He had their full attention and looked around the table.
“Gentlemen, we are to force the Dardanelles and lie before Constantinople.”
There were gasps of incredulity but Duckworth ignored them. “The government has had word of French intrigue and treachery in the court of the Sultan of Turkey that threatens to gain for Bonaparte what he lost at the Nile and this cannot be tolerated. My task is to reverse that state of affairs in our favour, by force, if necessary.”
“Sir, when you say force, do you mean-”
“My orders are clear. We lie off the city with guns run out. Our demands are simple: the Turk is to eject the chief French troublemaker, one M’sieur Sebastiani, and his crew to us or alternatively yield up their entire navy, ships and stores to prevent their falling into the hands of the French. Failing that, we bombard the city of Constantinople and lay it in ruins.”
“Good God! This is madness!” Smith stuttered, his face reddening. “The work of a lunatic! We can’t just-”
“Admiral Smith!” rapped Duckworth, “Kindly keep yourself under control. These orders are not mine-they’re not even those of the commander-in-chief. They originate in London at the highest-I say, the highest-level. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Smith subsided, his fists bunched.
“I’m further instructed to take advice from the ambassador on this matter. His assessments regarding this grave confrontation are trusted by Whitehall and are, no doubt, the reason why we’re here. Where is the fellow, by the way?”
“He lies indisposed in my ship, Sir John,” Kydd answered quickly.
“Well, see he gets the best treatments. He’s much to be consulted.”
“There seems to be a conundrum at large,” Louis came in.
“What do you mean, sir?”
“Are not the Turks our allies? A penetration of the Dardanelles by force must be in breach of our treaty of friendship of 1798, surely.”
“We come in peace,” there was a muffled guffaw from Smith, “so if they open fire, it is the Turk who is in default. Never underestimate the wily Oriental, sir! They know full well what they’re about and it’s up to us to bring them to their senses. That is why we’ve been dispatched on this mission.”
Duckworth sniffed disdainfully, then said, “And, for your information, the Russian Navy in Corfu, under their Admiral Senyavin, has offered to send us ships-of-the-line in the common cause. Naturally I shall not avail myself of this, considering our present armament sufficient against the Navy of the Ottomans.”
There was quiet for a space as the import of what had been said sank in. Then Smith said coldly, “Sir, I have met Sultan Selim, my brother having been the previous ambassador. He’s no fool but has problems with his own people and takes to dithering between two courses of action when pressured. He’s close to the French now but can be swayed back just as easily. In all charity, can we not move forward by diplomacy instead of bludgeoning our way-”
“Your objections are noted, sir. My orders are explicit. I can see no reason to delay. We sail against Constantinople.”
“Very good, sir,” Smith said icily. “That leaves only the question of what to say when we fail.”
“Your attitude borders on the mutinous, sir. Explain yourself!”
“Certainly. I know these waters well-are you aware there are thirty-eight forts and batteries on the shores of the Dardanelles before ever the Sea of Marmora is reached? In a passage a mile or so wide this is hard enough to bear, I would have thought. A single ship is no threat and may pass unmolested, but a fleet such as ours will be an intolerable provocation.”
Duckworth looked as though he was going to say something but stayed quiet.
“Then there are the elements. The strait is long and narrow and there are currents and winds that can set the fairest vessel at a stand-I give you what the Turk calls the meltemi, a remorseless nor’easterly that can blow for days and, of course, is dead foul for passage through.”
There were nods about the table. A ponderous line-of-battle ship could sail no closer than six points off the wind’s eye and it didn’t take a lot of imagination to picture a scene of back-winded ships milling helplessly before the guns of a Turkish fortress.
“And did I say currents? There are some swifter than a man may run, many that will stem a ship motionless in a tops’l breeze. Sir, you may be confident of our first armed incursion into the strait since the Crusaders, but I am not.”
Duckworth glowered. “Why wasn’t I told of this in more detail? Don’t we have pilots as will preserve us through the hazards?”
“You’ll trust a Turk to conn us safely through to fall upon his countrymen?”
“Humph. A good point, o’ course. Thirty-eight fortifications, you say. This will not be easy-to reduce them one by one will take time.”
“And given the narrow width of the channel we cannot concentrate our fire-power at once,” Louis added. “It requires we brave the enemy’s shot ship by ship instead.”
“Quite,” Duckworth said, the frown now permanent. “In view of what I’ve heard on fortresses, winds, restricted waters and currents, I’m minded to delay the expedition until we have a clearer plan in hand. It seems obvious to me now that their lordships were never in possession of all the facts when they drew up their orders.”
“Sir,” Kydd intervened, “as I’m new returned from Constantinople, I’ve seen how fast things are happening there. If we’re indeed to make an impression on the Porte then we should move now, before the French can establish themselves further.”
“Port? What does he mean?”
“The Sublime Porte,” Smith said sharply. “The government of Turkey, named for the gateway where they meet the infidel. And he’s right. If we go through with this madness, better we do it before they get word and set up a resistance.”
“I will be the judge of when we sail. And I say we wait until we can look further into the obstacles that face us. That is my decision.”
An uncomfortable silence was broken by some kind of disturbance outside the cabin. The door opened and the flag-lieutenant poked his head in. “Sorry to interrupt, sir, but the ambassador, Mr Arbuthnot, is here and demands entry to any discussion concerning Constantinople.”
“Very well. Send him in.”
Arbuthnot showed no sign of any ailment. He bustled in, eyes a-gleam, seized a chair and sat close to Duckworth.
“I’ve just heard of your arrival, Admiral. How splendid!” he spluttered. “Excellent! London has been listening to what I’ve been saying these last months. A show of force! Nelson’s fleet!”
“I’m happy to see you’ve made a full recovery from your indisposition, sir.”
“Yes, yes, I’m quite ready to play my part, Admiral. Now, how then are we to proceed on our great expedition?”
“My orders are to lie off Constantinople and demand the persons of the French delegation. Failing that, to demand the handing over of the entire Ottoman fleet and stores to prevent their falling into French hands.”
“And if they won’t comply?”
“We are to bombard the city until it lies in ruins.”
“Splendid! Our standing among the Turks-who invariably connect power with prestige-will never be higher.”
“Or any other acts as you shall from time to time recommend,” Duckworth said heavily. “And are within my power to undertake.”
“It may not come to that, Admiral. So when might we start our chastising?”
“Sir, I’m not altogether of the opinion that you have a proper regard for the difficulties we are facing.”
“Difficulties?” Arbuthnot said, with surprise. “With a grand fleet such as this? They’ll run like rats at the first sight of it.”
“No, sir. I’m more referring to our forcing of a passage through the Dardanelles. Have you ever given thought to the fact that no hostile armada has ever gone through unopposed since before Drake’s time? There is a reason for that. Fortresses, currents-I won’t weary you with details, sir. Suffice it to say that it is my inviolable decision to delay any sailing until we have thoroughly considered the elements.”