If this had happened a few months ago, Captain Jarvis leading his men to apprehend someone would likely result in not just the target disappearing, but some of his own men as well. However, the situation had slightly improved recently, as the British forces had consolidated their troops. Now, in Dublin, the number of British soldiers might not even surpass the local Irish poption.


    This, in turn, somewhat improved Dublin''s "public safety". At most, the target of an arrest might disappear, rather than the arresting party itself.


    However, when Captain Jarvis and his men stormed into a certain courtyard, they found it deserted. Clearly, someone had leaked information.


    Jarvis was furious, berating his subordinates who participated in the operation. He threatened to hand them over to the British authorities. But everyone was not really afraid. Firstly, the British were too preupied with their own affairs to care about such minor issues.


    Secondly, the British''s crackdown on these matters had significantly decreased in intensity over time.


    It was rumored that after the British retreated to Dublin, to ensure defense, someone proposed to the Duke of Norfolk, the governor, that all Irish people in Dublin should be killed or expelled.


    However, both suggestions were dismissed by the Duke of Norfolk. Massacres? After wiping out the Irish, what would happen if they joined the French forcesnding in Britain?


    The Duke of Norfolk was not worried about the Irish seeking revenge on British civilians. Civilians were expendable. But he was concerned that such actions would greatly increase the cost of any potentialpromise. Most importantly, it could include himself and his family as part of that increased cost. Engaging in such detrimental actions to the nation, his family, and himself was unthinkable unless one was foolish.


    As for expelling the Dubliners, the Duke of Norfolk thought his subordinates were idiots. Was it because the rebels outside didn''t know Dublin well, or were they worried about having too few men?This attitude quickly made its way down the ranks. After all, not everyone at the bottom was a fool. They realized that the situation was off, with the higher-ups considering their own escape routes. Pressure could lead to mass desertions, and those at the bottom couldn''t bear such responsibility. So even the British were no longer pursuing these matters as rigorously.


    Captain Jarvis was heartbroken, realizing that as a "die-hard loyalist", he couldn''t be sure the British would take him back to Ennd when they retreated. So, he needed to quickly make more contributions. Otherwise, he would be useless if the British returned to Britain.


    As Captain Jarvis nervously pondered his future, the Irish independence army began appearing outside Dublin, escting the tension.


    The Irish independence army didn''t immediately attack Dublin. The city''s garrison was sizable, with strong fortifications and some areas supported by naval cruiser firepower. Although the Irish independence army had high morale and improved field capabilities, their ability to siege remained a significant weakness. So, they isted a few British strongholds to sever theirnd connections, waiting for French reinforcements.


    The British weren''t too concerned about these actions since Dublin was a port. As long as sea routes remained open, it wasn''t an issue.


    However, the Duke of Norfolk became very anxious upon receiving news that arge number of Irish farmers wereying railway tracks.


    Most of the railway from Dublin to Gorey was already under Irish control. The previously troublesome Ashtown had been abandoned by the British, who also destroyed many railways during their retreat. Seeing this situation...


    The Duke of Norfolk immediately thought of a legend about the French Urbain cannon.


    Napoleon hadined to Joseph about the defense system being too annoying. When France was defensive, it was fine, but now that France was the world''s strongest, facing foreign Urbain defenses was ufortable.


    Thus, the military-industrialplex initiated the so-called "Urbain n," named after the cannon used by the Ottoman Empire to conquer Constantinople. This led some to specte that the French intended to create a specialrge siege cannon. Using the name of the cannon that once shattered Christendom''s shield as the n''s name further proved France''s devoutness. Seeing the Irishying railways, the Duke of Norfolk naturally remembered this legend.


    "If there really is a new type of Urbain cannon, it would likely be transported by railway," the Duke of Norfolk thought.


    Historically, to transport the massive "Urbain Cannon," the Ottomans used 400borers and 60 oxen, taking six weeks to move it just 2.5 miles a day.


    The historical Urbain Cannon, although frighteninglyrge at the time, wouldn''t qualify for the "Urbain n" name given technological progress. The British''s own battleship 10-inch guns weighed over twenty tons, more than the Urbain Cannon''s 17 tons. Russia''s never-fired Tsar Cannon weighed 40 tons. For such massive cannons, railways were the most suitable transport method.


    Despite this spection, the@@novelbin@@


    Duke of Norfolk had few good options. He couldunch raids to disrupt the railway construction, but he knew it would cause significant casualties due to the Irish''s defensive works, weakening the city''s defenses. The best oue might dy the French "Urbain Cannon" by a few days or weeks, hardly worth it.


    But simply watching and waiting wasn''t an option. So, after consulting with the military, the Duke of Norfolk began constructing underground gun emcements on the city''s defensive line.


    Even if the "Urbain n" cannon was asrge as spected, these hastily built gun emcements wouldn''t withstand its shells. But they could significantly reduce the cannon''s effective range, minimizing casualties if not too many people were in each bunker.


    At this time, in Carroll Harbor, a massive French cargo ship docked. This was one of France''s newlyunchedrge cargo ships, with a discement of 15,000 tons, making it the world''srgest cargo ship.


    Using a crane installed half a month ago, the ship unloadedrgeponents, including various cannons and tbed railway cars.


    As the British suspected, the "Urbain n" did involverge cannons, but not a spectacle-level cannon. Despite Napoleon''s love for spectacles and his strong request for a gigantic cannon, Joseph ultimately produced a 280mm caliber cannon.


    Joseph even considered a 203mm caliber sufficient and cheaper. But Napoleon wanted something more impressive, threatening to cut the project''s funding if not satisfied.


    "Joseph, you promised me a cannon so thick and long that it would make the world tremble. I expected something as thick as a barrel. Even if not that thick, at least as thick as a bucket. And you bring me a 203mm, dinner te-sized toothpick? Uneptable!" Napoleon argued.


    Joseph insisted he never mentioned a barrel''s thickness, iming he pointed to a water lily leaf inside the barrel, not the barrel itself, as proof of God.


    Napoleon retorted, "Stop lying, Joseph. You''re as devout as Talleyrand and Fouché. Mentioning God only means you''re lying. Why not say you pointed at the fish scales in the barrel?"


    After arguing, Napoleon acknowledged the practical limitations of super-sized cannons but insisted on their deterrent effect. Nations might not understand the technicalities, but a barrel-thick cannon would decisively impact morale.


    Joseph conceded that achieving barrel thickness was technically impossible unless they wanted a symbolic cannon like the Tsar Cannon, a beautifully decorated but never-fired 1586 Russian bronze smoothbore cannon.


    Thus, Napoleonpromised, demanding a cannon no smaller than the British battleship guns.


    Joseph and his team produced a 50-ton cannon with an 11-meter long barrel, requiring new nitrocellulose propent, making both the cannon and its ammunition expensive. Without a recoil system, the cannon relied on a specially designed tbed car and tracks for movement and positioning.


    The 280mm cannon, along with two 203mm cannons and twelve 100mm cannons, was mounted on tbed cars. Protected by armored trains, this nd battleship" set off from Carroll Harbor towards Dublin.


    The "Urbain n" involved not just arge-caliber cannon but a mobile artillery group capable of rapid railway movement, transforming field artillery''s capabilities. This nd battleship," escorted by the independent army and French army, reached Dublin''s frontline within two days, with the Duke of Norfolk''s gun emcements ready.


    Upon arrival, the French army took over key fortifications to protect this monumental nd battleship."


    The next day, the artillery trainunched its first bombardment on the British positions outside Dublin.