The Terrifying Fleet

Pitt the Younger merely frowned slightly and gestured for a Court Official to close the enormous white window. Then he turned back to continue discussing with George III how to ensure that the opposition would not tie their hands in Parliament.

As for the possibility of protests or even riots among the populace, he had made the necessary arrangements long ago. There was nothing to worry about.

In fact, the Public Security Committee had assembled five thousand militiamen two months earlier and stationed them around London on standby.

The United Kingdom's militia was no ragtag force—militia units in a wealthy place like London were even better equipped than the British Army.

In the early days of the United States, they had copied their old suzerain and disbanded the Continental Army outright, relying on militia to carve out their future.

Sure enough, barely ten minutes later, the rhythmic beat of War Drums came from the north side of Downing Street.

A large body of militiamen appeared before St. James's Palace in neat ranks, their dense Flintlock Guns raised behind them like a forest of steel.

The troops halted. An officer rode forward and loudly ordered the demonstrators to disperse at once.

The hard-pressed workers began burning straw effigies bearing the names of politicians and factory owners, shouting even louder:

"Lower the price of sugar!"

"Ban arbitrary wage cuts!"

"We have the right to live!"

"Have the Prime Minister come out and meet us!"

The officer waited for a while and had the order shouted several more times. Seeing that the demonstrators not only refused to leave but instead began surging forward, he immediately signaled decisively to the men behind him.

"Disperse them!"

"Yes, sir!"

More than a hundred militiamen in the front rank immediately advanced in formation to the beat of