Gingerly Maynard touched one. Its cold iron casing lay dormant but he sensed a pent-up ferocity that unnerved him.
‘And this.’ Congreve crossed rapidly to another chest and threw out his arms. ‘This is my pride and joy, gentlemen.’
Inside were four much larger missiles, which had needle-sharp nose cones, in the same iron-black.
‘A thirty-two-pounder carcass-armed rocket,’ he breathed, ‘that may pierce into any building from a stupendous height. With a patent composition that spreads itself like lava after impact and whose blazing essence can never be put out. As well, in each one, a smoke-ball of noxious quality is included that will suffocate even the bravest attempting to douse the conflagration.’
‘Er, what is their range, if I may ask it, sir?’ Adams asked, clearly trying hard not to be impressed.
‘I would be disappointed at less than one or two miles, far beyond your common mortar, however large.’
‘And how does it … That is to say, how is it fired?’
‘With a gun? No, sir! I like to say that this is ammunition without ordnance. It requires nothing but a frame of the kind you may see yonder.’
Propped up against the earthwork were several flimsy tripod devices.
‘And when ready for flight, we fasten on a stabilising pole – for the thirty-two-pounder, of about ten feet in length. The entire procedure is effortless and capable of a rate of fire that would make you stare. I wish I could tell you more, gentlemen, but time presses. Let me leave you with this one thought. The cost to the Treasury of one mortar carcass, with its powder charge, is two pounds, three shillings and elevenpence. For a thirty-two-pounder rocket of superior destructive vehemence, it amounts to little more than twenty shillings. There – what do you think of that?’
Maynard and Adams trudged back together in silence, each with his thoughts.
‘Sah!’
Adams acknowledged Sergeant Heyer with a salute.
‘Took the liberty, sir, got a message in fr’m the Guards as would welcome a party to help ’em, like. Sent Corporal Reid and ten.’
‘Doing what, pray?’
‘They’s scouting in the country, finds the pipes from the reservoir at Emdrup as supplies the city. Wants to stopper it off, quick, like.’
It had to be the final straw.
Besieged and outnumbered, a terrible array of fire and ruin waiting at their gates and now their drinking water denied them. It was the end for the Danes: there was no alternative but to concede defeat and yield.
Chapter 80
British headquarters, Hellerup
‘Read it again. By it, I want General Peymann to be in no doubt about what it means to his situation. No doubt whatsoever.’
Cathcart leaned back while his secretary smoothed out the paper and read.
Summons to the Governor of Copenhagen
Sir. We, the Commanders-in-chief of his Majesty’s sea and land forces now before Copenhagen, judge it expedient to summon you to surrender the place, for the purpose of avoiding the further effusion of blood. The King our gracious master used every endeavour to settle the matter now in dispute, in the most conciliating manner. To convince his Danish Majesty, and all the world, of the reluctance his Majesty finds himself compelled to have recourse to arms, we, the undersigned do renew to you the offer of the same advantageous and conciliatory terms which are proposed through his Majesty’s ministers to your court.
If you will consent to deliver up the Danish fleet it shall be held in deposit for his Danish Majesty, and shall be restored as soon as the provisions of a general peace shall remove the necessity which has occasioned this demand.
Sir, should you reject this summons it will not be renewed, rather your fleet will belong to its captors and the city, when taken, must share the fate of conquered places.
A response is expected before four pm this same day.
J. Gambier
Commander-in-chief of his Majesty’s Ships and Vessels in the Baltic
W. Cathcart
Commander-in-chief British land forces
‘Hmmph. If that’s not clear to the meanest intelligence then I can do no more. What do you think, James?’
Grave and troubled, Gambier seemed reluctant to reply. Eventually he said, ‘My lord, man proposes and God disposes. I pray most humbly that the Danish see fit to acquiesce else we must say that all things are then in God’s hands.’
Chapter 81
The southern Baltic, off Rugen
The autumnal wind cut into him like a knife and Kydd shivered, pulling his grego tighter. Still muzzy from being summoned on deck in the early hours of the morning he peered over the side to where Brice was indicating.
‘The boat, sir,’ he said. ‘We were hailed out of the night, sounded urgent. Not, as you might say, a cry of distress at all.’
It was an ordinary inshore fishing vessel with three occupants, their faces pale in the lanthorn’s gleam. What was this little craft doing so far out to sea at this hour?
One of the figures cupped his hands and shouted up hoarsely. The words meant nothing to Kydd but he told Brice to allow one aboard.
The man heaved himself over the bulwark. He looked around warily.
‘I’m Captain Kydd, of His Majesty’s frigate Tyger. What is your business, sir?’
‘Kapten, ja?’
‘Yes.’
‘I Sven Halvorsen. From Rugen. I haf much to discuss.’
There was something about the look of intensity on his face that jerked Kydd to full alert.
‘Come below, then.’ He leaned over to Brice. ‘Send for my coxswain,’ he said quietly. ‘He’s to go to my cabin and, without saying anything, hear this fellow and tell me afterwards what he thinks.’
Tysoe lit the oil lamp and left.
Halgren entered soon after, intelligently with a pistol in his belt as though on guard.
‘Now then, Mr Halvorsen. Pray tell me what this is all about,’ Kydd said.
‘I ha’ been sent by Overste Taksa, colonel of the Swedish Patriots of Stralsund. When our brave army was overcome by Bonaparte, Stralsund taken into his empire. We only on Rugen island are left to fight on.’
Kydd nodded sympathetically. ‘I honour you for it, sir.’ He’d heard how the Swedes had put up a fierce resistance but had been overwhelmed so the last portion of the Swedish empire on the southern Baltic was lost to them, and only recently. No wonder there were still forlorn bands on the larger, inaccessible island with hopes of one day restoring their lands.
‘He know you English do not wish to involve, that he unnerstands.’
‘It is because we are extensively engaged at this time, unfortunately,’ Kydd replied. The Swedes were friends, the only ones left, and it would not do to show unwilling. On the other hand becoming involved in a desperate patriotic struggle on a foreign shore, whatever the cause, was out of the question.
‘So he offer you something you want in return you give him muskets, guns, pay.’
This conversation must have been played out so many times along the edge of Bonaparte’s empire where his rapacity and ambition had driven the conquered to desperate measures. At least he could listen politely, Kydd decided. ‘Go on.’
‘He say, first he can give you information, good information, for he has spies in Stralsund, Rostock, Lubeck. When ships sail, what they carry, where they go. Second, he has plan. He want you British to join with him – he make secret place on Rugen, you bring trade ship there, unload, he can take it inside Europe, not bother you. Much profit!’