Chapter 37
Arthur read the penny “Poor Man’s Gazette” with great interest until he reached the end of the article, when he realized something was amiss.
TL Note: Like a Fashion Magazine
The founder of the “Poor Man’s Gazette,” Heslington, was a name on Scotland Yard’s watch list.
While the “Combination Laws” of 1824 had been repealed and censorship of publications had been gradually loosened, the barriers were only removed on the surface. Behind the scenes, there were still many underhanded tricks.
Workers were mostly from the impoverished classes, and they were unlikely to have much money left over for anything beyond their basic needs.
To prevent workers’ unions from establishing influential publications, the British government began imposing stamp taxes on newspapers, raising the price to four pence. This was done to limit the circulation of newspapers by raising their cost.
Since there were countermeasures for every tactic, this was why various clandestine newspapers were constantly emerging on the streets of London.
As long as they didn’t pay taxes, a penny price was enough to cover costs and still make a profit.
Unfortunately, Arthur never had the opportunity to get such a good deal when buying newspapers.
One second, street vendors were still hawking penny newspapers, but as soon as he approached, only legitimate options like “The Times,” “The Morning Herald,” and “The Manchester Guardian” remained.
Arthur snatched Eldred’s newspaper, leaving him to chat with Darwin beside him while sketching with his pencil on a sheet of paper.
After finishing the newspaper, Arthur was about to join the conversation when he noticed the little figure Eldred was drawing.
He furrowed his brow, a flash of inspiration crossed his mind, and he snapped his fingers. “Elder, how are your drawing skills coming along?”
Elder yawned. “They’re alright, why do you ask?”
Arthur smiled. “I want to ask you to do something. If it works out, the reward is no problem. Greenwich Police District still has some leftover funds for this quarter.”
“Oh?” Hearing the word “reward,” Eldred immediately perked up. “You want me to help you draw a map?”
“It’s not just a map,” Arthur took a sip of tea. “You should know about ‘General Thief’ Fred, right?”
“Fred? Of course I know him! I even asked him to help me dispose of some smuggled goods I brought over.”
Arthur, who was enjoying his tea, almost choked on a mouthful of water.
“What did you say?!”
Arthur pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his mouth. “You? Smuggling? And you’re even connected to Fred?”
However, Eldred didn’t seem to care, as if he wasn’t bothered by committing a crime.
He put his legs up on the table, leaned back against the chair, and said, “What’s the big deal? The Royal Navy is involved in smuggling, everyone knows that!”
Darwin, who had been quietly reading, was startled by this explosive news and his expression changed.
Arthur leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Tell me everything, I’m in need of a big case lately.”
As soon as Arthur finished speaking, Eldred’s face turned pale.
He lowered his voice and cursed, “Arthur, you bloody bastard, are you trying to get me thrown in jail? Besides, those smuggled goods weren’t mine, I was selling them for my uncle. After I sold them, the old geezer still wasn’t satisfied, he thought I sold them too cheap and didn’t give me a single penny.”
Arthur also lowered his voice. “That makes you a witness, I can help you get leniency and get your uncle thrown in jail. A Royal Navy Rear Admiral is enough to feed me for many years. Don’t worry, when I get promoted and get rich, I won’t forget you.”
Eldred was annoyed. “If you get him thrown in jail, who will protect me? Are you crazy? Besides, if you arrest him, won’t you have to lock up the Commander of the Mediterranean Fleet as well?”
Hearing this, Darwin also leaned over. “There’s something about the Commander of the Mediterranean Fleet?”
Eldred was furious. “Of course! Are you guys planning to drag in First Lord of the Admiralty Thomas Hardy as well?”
Arthur had intended to make a joke, but before he could even ask, Elder had already revealed almost everything.
He quickly shouted, “Stop! Don’t say another word, are you going to include the Royal Navy Admiral, Prince William, in this mess?”
Eldred was stunned for a moment, then raised his hand and punched Arthur in the chest. “You’re a clever one! No wonder you can be a police inspector. How did you know?”
Arthur quickly covered his mouth and scanned the surroundings, until he saw no one paying attention to them, then replied.
“I don’t know anything. Just talk about the Royal Navy, don’t mention specific individuals.”
Elder spread his hands. “Actually, it’s not that big of a deal.
Think about it, the Royal Navy officers have good pay, but the sailors’ pay is terrible.
If they’re at war, it’s a bit better because they can share in the spoils of war, but right now, it’s a time of peace.
Normally, the income of merchant sailors can be three or four times higher than that of sailors, and it can even reach five or six times higher during peak shipping seasons.
Moreover, the Royal Navy’s training is so strict, and the internal regulations are so rigid, who would want to be a sailor?
They’re floating at sea all day long, and they don’t even make much money.
The Navy has difficulty recruiting enough soldiers every time, so much so that the recruiting officers have resorted to kidnapping.
You should have heard those rumors back home. When the Navy recruiting officers came to recruit soldiers, the local farmers were unwilling to go, so they joined forces to kidnap a few passers-by from other places to fill the quota.
Or they would bring criminals who were supposed to be exiled onto the ships. They were supposed to be exiled, but once they got on the ship, they couldn’t get off.
The pay is so bad that if the Admiralty doesn’t allow the brothers to smuggle some things, how can they live properly?”
Darwin nodded slightly. “Although I don’t know why, I think what you said makes sense.”
Arthur smiled helplessly. “Every time I hear you talk about the Royal Navy, it makes me feel like the whole place is rotten from top to bottom. But if that’s the case, why are they still so powerful?”
Eldred rolled his eyes. “Of course it’s still because of money! Everyone gets a fixed salary, but if there’s a war, the Admiralty has a clear price list.
Destroy an enemy ship and you’ll get a bounty of five shillings per person for the number of enemy soldiers you kill.
Capture an enemy ship and tow it back to port, and the government will purchase it at market price.
As for the spoils of war obtained in battle, the internal rule of the Navy is that the captain gets a quarter, the fleet commander gets an eighth, and the rest is divided among the sailors.
That’s why, even if the Royal Navy is rotten, it can still beat the French so badly that they don’t even dare to leave their ports.
In their eyes, French ships are not enemies at all, they are just gold floating on the sea.
In the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy could complete two rounds of shelling in three and a half minutes.
General Rotherham’s frigate dared to chase after French battleships, even with a numerical disadvantage, and the first thing they did was to engage in boarding combat. He alone killed more than a dozen French soldiers with his sword.
As for the French, if you give them three and a half minutes, they probably haven’t even taken the cannonballs out of the hold. They’d have enough time to raise the white flag!
Speaking of which, Eldred lowered his voice and whispered mysteriously, “I’ll tell you a secret, but don’t tell anyone else.
I heard from my uncle that some captains, after fighting the 22-year Napoleonic Wars, had earned over 300,000 pounds.
The captains eat the meat, and those sailors who follow them naturally get their share of the soup. You tell me, can such a situation be without combat power?”
Then he sighed again. “It’s just a pity that Napoleon was useless. If he had held on for another ten or twenty years, wouldn’t I have been able to get rich too? What a useless thing!”
Arthur glanced at the guests at the table next to him and noticed that they were all looking at them with strange expressions.
So, Arthur could only cough and remind Eldred, “Let’s talk about how you know Fred.”
(End of Chapter)