The Fox of France - Chapter 475 (Patreon)

Chapter 475: Siege

If this had happened a few months ago, Captain Jarvis leading his men to apprehend someone would likely result in not just the target disappearing, but some of his own men as well. However, the situation had slightly improved recently, as the British forces had consolidated their troops. Now, in Dublin, the number of British soldiers might not even surpass the local Irish population.

This, in turn, somewhat improved Dublin's "public safety". At most, the target of an arrest might disappear, rather than the arresting party itself.

However, when Captain Jarvis and his men stormed into a certain courtyard, they found it deserted. Clearly, someone had leaked information.

Jarvis was furious, berating his subordinates who participated in the operation. He threatened to hand them over to the British authorities. But everyone was not really afraid. Firstly, the British were too preoccupied with their own affairs to care about such minor issues.

Secondly, the British's crackdown on these matters had significantly decreased in intensity over time.

It was rumored that after the British retreated to Dublin, to ensure defense, someone proposed to the Duke of Norfolk, the governor, that all Irish people in Dublin should be killed or expelled.

However, both suggestions were dismissed by the Duke of Norfolk. Massacres? After wiping out the Irish, what would happen if they joined the French forces landing in Britain?

The Duke of Norfolk was not worried about the Irish seeking revenge on British civilians. Civilians were expendable. But he was concerned that such actions would greatly increase the cost of any potential compromise. Most importantly, it could include himself and his family as part of that increased cost. Engaging in such detrimental actions to the nation, his family, and himself was unthinkable unless one was foolish.

As for expelling the Dubliners, the Duke of Norfolk thought his subordinates were idiots. Was it because the rebels outside didn't know Dublin well, or were they worried about having too few men?

This attitude quickly made its way down the ranks. After all, not everyone at the bottom was a fool. They realized that the situation was off, with the higher-ups considering their own escape routes. Pressure could lead to mass desertions, and those at the bottom couldn't bear such responsibility. So even the British were no longer pursuing these matters as rigorously.

Captain Jarvis was heartbroken, realizing that as a "die-hard loyalist", he couldn't be sure the British would take him back to England when they retreated. So, he needed to quickly make more contributions. Otherwise, he would become useless if the British returned to Britain.

As Captain Jarvis nervously pondered his future, the Irish independence army began appearing outside Dublin, escalating the tension.

The Irish independence army didn't immediately attack Dublin. The city's garrison was sizable, with strong fortifications and some areas supported by naval cruiser firepower. Although the Irish independence army had high morale and improved field capabilities, their ability to siege remained a significant weakness. So, they isolated a few British strongholds to sever their land connections, waiting for French reinforcements.

The British weren't too concerned about these actions since Dublin was a port. As long as sea routes remained open, it wasn't an issue.

However, the Duke of Norfolk became very anxious upon receiving news that a large number of Irish farmers were laying railway tracks.

Most of the railway from Dublin to Gorey was already under Irish control. The previously troublesome Ashtown had been abandoned by the British, who also destroyed many railways during their retreat. Seeing this situation...

The Duke of Norfolk immediately thought of a legend about the French Urbain cannon.

Napoleon had complained to Joseph about the defense system being too annoying. When France was defensive, it was fine, but now that France was the world's strongest, facing foreign Urbain defenses was uncomfortable.

Thus, the military-industrial complex initiated the so-called "Urbain Plan," named after the cannon used by the Ottoman Empire to conquer Constantinople. This led some to speculate that the French intended to create a special large siege cannon. Using the name of the cannon that once shattered Christendom's shield as the plan's name further proved France's devoutness. Seeing the Irish laying railways, the Duke of Norfolk naturally remembered this legend.

"If there really is a new type of Urbain cannon, it would likely be transported by railway," the Duke of Norfolk thought.

Historically, to transport the massive "Urbain Cannon," the Ottomans used 400 laborers and 60 oxen, taking six weeks to move it just 2.5 miles a day.

The historical Urbain Cannon, although frighteningly large at the time, wouldn't qualify for the "Urbain Plan" name given technological progress. The British's own battleship 10-inch guns weighed over twenty tons, more than the Urbain Cannon's 17 tons. Russia's never-fired Tsar Cannon weighed 40 tons. For such massive cannons, railways were the most suitable transport method.

Despite this speculation, the

Duke of Norfolk had few good options. He could launch raids to disrupt the railway construction, but he knew it would cause significant casualties due to the Irish's defensive works, weakening the city's defenses. The best outcome might delay the French "Urbain Cannon" by a few days or weeks, hardly worth it.

But simply watching and waiting wasn't an option. So, after consulting with the military, the Duke of Norfolk began constructing underground gun emplacements on the city's defensive line.

Even if the "Urbain Plan" cannon was as large as speculated, these hastily built gun emplacements wouldn't withstand its shells. But they could significantly reduce the cannon's effective range, minimizing casualties if not too many people were in each bunker.

At this time, in Carroll Harbor, a massive French cargo ship docked. This was one of France's newly launched large cargo ships, with a displacement of 15,000 tons, making it the world's largest cargo ship.

Using a crane installed half a month ago, the ship unloaded large components, including various cannons and flatbed railway cars.

As the British suspected, the "Urbain Plan" did involve large cannons, but not a spectacle-level cannon. Despite Napoleon's love for spectacles and his strong request for a gigantic cannon, Joseph ultimately produced a 280mm caliber cannon.

Joseph even considered a 203mm caliber sufficient and cheaper. But Napoleon wanted something more impressive, threatening to cut the project's funding if not satisfied.

"Joseph, you promised me a cannon so thick and long that it would make the world tremble. I expected something as thick as a barrel. Even if not that thick, at least as thick as a bucket. And you bring me a 203mm, dinner plate-sized toothpick? Unacceptable!" Napoleon argued.

Joseph insisted he never mentioned a barrel's thickness, claiming he pointed to a water lily leaf inside the barrel, not the barrel itself, as proof of God.

Napoleon retorted, "Stop lying, Joseph. You're as devout as Talleyrand and Fouché. Mentioning God only means you're lying. Why not say you pointed at the fish scales in the barrel?"

After arguing, Napoleon acknowledged the practical limitations of super-sized cannons but insisted on their deterrent effect. Nations might not understand the technicalities, but a barrel-thick cannon would decisively impact morale.

Joseph conceded that achieving barrel thickness was technically impossible unless they wanted a symbolic cannon like the Tsar Cannon, a beautifully decorated but never-fired 1586 Russian bronze smoothbore cannon.

Thus, Napoleon compromised, demanding a cannon no smaller than the British battleship guns.

Joseph and his team produced a 50-ton cannon with an 11-meter long barrel, requiring new nitrocellulose propellant, making both the cannon and its ammunition expensive. Without a recoil system, the cannon relied on a specially designed flatbed car and tracks for movement and positioning.

The 280mm cannon, along with two 203mm cannons and twelve 100mm cannons, was mounted on flatbed cars. Protected by armored trains, this "land battleship" set off from Carroll Harbor towards Dublin.

The "Urbain Plan" involved not just a large-caliber cannon but a mobile artillery group capable of rapid railway movement, transforming field artillery's capabilities. This "land battleship," escorted by the independent army and French army, reached Dublin's frontline within two days, with the Duke of Norfolk's gun emplacements ready.

Upon arrival, the French army took over key fortifications to protect this monumental "land battleship."

The next day, the artillery train launched its first bombardment on the British positions outside Dublin.

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