The Fox of France - Chapter 455 (Patreon)

Chapter 455: A Clear Sky and High Waves Today

The British dispatched the "Queen Elizabeth" to North America, which undoubtedly put a huge pressure on the Americans, but on the other hand, it significantly weakened their own strength in Europe.

This situation immediately brought about a change.

On the day Nelson's fleet attacked Savannah, a French fleet appeared outside the port of Cardiff. This was a powerful fleet including the battleships "Engelbert" and "Caesar". After the "Queen Elizabeth" had gone to North America, there were temporarily no ships in the British navy of the same class.

However, the Royal Navy still mustered the courage to send a small fleet consisting of two armored cruisers close to the French fleet, and asked the French their intentions using signal flags.

"They're asking us our intentions?" On the bridge of the "Engelbert," Admiral Treveil said with a sarcastic tone, "Tell them we're sailing freely. We go wherever we wish on the high seas. It's none of their business!"

So, the French fleet, just three miles from Cardiff port, formed a battle line, setting up a bombardment formation, and practiced tactics for shelling the port.

Then, the French fleet turned around and left Cardiff, passing through the Strait of Saint George, and headed towards Liverpool in a grand manner. The British navy's fleet naturally came from all directions to watch the French sail freely.

The French fleet, unconcerned, continued at a speed of about six knots until they reached outside Liverpool port, where they flaunted their freedom of navigation before leaving Liverpool, sailing eastward, and then sailed freely off Dublin.

During this process, more and more British warships began to follow them. From the initial two armored cruisers, almost the entire British navy had gathered.

As more British warships followed, the French began to feel the pressure.

"It's time we left. Otherwise, they might really start having bad ideas," Admiral Treveil said. The Irish Sea is a relatively enclosed area with limited space. If the British managed to bring all their remaining naval fleets here, they might entertain the idea of using the advantageous terrain here to wipe out this French fleet.

So, Admiral Treveil, after observing the British fleets following his own and checking the movements of the British fleets from spies near various British ports (the intelligence was first sent back to France by carrier pigeons and then relayed to the fleet through still-secret radio communications), estimated the possible movements of the British and ordered to leave the Irish Sea.

At Admiral Treveil's command, the fleet turned south and quickly accelerated to sixteen knots — the highest speed "Engelbert" and "Caesar" could achieve.

As the French fleet accelerated, the British fleet following them began to falter. Except for the newest cruisers, the other warships couldn't keep up.

The French fleet powered southward, surprising the British. Indeed, the British had contemplated taking advantage of the French fleet's key ships being in this relatively enclosed area to concentrate their forces for a decisive strike. Of course, this idea had not yet gained enough government support. But it was indeed one of the possible options. The French maneuver, however, made this option impossible.

Before the British fleet could gather in the Irish Sea, the French fleet passed through the Strait of Saint George again, returned to the Atlantic, and then turned west, heading towards the western coast of Ireland.

By then, even the British's armored cruisers couldn't keep up with the speed of the French fleet. The French quickly shook off the British fleet and appeared near Clare County. Here, Carroll port was the largest port under the control of the Irish independence army. However, the British had always deployed a detachment consisting of four armored cruisers in Galway, using this force to blockade Carroll port.

Now, as the British began to counterattack in Ireland, Ireland urgently needed more supplies.

Several ships loaded with supplies desperately needed by the Irish had already arrived near Carroll port, but they could not break through the British navy's blockade to deliver these vital supplies ashore.

Now, the French fleet met with these merchant ships and headed directly for Carroll port.

Today, two British cruisers "maintained presence" outside Carroll port. They suddenly saw a line of smoke on the horizon. Then, a group of menacing French warships appeared in the sight of these two cruisers.

The commanders of these two cruisers, Colonel McDerford, realized upon seeing the opposing formation that it would be very difficult to stop them today. The opposing ships, both in number and quality, were beyond what his two cruisers could contend with.

But he still commanded the two cruisers to meet them head-on, shouting through a high-power loudspeaker imported from France: "You are about to enter British territorial waters, turn away immediately!" But the French hoisted a "D flag" at the top of their masts. The British knew that in the French flag signal system, the D flag meant: "My ship

's rudder is malfunctioning, beware of collision."

To put it more plainly, hoisting the D flag, the real intention was to play bumper boats. Once the D flag was hoisted, it meant a direct collision with any British warship trying to block them. That meant, "Move aside, or I'll crash into you!"

This tactic, also a common strategy in later maritime disputes, inspired the modern border poem:

Clear skies today, high waves roll, D flag flutters atop the lead ship's pole.

Command the barbarians to quickly evade, "I'll crash without care," is the message conveyed.

Describing this very tactic.

As the French warships each hoisted the D flag, they headed straight for the two British cruisers.

If the British were a bit more clear-headed, they should have quickly realized that they had no chance of winning in this game of bumper boats. But the British dared not fire, nor did they dare to play bumper boats with the French fleet's warships, knowing full well that they couldn't win.

But the Royal Navy has never had the habit of turning away in the face of the enemy. So they could only guard the shipping lanes while continuing to loudly proclaim: "You are about to violate the territorial waters of the United Kingdom, please turn away immediately... please turn away immediately..."

Then there was a loud "Boom!"

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