Horatio Hornblower - Delaying The French
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How does the episode set the scene for Hornblower's mission near Riga?
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Call all hands. Speak to quarters.
Stand by this terrible battery. One broadside input, if you please, Captain Bush. Pointers on target. Lint stops ready? Aye, aye, sir! Ready! Fire!
Presenting Michael Redgrave as C.S. Forrester's indomitable man of the sea, Horatio Hornblower.
Thank you.
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Lieutenant Mound, who commanded the bomb-catch Harvey, attached to my Baltic squadron. Well, he'd grown to imitate me in every gesture and speech and... Oh, well, but I had other things on my mind. Bonaparte's forces were laying siege to the Russian defenders outside the city of Riga. Imitation. Well, the art of war seems to be that of imitation. Well, it definitely was so in the belief of von Clausewitz... a Prussian colonel who had deserted Bonaparte in order to oppose him, and who was showing me the Russian earthworks and the lines. You will observe, Commodore Hornblower, from this vantage point up here on the gallery of the church tower, we can see spread out before us the whole operation. Maiden is attempting to move up his heavy guns.
The classic method of service.
Now, from the line of the river diagonally up to the pine woods is dug a trench.
It is protected with breastworks. Huge baskets later filled with earth. The classic method, I see. Then from the pine woods, another diagonal trench.
Yes, and so on zigzag. Each getting closer to our lines until he has solid breastworks behind which to employ his heavy artillery.
Yes, yes, but how long before they're in range? Yes. Should judge two weeks. Two weeks? It has been done this way since the days of Caesar. Well, nobody will deny that Bonaparte wants to be another Caesar. But you've no guns heavy enough to batter down those breastworks?
What strategic problem do Hornblower and allies identify about the French siege works?
It is most difficult. I've got mortars aboard my bomb catches. If we could, we could level them in no time. So? And why not do so, Commodore? I said if we could, but that river isn't deep enough. Sandbars, shallows, quicksands. No, no, we'd run aground before we got within range.
I see.
So we must carry on the fight ourselves. Is that it? General von Clausewitz, there are some things that even the British Navy cannot do. Oh, I understood nothing was impossible to the British Navy. I apologize, Commodore. I was wrong.
The End
I withheld the words that came rushing to my lips. Goodwill, even between allies, is sometimes a frail matter. Earlier, we'd been warm friends, but now that the French approaches were moving towards Riga, I was asking why the Russian guns couldn't stop the enemy, and they were asking why my ship's guns couldn't do the same. So I hurried back to Riga, and there, on the waterfront, I ran across Lieutenant Mound. It's dusty hereabouts. My throat is as dry as a camel's. Well, Mr. Mount, if you've completed your business, I have a moment before going back aboard the Nansuch. There's an inn over there. Perhaps you'd join me in a glass of this odd beverage they call vodka.
Do you miss England, Mount?
What, sir? I said that you... Oh, yes, sir. Yes, I do sometimes, sir. There's no reason to be ashamed of it. I'm not, sir. Sometimes in the morning, just before I open my eyes,
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
How does the episode set the scene for Hornblower's mission near Riga?
0:00–4:28
2
What strategic problem do Hornblower and allies identify about the French siege works?
4:28–6:51
3
How do Hornblower and von Clausewitz analyze the river and terrain obstacles?
6:51–8:54
4
What solution do they propose to reduce the ship's draft with 'camels'?
8:54–10:52
5
How is the improvised camel rigged and what engineering challenges arise?
10:52–13:48
6
How does the crew attempt to maneuver the lashed barges and what setbacks occur?
13:48–15:38
7
How does the mortar bombardment from the Harvey impact the French batteries?
15:38–17:25
8
What are the aftermath and consequences after delaying the French siege by four days?
17:25–21:11
Speakers
8 identified
Commodore Horatio Hornblower (Michael Redgrave) 11 min
General Asimov / Russian Officer (Governor General's Representative) 2 min
General / Colonel von Clausewitz (Allied Officer) 1 min
Advertisement Announcer (Guinness Storehouse)
Advertisement Announcer (Boots commercial)
Mr. Wilson (Second-in-command)
Lieutenant Bush
Narrator Presenting Michael Redgrave (Announcer)