 Call all hands. Beat the quarters. Play this terrible battery. One broadside into it, if you please, Captain Bush. Pointes on target. Blin stops ready. C.S. Foresters, Indomitable Man of the Sea, a ratio hornblower. Call us all to Russia. And yet we still act news as to what Russia herself intended. Would she finally resist Napoleon, come openly into the war as our ally, or would she play for time and try to appease him as she had done before? I had my old friend Captain Bush to dinner in my cabin on the Nonsuch, because I knew he liked C.Pie. And my man Brown had prepared one for me with special care. Then, regrettably, I couldn't talk of anything but my impatience. Well, there must be sudden news after all. Why don't we hear? I simply can't understand it, Bush. We will, we will. It's scarcely a month, you know, since we left Russia. A month. If I'd known it would be that long, you think I'd have let which wood keep the cutter clam at Cronstadt? Excellent C.Pie, the ratio hornblower. Excellent. You see, Bush, it's... Well, there's the first I ever... Abort the old renown, remember? Brown prepared it himself. Stop trying to distract me, will you, Bush? It isn't clever. I'll tell you this. If we're to sit here in the Baltic, puddling our thumbs, we'll have to organize something to keep the men's minds busy. A home pipe competition, or, well, even theatricals, perhaps. Oh, theatricals? You can't be serious, will you? Well, why not? This lack of action is extremely bad for morale, Bush. What's wrong with theatricals, anyway? Don't forget you were young yourself once. You know, I can remember with... Yes? Come in. Ah, Mr. Gerard. Well, Mr. Gerard? I'll cut a clam inside a window, sir. No. Yes, sir. At least... at least Mr. Hurst told me to report us. Let me dissuade you, Gerard. Your news is excellent. How far off is she? How up to winter, sir. We're running down to her. And... and let me see. Clam signals have dispatches for Commodore, sir. Are you sure? Oh, yes, sir. At least that's what I... All right, all right. Don't stammer. Always make sure you know your own mind, Mr. Gerard. Now, tell Mr. Hurst to make Commodore to clam, send dispatches on board as soon as practicable. And, uh, uh... Well, bring the dispatches here. Immediately they come on board. All understood, Mr. Gerard? Yes, sir. Ah, I mean... Aye, aye, sir. Oh, don't... Don't chewing up yourself, sir. No, I shall sit right down again and have some more seat by it. Help yourself, push. Help yourself. No, I... I am not going to run up there and stand gawking over the side like some midshipman. Hmm. They must be feeling some suspense about Russia back home these days. It's no more than in its cabin at the moment. Bush, if Bonaparte's main strength could be tied up here in the east this summer, give willing from the chance to strike hard in the south... It's our great opportunity, perhaps our last. Oh, well, well, well. We'll know soon enough now, won't we, Bush? Stop worrying. After all, Zara Alexander did send that stiff reply to Bernie's demands. At least that's what Lord Witchwood said the day without prong step, you tell me so yourself. Stiff reply one day may mean soft words the next, as Alexander, oh, hopelessly unpredictable, these Russians that... Come in. Well, Mr. Gerard, what's the latest? You came yourself, did you? I did indeed, sir, have a ratio. By your ship plan. Wait till you hear the news. You agree my trip was warranted? Well, come on then. Well, Captain Bush, quite like old times of all the nonsense. It's war. It's settled then. No more procrastination? We're no longer alone, Horblor. Now, wait till you've ploughed through this dispatch case. Ten days ago, Bonaparte crossed the Neiman with 15 army corps. He's committed to invasion now. He can't turn back. Invasion? And can Russell hold out Witchwood? I wish I knew. But at least he'll have his summer's work cut out for him, and head in space. Well, good news, eh? Oh, it's the finest news I've heard in years, Witchwood. Sit down, sit down here. Give me that dispatch case and a cloak. Have some seed pie, have some wine. Yours is a welcome face. Bush, you can forget the theatricals. Now we can get on with the war. Good afternoon. I must say, for once, the man made highly satisfactorily listening. Then there was the dispatch address to me by Lord Cascard, our British ambassador in Russia. If you'll polite formalities and then... Ah, ah, listen to this, Bush. You will, of course, render only assistance in your power to our new ally, Russia. The main body of Bonaparte's army is already marching on Moscow, but I am informed that some 60,000 men under the Duke of Tarentum are now on... on the northern route to St. Petersburg. The Russian Imperial Star Agency requires your squadron's assistance and Riga, which, of course, the French must capture before they can move on towards St. Petersburg. Riga? There's a fine harbor there, sir. The city's only a short distance up the river from the gulf. Yes, I know, Bush. The ambassador's telling his urgent to say the least, which wouldn't. With reason, Commodore. Frankly, there's a panic at the Russian court. And Riga is a vital spot, as well as vulnerable. Cascard goes on to ask that I detach the cutter clam. Dispatch her back to England with the news. Oh, yes, I don't like losing her. Oh, well, we mustn't delay it. Well, no doubt you wish to go with her, Lord Witchwood. Oh, naturally! When duty calls and all that, you know, home blow? I must ask you to wait while I complete my own dispatches for the Admiralty and... Oh, yes, a brief letter to my wife. They won't take long. Of course. Captain Bush, I suggest to tell the men that this is their chance to ride home, too. Oh, and one other thing, Witchwood. I shall send my secretary, Mr. Sorka, back to England in your charge to be tried by Court Marshal. I'll give you all the papers relating to his case. Very good coverage, all. I envy you, you know, Witchwood. Oh, yes, a glimpse of England at this time. Heaven alone knows when the rest of us will see it. Barely enough, wind stirred the carriers even with all our canvas set. It was a full eight days before we finally crept into the Bay of Riga. A night was falling as I stared out through my glass at this new shore. That's no man's land between the two forces, I imagine. Well, if the Russians weren't still holding the village, there'd be no fires. Our puzzle so far solved at all events. Two fathoms, sir. Two fathoms, I'd like to bear up. Very good carry on. Oh, well, the moon's rising. Boat ahead. On the port bar, sir. She's pulling off. We have to catch that boat if we can, mind. Aye, aye, sir. Starboard, two points. Clear away the gate. Don't shut these mines. Perhaps they haven't seen us yet. Right, sir. Boat's crew, stand by. Whoever they are, mind, they've not much skill. They should have headed for shore water. Or as against sail, win no races. We need prisoners for information. I'm hoping that boat holds the proper answers. I don't suppose I need to shoot again. I wonder if those fellows have... Stop over the Harvey's side. I saw the star of the Legion of Honor glittering on the chest of one young officer. He would be their leader, I concluded. I would like to know Monsieur's name and rank, please. You see, shift the battalion du port du Géné des armées des empereurs. Majoral engineer is a good catchment. You understand some English, I gather, sir. Oh, oui, un peu. My mind was busy with the problem of how he could induce him to supply me with some facts that I sorely needed. And I... I had an idea. I must forget the necessity of taking you prisoners home, especially at the start of such a promising campaign, possibly I can arrange an exchange at an early date. In case Monsieur has friends with whom he might like me to communicate, I shall do so at my first opportunity. Marshal Médon Ducot Tarendum would be very glad to hear. I am on the chief staff. Well, well, commandant and chief staff. Then you must be... you must be chief engineer. Yes, you are important. After all, you had no reason to suspect the British squadron in this bay. No, no, whatever. We have been told the contrary. That these Russian villagers are blockade. They've been supplying you with information, then. Oh, well, all Russians are quite useless, are they not? I suppose your Emperor has met with very little opposition from the Russians. We have taken small days can the Emperor himself marches on Moscow. Our divisions will soon occupy Saint Petersburg. Indeed. But, um, possibly the Dwina River may become an obstacle. Riga, too, stands in your path. Ah, not for long. Just one bold push across the river mouth and the Russians will dissolve the moment we attend their flanks. So that's what he'd been up to when we napped him, reconnoitering for good place to land French forces across the mouth of the Dwina. A daring move, sir, worthy of all the great traditions of the French army. Of course, you have to cross the river before your operations can proceed. No doubt you have sufficient landing craft for your forces. Problems like that do not hold us, Monsieur. We have barges. The score of them sees that meadow before these stupid Russians could destroy them. Oh, indeed. But, of course, the Russians still hold both sides of the river. Well, for the moment, they hold on to our side, the western side by nothing but their fingernails, however. Why me? But do not think me full enough to reveal military information, sir. No chance of weeding anything more from the cocky young major for the present. But at least I'd learned about those captured barges and that they planned an attack soon directly across the river's mouth. Oh, well, Russians are always incompetent, isn't it, sir? A prompt assault on your part is, of course, a clever plan, allowing them no chance of digging in. But you will pardon me now, sir, if I attend to my duties. Hmm? We'll return to the squadron, Mr. Binder, if you please. Armed with that tidy bit of information, I slept better than I'd hoped that night in an alien harbor. No doubt the Russians here at Riga were all confirmed landlubbers. But I could be counted on. I felt a cope with this type of problem. I was even gratified, in fact, that the French were not discounting their plans. The next morning in my cabin I had a conference with all six captains of my squadron. Well, it's quite clear, then, gentlemen, the Russians still hold both river banks, the western one precariously. The French must cross that river if they're to surround Riga. When they try it, we shall bag as many barges as we can. We'll carry out the patrol I've outlined each evening at sundown. The French will scarcely attempt to bare face plan by daylight. Are there any questions? You said, I think, sir, that my stoop raven would hold one end of the defense line. Quite correct, Mr. Cole. You'll anchor each night on the very edge of the shoals to western, the French side. It's your light draft that dictates that position. Mr. Vickery and Lotus guard the other river bank. The rest of us hold stations in between and armed small boats will row guard at the mouth. Are your stations understood? Yes, sir. And that will be all for the moment, gentlemen? Yes, sir. Oh, one last word, please. Captain Cole spoke of our defense line. Yet it's not so much a defense as a trap. Let them thrust their heads well into the noose before any alarm is given. Otherwise, we'll simply scare them off. Very well, gentlemen. Thank you for your attendance. Lead me up the yellow greener river past the village at the mouth to the bustling wargs of Riga. There the governor met me. I made a crowd of other dignitaries. By there to Mina, he would never guess they lived in a besieged city. My coxswain Brown was in charge of my boat's crew and I told him to wait there for my return. But I soon realized it would be difficult to have a private talk with General S. Knopf. Commodore, may I present the intentant of Livonia, Count Canerim and the Countess. They too are recently arrived at Riga? Aye, well, yes. I know the Countess. We met at the Tsar's Court. Another Russian dinner, Commodore? Do you feel you are equal to it this time? Well, I'm learning, Countess. At least I shan't give my whole attention to the order. Is that you? What's that racket? Must be French barges at the river, sir. And our patrol is resisting them. Is our gig through at the war? Really? I'm waiting for you, sir. Come on, then, Brown. What are we waiting for? Cross, sir. Most of them put back. Put back? Of course, them two. I was the one to set up the alarm rocket, sir. Just as you planned. They're all hand-spilling small boats pulled from the river here. Mr. Cole, you sent up that rocket the moment you saw them? Why, yes, sir. Certainly. Cole, you're... It's too late now. An enemy of our folks approaching, sir. Commodore, please. I saw you, sir. Things aren't as bad as they might be. All right, too, Mr. Cole. We'd back five barges on our side, sir. Cut them off before they could get back to their own shore. Why, Vickery, that's more like it. How many prisoners? Well, I should say nearly a thousand, sir. Roughly 200 Frenchmen to a barge. The rest turn back at the alarm. I feel some disappointment. I'd hope for a catch of at least a dozen barges, perhaps 2,500 men. And yet, it was my own fault, too. Who else placed Cole in its key position? At all events, thanks to young Vickery, we'd headed off the crossing for that night. Strange people, Russians. That interminable ballet was still going on as I entered the opera house. Mr. Vickery, please. Commodore, what have you been? The barge has been... You... There was a slight distraction, sir. The Navy's job, of course. I regret I had to leave without advising him. The French were attempting to cross the river by the barges. We managed... How can we thank you enough, sir? You have struck a ballion blow for Mother Russia. Thank you, general. I feel I ought to warn you, though. They're sure to try this plan again. And if they do, we'll... Of course, of course. We must talk of all these. But now you must come back into the box. You miss so much of this gala night. Well, sir, look, it's late, you know, and I... But I insist. The ballet has been so beautiful. The ballet has been so beautiful. Come, come. Thank you. Oh, you first, general. No doubt the war can wait another evening. No doubt the war can wait another evening. Based on the novels by C. S. Forrester. Based on the novels by C. S. Forrester. Music composed and conducted by Sidney Torch.