Chapter 987 A great shame and humiliation

Chapter 987 A great shame and humiliation

Edward Hobart Seymour Sr. was in no mood to pay attention to the rumors among the army, and continuing the attack on Crete was out of the question.

Theoretically, he must convey what happened here back home as quickly as possible, because the threat from the sky is beyond his ability to deal with.

However, the reality is that Edward Hobart Seymour Sr. did not issue a similar order. He just ordered the fleet to sail to the island of Malta at full speed.

At this time, old Edward Hobart Seymour no longer dared to look down upon Austria as an opponent, and the delay in the main fleet of the Austrian Imperial Navy aggravating his premonition.

What is the main force of the Austrian Imperial Navy doing? I am afraid that it is very possible to choose to bypass him and attack Malta Island.

Once the new Mediterranean fleet loses the island of Malta, it can only seek refuge in Cyprus or even Ottoman Istanbul.

In this way, the British Mediterranean Fleet will no longer be a sharp sword for Britain to penetrate into the Mediterranean, but a prisoner in a cage, which cannot be used no matter how powerful it is.

It has to be said that the British admirals had a strong view of the overall situation at this time. Just one meeting had already guessed the intentions of the Austrian Navy, but only 70-80%.

At this time, the British naval ships were in an awkward period of alternation between old and new, sail power, steam power, sail-steam hybrid power, multi-masted galleon, and top-masted schooner.

Different power, different styles, and products of different years result in a considerable speed gap.

If it were normal times, then Edward Hobart Seymour Sr. could have taken his time and kept pace.

But what he needs now is time. Since the fall of Crete, Britain has been strengthening the defense of Malta.

The island of Malta has been an important military location since ancient times, and the Knights Hospitallers built a large number of medieval defense facilities on it.

However, the total number of soldiers and civilians on Malta Island is less than 20,000, and most of the so-called defense facilities were built hundreds of years ago. It is still unclear whether they can block the modern army.

Therefore, Edward Hobart Seymour Sr. had to be fast at this time, and he decided to organize the new large battleships and paddle-wheel battleships, as well as some new clippers, into the front group.

The remaining baggage ships, troop carriers and old warships formed the rear group.

His reason for doing this is that the front team is mainly responsible for fighting, and if it encounters the main force of the Austrian Imperial Navy, it can directly engage in battle.

Even with only one-third of the force, Edward Hobart Seymour Sr. was confident that he could defeat the so-called Austrian Navy.

Even if you can't completely wipe out your opponents, you can at least escape the battlefield with your excellent mobility.

As for the rear team, although they are all old antiques, the old dogs still have a few teeth. What's more, these British antiques are still terrible war beasts in the eyes of the world's powers, and they are the confidence of the British Empire to sweep the world.

And theoretically speaking, the rear team does not need to participate in direct combat, but only serves as a reserve team and insurance just in case.

Edward Hobart Seymour Sr., whose own flagship was in the front line, wanted to avenge his disgrace.

However, as far as the port of Malta, the British did not encounter the enemy they expected.

Seeing the British Empire flag on the Malta Port and the peaceful and busy docks, the officers and soldiers of the British Navy couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

To be honest they really didn't know how to face the Austrians.

They were really afraid of seeing the sky full of "dragons" or "elliptical hot air balloons" in the harbor spitting tongues of fire mercilessly at the ground, and then covering the sky above them again.

Fortunately, that tragedy did not happen, but Edward Hobart Seymour Sr. had no relaxed expression on his face at all. On the contrary, he frowned even more tightly.

Where are the Austrians? Could it be that my speed was too fast and I missed it on the vast sea? Or do they have a bigger conspiracy?

What do they want to do? Shouldn't we do something before we join the French Grand Eastern Fleet?

What are the Austrians doing? Are they having a celebration party thinking the war is over?

Countless questions filled his mind, and what should he do?

Among countless options, Edward Hobart Seymour Sr. chose the safest one - to reinforce the defenses and wait for backup.

There are supplies and shore guns on Malta Island. Here he can at least be invincible.

As for the issue of aircraft, he selectively ignored it, because this weapon looked scary, but the damage it caused to the fleet was much less than imagined.

The second and most important reason is that he can't think of a way to solve it yet.

However, early the next morning, old Edward Hobart Seymour received bad news. The rear team transporting soldiers and supplies was attacked.

More than half of the escort fleet was lost, but only three of the twenty old battleships were lost.

The most serious losses were those ships responsible for transporting baggage and soldiers, with losses of nearly two-thirds.

This was actually revenge against the British, because Edward Hobart Seymour Sr.'s fleet destroyed all the Austrian Empire's trading posts and strongholds in the Mediterranean after entering the Mediterranean.

All merchant ships, goods, and personnel of the Austrian Empire were also seized. It is more appropriate to say that it is seizure. In fact, it is more appropriate to say that it is robbery.

The British asked Austria to compromise and pay a ransom before releasing the Austrian businessmen.

Franz felt that since the British were such gentlemen, it would be rude for Austria not to return the favor.

However, the Austrian Imperial Navy is not a pirate. British cargo and sailors will be thrown directly into the sea. After all, Austria has no place to store this garbage.

After attacking the British fleet, Friedrich did not choose to kill them all, but politely gave Britain the choice of surrender or retreat.

The commander of the squadron naturally chose to retreat without thinking, because in the battle just now, he found that the number of the Austrian navy was twice as large as the intelligence indicated.

Moreover, both tactics and combat power must be stronger than the squadron he leads.

Finally, Friedrich's flagship signaled that the British could salvage their sailors and cargo and left.

However, after being pursued for four hours, the entire route was littered with lost cargo and sailors from the British army.

In the end, the British squadron commander, Lieutenant General Manco, decided to abandon the cargo and sailors.

After all, he didn't know whether the Austrians really let them go, or whether they would fight back when they were salvaging the sailors and cargo.

In the end, tens of thousands of British sailors perished at sea. There happened to be dozens of reporters, photographers, missionaries and social activists on a passing Russian merchant ship, who witnessed and recorded this scene.

The old Edward Hobart Seymour on the island of Malta had a heart palpitation. He lost half of his ships just after the war started. This was an unprecedented shame for the British Empire's navy.

Although only three of the thirty-eight battleships were lost, the task of conquering Crete and suppressing Greece may not be completed.