Thunder On the Sea: A Tim Phillips novel (War at Sea Book 11) Read Online Free PDF

now over. At the very least, he could remove himself from the estate and busy himself with a task he knew something about. Accepting the new orders, he went outside where he found his coachman waiting to take him back to the townhouse. There, he spent the evening penning letters and instructions to the various people he must explain his absence to.
    He had to be careful writing the letter to Mary. She had become a valuable employee to him and he had no wish to invoke her ire with a poorly chosen choice of words. In the end, he merely told her he had been called back to duty and would be away from England for a time. He explained sufficient funds would be in an account at his bank for her to operate the estate, and apologized at the abrupt manner of his departure.
    Now, it was time to devote himself to the King’s business. He had to glance at his orders to remind himself of his ship’s name. HMS Prince Rupert it was, a former French corvette, captured in the last war. Her original owners had given her a name it was felt would be unseemly under British colors, so she was given one from a ship long since gone to the breaker’s yard. A 24 gun, nine pounder ship, now based in Portsmouth, which meant he must post there if he did not want to subject his own coach to the stresses of the trip.
    His business in London complete, he boarded the coach and off they went. Stopping only to change horses and refresh themselves, they rattled into Portsmouth early the next afternoon. Exhausted from the trip, Phillips nevertheless thought it advisable to call on the port admiral. As it happened, the gentleman was not available, so Phillips was closeted with the flag captain.
    Captain Horner explained the mission. In addition to the scientific expedition, it was desired the ship should call on the various Spanish ports on both coasts of South America, ostensibly to show the flag, actually to examine the feelings of the populace concerning independence from Spain.
    During much of the recent war, the Spanish colonies had been left more or less on their own, with their parent country fully engaged in its own struggles. Now, with Spain attempting to re-exert its authority over the region, many local leaders were expressing their resentment.
    While that country had been allied with Britain during the last portion of the war against Napoleon, at the present, Spain was today exhibiting an alarming notion to exclude other nations from trading with her colonies. There was sentiment in Parliament in some corners that a discreet offer of assistance to certain revolutionary activists might be in order.
    Captain Phillips was to gather such intelligence as he could and relay it to the Admiralty. Needless to say, it was imperative that no hint of his actions come to the notice of the local Spanish officials. Should any dissidents attempt to secure refuge aboard the ship, local authorities should be notified. In no way was the mission to attract unfavorable attention from Royal Spanish authority.
     
    Phillips learned his ship was already taking on stores for the voyage. At the present, Mister Hiram Cooper, the ship’s master was in command, none of the other officers having yet made an appearance.
    At that news, Phillips decided it would be prudent to make an appearance as soon as possible. There was a signal tower near the water’s edge where signals could be sent to the various ships. Ordinarily, a signal from the tower requesting a ship’s boat would be acted upon promptly by the designated ship.
    Deciding to make his visit a surprise, he ignored the tower and engaged a shore boat to deliver him to Rupert.
    The post ship had a proper anchor watch set and the approaching boat was challenged early on. There was a flurry of activity aboard ship when it was learned their new lord and master was about to come aboard.
    Mister Cooper met him at the entry port. Phillips was satisfied with the man’s appearance and demeanor. He seemed rather young for his job,