
As Arthur and the generals were chatting, Lady Codrington, who had been waiting in the drawing-room, her temples turning grey, and dressed for the occasion, couldn’t bear to stay idle any longer.
She complained, “Edward, the guests are all inside, how can you hide here and relax?”
General Codrington, scratching his bald head, laughed cheerfully, “My dear, I’m helping Mr. Hastings prepare for his science demonstration. Aren’t the ladies of your Blue Stocking Society eager to meet this rising star of British science?”
“Is that so?” Lady Codrington questioned, “Then what exactly are you preparing for Mr. Hastings?”
Admiral Smith, with a hearty laugh, put his arm around General Codrington’s shoulders. His face was flushed, and he was already three sheets to the wind before the party even started. “Don’t worry, Anna, your Edward knows how to entertain. He just brought Mr. Hastings a glass of Hock wine to give the young man some courage.”
“What? Oh my God! Edward, can you please let me worry less?”
Lady Codrington, visibly concerned, lifted her skirt and descended the steps. She looked at Arthur with concern, “Mr. Hastings, I remember you told me earlier that this experiment might be dangerous. You haven’t been drinking too much, have you?”
Arthur, hearing this, assured her, “My tolerance is low, but a glass of Hock wine is no problem.”
General Codrington nodded, “I told you, a little alcohol for a young man is nothing. I’m thinking about asking Mr. Hastings to be my scientific secretary when I return to the Admiralty. To have a good future in the Royal Navy, you can’t just fight, you have to drink too!”
Cochrane, upon hearing this, couldn’t help but chime in with a sarcastic tone, “That’s right, if you can drink, you don’t even need to fight. Look at our Admiral Gambier! No one understands how to make His Majesty, William IV, our former Royal Navy Commander-in-Chief and First Lord of the Admiralty, happy by drinking more than him.”
He then patted Arthur on the chest, whispering in his ear, “Kid, if you had struck up a relationship with Sidney Smith a few years ago, it would have been great. Back then, he was an active Admiral. But nowadays, he’s just an old man dodging debts. You know why he lives in Paris? Because if he lived in London, he’d be sued by creditors every other day, and then your Scotland Yard cops would throw him in debtor’s prison.”
Arthur, upon hearing this, finally understood why Cochrane’s notoriety spread throughout South America and Britain.
With that mouth of his, if not for his father, the Earl of Dundonald, and his two brothers who served in the Army and Navy, he wouldn’t have just been forced to retire. He’d have been in a much worse situation.
Arthur looked up at the darkening sky and politely asked Lady Codrington, “It’s getting late, how about you go get the guests? This large experimental equipment isn’t suitable for bringing indoors. Let’s have the first science demonstration outside today.”
Lady Codrington, upon hearing this, nervously fidgeted with her handkerchief.
This was her first salon dinner in months, especially since she hadn’t expected Lady Cowper, who usually politely declined her invitations, to suddenly accept.
Lady Cowper was at the pinnacle of London’s high society, and Lady Codrington didn’t want to make a fool of herself in front of her.
After much deliberation, Lady Codrington said, “Mr. Hastings, you said you have a scientific assistant today. Since you’ve been drinking, to prevent accidents, why don’t you let your assistant do the dangerous parts, and you just do the safe ones?”
Arthur, not objecting, nodded slightly, “That’s fine. Please inform Mr. Eld Carter that Arthur Hastings needs him to get in the cage immediately.”
“Get in the cage?” Lady Codrington was taken aback, “Good heavens! I thought this cage was for keeping monkeys. Are you sure you want Mr. Carter to get in there for science?”
Arthur had to correct her, “Madam, you can’t say that. In my opinion, monkeys contribute far more to science than Mr. Carter ever could.”
(End of Chapter)