-
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
His answer was not long in coming. Even as he finished speaking the bow
cannon on the warship blossomed with fire and a column of water leaped high
some yards ahead of the bow.
"Heave to."
The captain had no choice. Once the sails were lowered, the ship lost way,
wallowing in the waves. A boat was quickly and efficiently lowered from the
warship. The two vessels were close enough for Captain Bulloch to read the
ship's name.
"HMSDevastation.Stupid name."
The Americans could only look on numbly as the boat approached. A uniformed
officer followed by six armed marines climbed to the deck to face the angry
captain.
"This is piracy! You have no right "
"The right of forcemajeure ," the officer said disdainfully, waving toward
the heavily armed warship. "I will now examine your ship's papers."
"You shall not!"
"What is your cargo?" The officer offhandedly loosened his sword in its
scabbard as he spoke; this was not lost on the captain.
"Cotton," he said."American cotton on its way toGermany , and no concern of
yours."
"I beg to differ. If you were aware of world affairs, you would know that due
to unfair trading practices,Great Britain has banned the sale of American
cotton toGermany andFrance . Your cargo is therefore declared contraband and
will be seized and taken to a British port."
"I must protest!"
"So noted.Now order your crew on deck. A prize crew will man this ship and
take her into port."
Captain Bulloch cursed impotently. He was no longer a happy man.
Page 40
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
The fine weather petered out as one went north; the Midlands glistened under
a steady, drumming rain;Scotland as well. But Thomas McGrath and Paddy
McDermott walked out into the teemingGlasgow rain with immense feelings of
relief. The train trip fromBirmingham had been long, slow, and almost
unbearably tense. McGrath, with his Cockney accent, had bought the two
third-class tickets and they had boarded the train just as it was leaving.
They had sat in silence all the way toScotland , fearful that their Irish
voices would arouse suspicion. The Irish were looked at with distrust inGreat
Britain these days.
"You say you've been here before, Paddy?" McGrath asked.
"Aye, for a year, after I came over fromBelfast ."
"Many Irish here?"
"For sure.But not our kind."
"Proddies?"
"To a man."
"Could you pass as one?"
"Jayzus!Why would I want to do a thing like that?"
"Well, you sound like one, right enough."
"To youmebbe .But as soon as they heard my name and where I lived, they would
know right enough I'm aTaigh ."
"What if you gave them a different name, a different address?"
"Well might work. But not for long."
"It doesn't have to be for long. We have to find an Irish bar near the
fishing ships. They'll be going out to sea, fishing the same grounds as the
Irish do. We've got to find a way to use that contact, get you, or a message,
across to the other side. Say something about a death in the family, a funeral
you have to attend, anything. Offer them money."
"And where would I get the brass? We're thatskint .Cosh someonemebbe ?"
"If it comes to that, why not?"McGrath said grimly. "Word about the
concentration camps has got to reachIreland ."
Through the ceaseless rain the lights of a pub could be seen ahead, beside
theClyde . Heads down, they went toward it. Paddy glanced up at the signboard
above the front entrance.
"McCutcheon's," he said. "I've been here. It's about as Irish as you can
get."
"I hope so," McGrath said, his voice betraying a native suspicion. "But let
me talk until we are absolutely sure."
His suspicion was well founded. They sipped silently at their pints and
listened to the voices around them with growing concern. They drank quickly
and left the dregs inthe their glasses, went back into the rainy night.
Page 41
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Not an Irishman among them," Paddy said."Scots to a man."
"It's the English," McGrath said darkly. "Protestant or Catholic they can't
tell them apart. A Paddy is just a Paddy to them."
"What do we do?"
"Get some money and get down to the coast. Fishing's a hard life. We'll just
have to find a fisherman in need of a few bob to take a passenger or two.
That's what we have to do."
Parliament was in session, and a very boisterous session it was proving to
be. It was prime minister's question time and Benjamin Disraeli, the leader of
the opposition, was vying with many others for the attention of the speaker.
Once recognized, he climbed to his feet, looked ruefully at LordPalmerston ,
and shook his head.
"Would the house agree with the incredulity that the Prime Minister's words
have stirred in my breast? Are we really to believe thatBritain is best served
by stopping ships at sea, searching and seizing them? Does not memory of 1812
raise certain uncomfortable memories? A useless war started at a time of great
peril to this country.Started, if memory serves me correctly, by British
men-of-war stopping American ships at sea and pressing their seamen into our
service.America would not abide that practice then, and I doubt if they will
do so now. The Prime Minister's reckless policies have led this country into
two disastrous wars. Must we now look forward to a third?"
There were shouts of agreement from the floor mixed with boos and cries of
anger.Palmerston rose slowly to his feet,then spoke when the barracking had
died down.
"Does the honorable gentleman intend that as a question or just an exercise
in demagoguery? International trade is the heart's blood of the Empire. While
it flows we all profit and live in harmony. Cotton is as essential to the
fields ofIndia as it is to the mills ofManchester . I would be remiss if I did
not take action against those who threaten that trade and the Americans are
doing just that. The coins in your pocket and the clothes on your back are the
profits of international trade. Threaten that and you threaten the Empire, you
threaten our very existence as a world power.Britain will rule the seas today
and in the foreseeable future just as she has ruled in the past. The sea-lanes
of the world shall not be the pathway of American expansionism. The enemy is
at the door, and I for one shall not let them in. Perilous times need positive
policies."
"Like the policy of seizing and imprisoning certain sections of our society?"
Disraeli said.
Palmerstonwas furious. "I have said it before, and repeat it here
again matters of military policy will not be discussed in this house, in
public, in the presence of the press. If the honorable leader of the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
- doc.pisz.pl
- pdf.pisz.pl
- zambezia2013.opx.pl