Chapter 135 – Officer Candidate

Chapter 135 – Officer Candidate

“In addition to civilian-oriented hospitals, I’m going to set up specialized medical teams in the army to facilitate the timely treatment of the wounded on the battlefield.”

Paul remembered the tragic situation he saw in the Butua POW camp last time, and the fact that when he was in a coma, Father Anderson even tried to bleed him out, it was time to make reforms to the backward medical system in this world.

“That’s a good idea, I haven’t seen a place dedicated to medical matters since I came to the Northwest.”

Lardy and Erin both nodded in favor.

“Well then, I’ll leave you two to some of the things I said earlier. If there’s nothing else, I’ll ask you two to go back and organize your day.”

“Yes, Lord Earl.”

The two female advisors rose to take their leave.

After Paul watched the two leave, he instructed his chief secretary, “Ask Superintendent Schoessier, Chief of Staff Rhodes, and the two battalion commanders who stayed in Lakewood to come over.”

Bernard answered and left while he picked up the two papers that he had not shown to the female counselors earlier.

Paul looked them over carefully once more, and the contents of them made him frown.

“The ability to greatly enhance a person’s strength and speed, and even turn them into a monster?”

He naively muttered to himself, this effect was even more exaggerated than a stimulant, to be able to create that kind of drug in this technologically backward world?
Soon, the intelligence chiefs and the top military brass came to Paul’s office, and the people discussed in detail around the intelligence sent by the Navy.

The Navy’s report mentioned a mysterious person called “Barnett”, the captives explained that Gadsden got the drugs seem to be provided by this person, and Gadsden obeyed this person.

But further information on the captives do not know, the only possible knowledge of this Barnett details of the pirate leader Gadsden has been fed to the fish.

Paul is quite depressed, this person called Barnett in the end is what the gods, they spare no effort to combat piracy this matter, in the Northwest Bay has long been known, this person in this case is still helping the pirates, obviously not put themselves in the eyes.

Are those who look at him unhappy neighboring lords? It is very possible, such as the Kent family that threatened themselves by force some time ago.

With a displeased face, he ordered Cecil, “By all means and at all costs, make sure to figure out this person’s identity.”

As for that mysterious drug, the navy had seized a little bit of it in the pirate stronghold, and he decided to hand it over to the alchemists recruited from the royal capital to study it in detail.

To his delight, the “Hope” did not fail him in this battle, not only did it sink one enemy ship and restrain three others in the naval battle, but it also single-handedly captured the pirate’s secret stronghold.

Originally, the navy’s plan was to send ships to guard the stronghold in shifts, but when the second shift arrived, the officers and men on the Hope had already searched the pirate stronghold to the bottom.

Paul inquired of the crowd, “What do you think of Captain Quirk’s proposal for a reserve training program?”

Among the slaves rescued this time, many of them were boys who had not yet grown up, and some of them could be said to be homeless as their families had already been killed by the pirates. Captain Quirk of the Hope put forward a proposal: the army would take in these children and let them live with the officers and soldiers on the warships, teaching them all sorts of nautical knowledge and the rules of the army, and cultivating them as the navy’s reserve talents.

Bryce shook his head, “Don’t pirates like to capture some underage children to supplement themselves, does he want to bring the same set of practices he used when he was a pirate to the army?”

Paul said, “I would agree with that suggestion.”

When the Sunset Empire on Earth was crisscrossing the seas, they had a special system for their navy – Officer Candidates.

This talent training system was created by King Charles II of England, and any noble son who wanted to serve in the navy had to start as a naval trainee, which greatly improved the navy’s combat power and trained a large number of excellent officers for the navy.

The officer cadet rank was more ambiguous; they were mostly underage teenagers who actually learned navigation and combat on warships. These youngsters, usually the sons of middle-class families, came aboard at about age 13 to serve as officer cadets, and after two years of seafaring, they could become alternates at age 15 through an introducer, and then take the lieutenancy examination when they reached age 20.

Many admirals in the history of the British Navy joined as teenagers; Jericho joined at 13, Cunningham at 10, Fisher at 13, and Betty at 13.

Nelson, the legendary admiral who won the Battle of Trafalgar and saved Britain from Napoleon I, joined the navy at the age of just 12.

These alternates learn from real work, working side by side with chief petty officers, petty officers, and sailors, climbing up and down masts, sweating in the bilges, and getting a better idea of what the lower sailors are thinking. When they become captains, captains, or even admirals, this experience will help them in their leadership roles.

The Naval Officer Candidate System was instrumental in the British naval hegemony that lasted for nearly 400 years.

Speaking of officer alternates, Paul thought of a movie – “Sea of Fury”, which tells the story of the British Navy’s sail battleship “Surprise” fighting with French warships on the ocean during the Napoleonic wars, and has been called the It is known as a “real man’s movie”. In the movie, there is a young man called “Lord Brennick”, who is an officer candidate on the ship, and this role has left a deep impression on him.

Schroeder also said: “I also agree with this proposal. According to my observation, the work on warships requires a high level of skill, and we don’t have enough equipment and personnel to train the newcomers, so it’s better to let these children learn directly on the ship, as their ability to learn and understand is always higher.”

Paul clapped his hands together, “Then it’s settled.”

……

In the central square of Port Fulan, the government office had sent out personnel specifically to proclaim the news of this eradication of the Gaden Return Pirate Corps.

Although under the protection of the navy, the coast of Arda has rarely been violated by pirates, but the news of several neighboring territories being plundered by pirates would still come from time to time, and the one with the strongest wind was this Gaden Pirate Regiment, and people celebrated that the sea had one less calamity.

In a celebration, a person wrapped in a black cloak is out of place in the surrounding atmosphere.

Barnett tugged at his hood to hide his face as he grunted and said to himself in a faintly audible voice:
“Paul Graiman? I’d like to see what you’ve got.”

The tone was full of disdain.

The intention was for the protagonist to have a hard time with the mysterious side force.

(End of chapter)