Editing Tom Riley
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− | + | <b>Captain Riley and the Allegiance - China</b> | |
− | Captain Riley commanded the Reliant from January to October 1805, when the ship sailed with [[Horatio Nelson|Nelson's]] fleet and took part in the blockade at Cadiz prior to the [[Battle of Trafalgar]]. The Reliant was seriously damaged in a storm following the battle | + | Captain Riley commanded the Reliant from January to October 1805, when the ship sailed with [[Horatio Nelson|Nelson's]] fleet and took part in the blockade at Cadiz prior to the [[Battle of Trafalgar]]. The Reliant was seriously damaged in a storm following the battle, and Riley found himself a captain without a ship, and without seniority or influence in the [[Admiralty]] to help him obtain a new command. |
− | Shortly afterwards, | + | Shortly afterwards, Laurence came within danger of becoming a captain with a dragon. Temeraire's display of the [[Divine Wind]] at the [[Battle of Dover]] had made public the fact that he was not an [[Imperial]] dragon, as had been supposed, but rather one of the much more rare and valued [[Celestial]] dragons. A delegation led by [[Prince Yongxing]] came from China to Britain to demand that Temeraire be turned over to them. |
Unsurprisingly to anyone familiar with dragons, Temeraire refused to leave Laurence, while Laurence refused to lie to him in order to trick him aboard a ship bound for China. This dilemma was resolved by sending Laurence and in fact Temeraire's entire crew along with the dragon aboard the dragon transport [[HMS Allegiance]]. The ship did not have a captain at the time, so Laurence was able to do Riley another favour by sending him a note advising him to apply for the position - without mentioning Laurence's name, as at this point the [[Lord Barham]], the First Lord of the Admiralty, was thoroughly fed up with Laurence. | Unsurprisingly to anyone familiar with dragons, Temeraire refused to leave Laurence, while Laurence refused to lie to him in order to trick him aboard a ship bound for China. This dilemma was resolved by sending Laurence and in fact Temeraire's entire crew along with the dragon aboard the dragon transport [[HMS Allegiance]]. The ship did not have a captain at the time, so Laurence was able to do Riley another favour by sending him a note advising him to apply for the position - without mentioning Laurence's name, as at this point the [[Lord Barham]], the First Lord of the Admiralty, was thoroughly fed up with Laurence. | ||
− | The trip caused some tension between Riley and Laurence. Riley had grown into his position and acquired an authority that was new to Laurence, who for most of their acquaintance had known him as a subordinate. The [[Valerie engagement]] complicated the situation in two ways. First, Temeraire was injured severely enough that the dragon surgeon [[Keynes]] banned him from flying for a month. This meant that he could not feed himself by fishing, which in turn required that the ship to make a stop at Cape Coast, a slave port, to take on additional livestock. | + | The trip caused some tension between Riley and Laurence. Riley had grown into his position and acquired an authority that was new to Laurence, who for most of their acquaintance had known him as a subordinate. The [[Valerie engagement]] complicated the situation in two ways. First, Temeraire was injured severely enough that the dragon surgeon [[Keynes]] banned him from flying for a month. This meant that he could not feed himself by fishing, which in turn required that the ship would have to make a stop at Cape Coast, a slave port, to take on additional livestock. |
Second, Temeraire's first and second lieutenants, [[John Granby|Granby]] and [[Evans]], were both severely injured in the engagement, leaving third lieutenant [[Ferris]] in charge of the aviators. Ferris lacked Granby's experience and did not know how to persuade the other aviators to take no notice of the sailors' jibes. | Second, Temeraire's first and second lieutenants, [[John Granby|Granby]] and [[Evans]], were both severely injured in the engagement, leaving third lieutenant [[Ferris]] in charge of the aviators. Ferris lacked Granby's experience and did not know how to persuade the other aviators to take no notice of the sailors' jibes. | ||
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The natural tensions between the sailors and naval officers on one hand and the aviators on the other erupted in an incident involving midshipman Reynolds, midwingman [[Ezekiah Martin|Martin]] and [[Blythe]], the armourer's mate. Blythe, who was ground crew and not an officer, struck Reynolds, who was. Laurence intervened to stop Riley's first lieutenant, [[Lord Purbeck]], from arresting Blythe on the spot. Riley in turn resented Laurence correcting Purbeck on deck and insisted on having Blythe flogged a full fifty lashes rather than a mere dozen. In the heat of the discussion, Laurence let slip his distaste for the stop at Cape Coast, which put Riley's back up. | The natural tensions between the sailors and naval officers on one hand and the aviators on the other erupted in an incident involving midshipman Reynolds, midwingman [[Ezekiah Martin|Martin]] and [[Blythe]], the armourer's mate. Blythe, who was ground crew and not an officer, struck Reynolds, who was. Laurence intervened to stop Riley's first lieutenant, [[Lord Purbeck]], from arresting Blythe on the spot. Riley in turn resented Laurence correcting Purbeck on deck and insisted on having Blythe flogged a full fifty lashes rather than a mere dozen. In the heat of the discussion, Laurence let slip his distaste for the stop at Cape Coast, which put Riley's back up. | ||
− | Thus, the situation was already uncomfortable when the ship actually reached Cape Coast. Laurence sent the two young runners, [[Emily Roland|Roland]] and [[Peter Dyer|Dyer]], below deck to tidy his cabin in order to protect | + | Thus, the situation was already uncomfortable when the ship actually reached Cape Coast. Laurence sent the two young runners, [[Emily Roland|Roland]] and [[Peter Dyer|Dyer]], below deck to tidy his cabin in order to protect from the human misery on display. Temeraire, however, was too large to hide away and too curious to avoid asking questions, which Laurence was too honest to avoid answering. Furthermore, one of the Chinese officials, [[Sun Kai]], overheard the conversation and asked Laurence questions of his own, referring to the practice of slavery as "dishonourable." This only deepened Riley's resentment, as well as the resentment of the sailors on behalf of their captain. |
As a result of this unhappy situation, the usual ceremonies that accompanied the Allegiance's crossing of the equator were rather subdued. | As a result of this unhappy situation, the usual ceremonies that accompanied the Allegiance's crossing of the equator were rather subdued. | ||
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It was shortly after this, after the feast hosted by the Chinese delegation to celebrate the Chinese New Year in February 1806, that Riley made the discovery that [[Emily Roland|Roland]] was a girl. He was quite shocked by this, as the presence of female officers in the Aerial Corps was generally kept secret outside the Corps. When Laurence explained to him that [[Longwing]]s and a few other breeds would only accept female captains, Riley countered that after the Valerie engagement, he had met the leader of Laurence's formation with "his" Longwing. He was referring, of course, to [[Catherine Harcourt]], a slender woman whom Riley had only seen in uniform, with the hood of her riding jacket pulled up over her long braid. Riley was dismayed to be contradicted by Temeraire, and he fled the conversation completely when Temeraire began to ask questions about human reproduction, it being news to him that humans did not hatch from eggs. | It was shortly after this, after the feast hosted by the Chinese delegation to celebrate the Chinese New Year in February 1806, that Riley made the discovery that [[Emily Roland|Roland]] was a girl. He was quite shocked by this, as the presence of female officers in the Aerial Corps was generally kept secret outside the Corps. When Laurence explained to him that [[Longwing]]s and a few other breeds would only accept female captains, Riley countered that after the Valerie engagement, he had met the leader of Laurence's formation with "his" Longwing. He was referring, of course, to [[Catherine Harcourt]], a slender woman whom Riley had only seen in uniform, with the hood of her riding jacket pulled up over her long braid. Riley was dismayed to be contradicted by Temeraire, and he fled the conversation completely when Temeraire began to ask questions about human reproduction, it being news to him that humans did not hatch from eggs. | ||
− | From western Africa to China is a long voyage aboard a sailing ship. Both Riley's and Laurence's tempers cooled eventually. Temeraire saved the Allegiance from attack by a | + | From western Africa to China is a long voyage aboard a sailing ship. Both Riley's and Laurence's tempers cooled eventually. Temeraire saved the Allegiance from attack by a sea-serpent. Both Riley and Purbeck were then stricken with malaria, leaving the ship's third and fourth lieutenants in command. (The ship's second lieutenant was apparently not present for the voyage.) Having more experience of maintaining discipline among naval crews, Laurence stood watches in turn with the two younger officers. By the time the Allegiance reached Macao in June 1806, the atmosphere on board was considerably more peaceful. |
From Macao Laurence, Temeraire and ten of their crew, as well as the two runners, continued on to Peking by air. The Allegiance, with the rest of the aviators, continued northwards through the China Sea, stopping to assist a Chinese fleet that was attempting to subdue an enormous band of pirates established in the Zhoushan Islands, off what is now Shanghai. The Allegiance then crossed the Yellow Sea to anchor in Tien-sing Harbour (modern Tianjin), from which Riley continued on to Peking to meet Laurence and Temeraire. | From Macao Laurence, Temeraire and ten of their crew, as well as the two runners, continued on to Peking by air. The Allegiance, with the rest of the aviators, continued northwards through the China Sea, stopping to assist a Chinese fleet that was attempting to subdue an enormous band of pirates established in the Zhoushan Islands, off what is now Shanghai. The Allegiance then crossed the Yellow Sea to anchor in Tien-sing Harbour (modern Tianjin), from which Riley continued on to Peking to meet Laurence and Temeraire. | ||
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− | + | <b>Africa</b> | |
− | By the time the Allegiance returned to Britain in | + | By the time the Allegiance returned to Britain in the spring of 1807, the entire Aerial Corps had been struck down by the [[Dragon Plague]]. However, it had also been discovered that Temeraire himself had somehow acquired an immunity to the plague. This was thought to be due to an earlier exposure during the trip to China and to a cure which had somehow been effected while the Allegiance lay in harbour in [[Cape Town]]. Admiral [[Jane Roland]] therefore decided to send all of [[Lily]]'s formation to Cape Town aboard the Allegiance. |
Riley at first welcomed Laurence and his colleagues back aboard. However, Laurence had been unable to avoid the request of a family of would-be passengers, Rev. [[Josiah Erasmus]], his wife [[Hannah Erasmus|Hannah]] and their two daughters. Both the Reverend and his wife were freed slaves who wished to travel to Africa as missionaries. Laurence and Erasmus had a mutual acquaintance in [[William Wilberforce]], a political ally of Laurence's father. Socially, there was no polite or even reasonable way in which Laurence could refuse the Erasmus' request to travel aboard the Allegiance as his guests, even though he knew it would anger Riley. | Riley at first welcomed Laurence and his colleagues back aboard. However, Laurence had been unable to avoid the request of a family of would-be passengers, Rev. [[Josiah Erasmus]], his wife [[Hannah Erasmus|Hannah]] and their two daughters. Both the Reverend and his wife were freed slaves who wished to travel to Africa as missionaries. Laurence and Erasmus had a mutual acquaintance in [[William Wilberforce]], a political ally of Laurence's father. Socially, there was no polite or even reasonable way in which Laurence could refuse the Erasmus' request to travel aboard the Allegiance as his guests, even though he knew it would anger Riley. | ||
− | To make things worse, when | + | To make things worse, when the passengers were being brought aboard, Hannah Erasmus and her children were left sitting in a "small and poky" boat, with no effort being made to bring them aboard ship. Once before, as in the Reynolds-Martin-Blythe incident, Laurence was unable to restrain himself by intervening, in this case by requesting that Temeraire lift the little boat up onto the ship's deck. |
− | + | Laurence and Riley were further torn apart on their second journey. Upon return from China, Riley was once again pressed into the service of the Aerial Corps. This time the [[HMS Allegiance]] was bound for Africa, to find a cure for the dragon plague. However, Laurence brought aboard the ship, since the Reverend wished to become a missionary in Africa. As as freed slave, the Erasmuses presence was unacceptable to Riley. Laurence and Riley clashed over the treatment of Mrs. Erasmus on the day they set sail. Laurence believed she deserved greater attention as a lady, and Riley made it clear he did not consider her a lady. | |
− | + | Because of their rift, [[Catherine Harcourt]] is forced to act as a go between for Riley and Laurence. She becomes close to Riley. And when she announces that she is pregnant, Laurence is shocked to learn that the child is Riley's. | |
− | + | As a consequence of the pregnancy Harcourt and Riley are married on board the [[HMS Allegiance]] on it's return trip from Cape Town to Britain. | |
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[[Category:A-Z|Riley, Tom]] | [[Category:A-Z|Riley, Tom]] |