The Sword And The Dagger

by Brian Cain

CHAPTER ELEVEN

  The Ghost continued south toward London while Fial, in the confines of his cabin, talked at length with Wilberforce, finding him to be a man after his own heart. Information lines were slow and the Ghost passed patrolling ships of the line without incident. Fial found that Wilberforce was pushing the issue of the slave trade in parliament, foreseeing that a bill to outlaw the trade would take some time to gain support; some members of parliament rejected the proposal as they had their fingers in the pie.

  Wilberforce explained how deep the British were in the slave trade with one in every four ships from England having something to do with the trade, be it direct or indirect. England had built great wealth from the use of slaves on the plantations and halting the practice would take time, with other forms of trade needed to create revenue for the realm. Wilberforce was aware of these things and the true need to have alternatives before anything solid could be agreed upon and passed into law.

  Wilberforce mentioned an industrial revolution based on steam and coal, developing and providing the power for industry to move forward, would reduce the use of manual labour. Wilberforce spoke of people such as Francois Isaac de Rivaz, known to be experimenting with small engines not powered by steam but hydrogen and oxygen and others such as Nicephore Niepce testing engines running on coal dust. Wilberforce saw these things as the way of the future and a way to reduce the need for manual labor, helping give way to the abolition of the slave trade. He felt the dynasty that developed these things would rule the earth, telling of the Montgolfier brothers in France who had flown in the air in a giant balloon filled with hot air, far above the ground.

  The British government was very interested in such development and was investing a lot of money in research with such people as Henry Cavendish, who had discovered hydrogen, which was suitable for elevating large objects into the sky when enclosed in a balloon. It was these things that Wilberforce believed would help stop slavery. The fact that a country could be judged on how it treated its animals was also a factor and he felt the nation had a good record of such things.

  Fial had never heard of or considered these things and apologised to Wilberforce for his actions. He then told Wilberforce of his past and why he had such rebellious hatred of the British. Wilberforce apologised for his army’s actions, knowing no such orders were issued on the decimation of Irish families.

  Wilberforce understood why Fial was at war with the British; it was a fight within himself. Even so he warned Fial that the solution was not to join forces with Britain’s enemies, as the country was too close to England to allow collaboration with her enemies and time would not solve this. Wilberforce believed France and Spain would turn on Ireland should the British lose the Napoleonic Wars. Although the French had attempted to assist the Irish against the British, should the British be defeated things could change quickly as Napoleon appeared to be a man who could not be trusted.

  The British had been at war with France and Spain for decades and though Spain had recently become an ally, the scars still cut deep. With the British defeated what would stop the French pushing on to the Americas? Wilberforce asked he consider this in his plans, saying that the issue of Irish sovereignty and rule would go on as long as time itself.

  Fial told Wilberforce he would deliver him to the steps of Parliament himself so he could continue his quest for the abolition of slavery. The two men became jovial and deeply respectful of each other. Fial took Wilberforce on deck, proudly demonstrating the speed and agility of the Ghost. Wilberforce was aware of the pulleys used in his rope systems as they came from a new factory in Portsmouth. It was the first one of its kind in the world, mass producing wooden pulleys for the British navy. Fial gave orders the Ghost was to enter the Thames estuary and go up river towards London.

  Navigating the Thames would be tricky; from the entry of the river estuary to Westminster was some thirty-five miles along a snaking river which was sometimes only three hundred metres wide. Heavy fortification dotted the banks of the Thames from Northfleet to Westminster with cannon that could easily sink the Ghost.

  The Ghost entered the Thames at nightfall on the 16th of July, passing Northfleet Battery in darkness without incident. Wilberforce had asked he be put ashore without venturing into the Thames considering it madness in the dark but Fial was determined to show the British how vulnerable their defences could be, and with slow communication word had not yet reached Admiralty in London on the losses off the coast of Portsmouth and the taking of Wilberforce. The Ghost flying British colours would not come under suspicion.

  The Ghost was driven by a stiff south westerly wind, and tacking in some sections of the river made progress slow. She passed several ships of the realm tied up at Thamesmead and Woolwich. McGee and Cameron yelled depths and headings to Bongo at the helm, with Fial by his side controlling tack manoeuvres and yelling orders to the numbered crew members. Wilberforce was in awe as the crew of black men worked the ship’s ropes and pulleys for over six hours.

  Fial turned the ship about at Westminster, hugging the Westminster dock with his port side and barely missing the dock. Wilberforce was assisted in jumping to the dock, falling as he landed but quickly gaining his feet on the wooden planks. He waved to the ship’s crew, all bidding him farewell as the Ghost slipped into the night as silently as she had come. It would be daylight and another six hours before she made full sail in the Thames estuary off the coast of Essex and Sussex.

  Wilberforce had appeared out of nowhere but said nothing of his ordeal until he was sure the Ghost was clear of the river.