Chapter 876 The snipe and the clam fight

Chapter 876 The snipe and the clam fight

In this naval battle outside the port of Toulon, four battleships of the British Mediterranean Fleet were sunk, two were captured, and nine others were seriously damaged.

As for the French Grand Orient Fleet, nine battleships, including the flagship, were sunk, 11 were seriously damaged, and other auxiliary ships suffered numerous losses.

However, in the end, Edward Princeton was forced to abandon his two main battleships and escape from the battlefield. Although the British were far ahead in terms of battle loss ratio, the French still had an absolute advantage in numbers with all their main force.

The most important thing is that the Gallic roosters that fell into the water did not turn into drowned rats. They still swam hard towards the British ship and tried to board the British ship.

What's even more terrible is that the Greeks' inferior coal produced a large amount of waste, causing the boilers to clog. Under full operation, the two most advanced paddle-wheel warships were scrapped before the battle started.

Among the four ships that were sunk, there was also a paddle-wheel battleship. Its paddle wheel directly lost its ability to move after being hit, and then it became a living target for the French.

Edward Princeton knew that there was no need to continue this naval battle. Although he did not want to admit it, the French did win, but they would not be so lucky next time.

Although the French Great Eastern Fleet suffered heavy losses, in a sense, the British suffered greater losses, because the capture of two advanced paddle-wheel warships was very likely to cause the leakage of military secrets.

But in Edward Princeton's view, the paddle wheel battleship was a civilian ship that did nothing because the paddle wheel was too huge and extremely fragile. What was even more frightening was that as long as one side was destroyed, it would be completely paralyzed.

Because after destroying one side, if only one side rotates, the ship will draw a circle in place.

Edward Princeton wrote in his diary: "It will be useful next time if they can get back to Crete."

Unfortunately, the British Mediterranean Fleet encountered the main force of the Austrian Navy on its way back.

This was the first time Edward Princeton saw the Austrian Navy. He looked at those terrifyingly large black iron cities through his telescope.

"What the hell is that?"

"Captain, that's the Austrian flag, it's an Austrian ship. They give us fifteen minutes to surrender or they will no longer accept our surrender."

The first mate replied with sweat on his face. To be honest, he had never seen such a big ship, and the speed was a bit unscientific.

You must know that this is a windless zone. Even the most advanced paddle-wheel warships can only make 14 knots, and the Austrians can sail faster than when they have full sail.

The first mate joined the ship at the age of fourteen and has been at sea for more than twenty years. For the first time, he couldn't believe his eyes.

However, Edward Clinton was not aware of this problem. He just ordered based on his own experience.

"Mr. Cole, keep your distance from them. Let's go to Gibraltar."

"But Captain." First Mate Cole wanted to remind Captain Edward, but the latter was still thinking about another more terrifying thing at this time, that is, why did the Austrian Navy appear in the Western Mediterranean?

How did the Austrians rush out of the Adriatic Sea, and their fleet left in Crete was completely destroyed? The most important thing is why the Austrians appeared so promptly. Could it be that they colluded with the French?

A series of questions sent shivers down Edward Collinson's spine. The war had just begun. Could it be that they had colluded before the war started?

This is a conspiracy against the Mediterranean Fleet! When did this all start?

Edward Princeton did not dare to continue thinking about it. The whole war might have been a conspiracy to exclude the British Mediterranean Fleet. He had to tell London the news.

The British turned around and ran away, which was completely within Friedrich's expectation.

"Did you see? This is the invincible British Royal Navy? It will fight when it sees the enemy? It seems that we have no choice but to run away!"

The Archduke's words immediately caused a burst of booing from the naval officers and soldiers. To be honest, ordinary officers and soldiers did not know the glorious history of the British Royal Navy at all. They only knew that the Austrian Navy had never lost...

Friedrich was not arrogant. He had decided to sink British warships with his own hands since he first saw them showing off in Venice Harbor when he was ten years old.

Friedrich gave up joining the army and instead joined the navy, which was completely ignored in Austria.

He personally translated a large amount of British and French naval history, read a large number of books on naval tactics and technology, and lived on a warship almost every day since joining the navy.

From the day the British navy stationed on the large island of Crete, Friedrich was planning to remove this major enemy of Austria in the Mediterranean.

In fact, he felt that even without relying on the French, it would not be difficult to destroy the British Mediterranean Fleet with the strength of the Austrian Navy at this time.

But Franz said that this is not the time for us to make a splash, and this will be a brutal war of annihilation.

Franz wanted all the British to be buried under the sea. He did not want the strength of the Austrian navy to be completely exposed, and he needed the British and the French to form mortal enemies.

Although Friedrich didn't understand why Franz had to do this, he knew that the latter was not a murderous person, and he must have his own reasons for doing so.

However, Friedrich felt that as long as he sank the British warships and left the British sailors to fend for themselves instead of rescuing them.

This is the summer in the Mediterranean, and the wind and waves are very small. It may take several weeks for those who fall into the water to float to the shore, and there is basically no chance of survival.

About a quarter of an hour later, Edward Princeton discovered a problem. The black iron monsters of the Austrian Navy were approaching them.

"What's going on? Cole! Let's ignore those injured broken ships! Move forward at full speed! Avoid the Austrian fleet! There is no way those large-tonnage broken ships can catch up with us!"

"Yes, sir!"

The flagman on the watchtower signaled full speed ahead, which made the nine injured warships despair.

The British navy officers and soldiers are all veteran sailors, so how could they not know the semaphore.

"Commander Edward has abandoned us! Sooner or later we will be overtaken by the Austrians who are chasing behind us!"

A veteran cried in frustration.

"Why don't we escape separately? This way we have a better chance of survival! The Austrians have just issued an ultimatum. If we don't surrender within a quarter of an hour, they will sink us all!"

"Otherwise we surrender. They will treat the prisoners of war well, right?"

"No! Didn't you read the newspaper? The Austrians are more barbaric than the Arabs. Everywhere they go, men will be killed as long as they are taller than a wheel, children will be castrated and used as eunuchs, and all women will be given away Go to the military prostitute camp!”

"Yes! They all use the Bible as fuel, that's why they went to war with the Papal States!"

"So we are righteous?"

"Yes! We are the righteous party!"

"Justice will prevail!"

The warships of both sides finally kept pace with each other.