Chasing Time

“Next, we have the most noble recipient of the Order of the Garter, the Grand Cross of Saint Michael and Saint George, the Grand Cross of the Bath, the Victoria Cross and the lower grades of Knighthood, the leader of the anti-colonial movement, the bell-ringer of the East India Company, the hero of the Crimean War, a Fellow of the Royal Society, a lifelong dear friend of literary giants such as Dickens and Great Dumas, a steadfast supporter of scientific luminaries like Faraday and Darwin, having served as assistant under-secretary, deputy under-secretary, and permanent under-secretary in departments of the Home Office and the Navy Department of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the inaugural Cabinet Secretary and head of the civil service, the first graduate and most distinguished alumnus of our school. Please welcome Sir Arthur Hastings to deliver a speech on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the University of London.”
Arthur's gaze swept across the crowd before him, looking at the young faces and murmured, “Agares, what do you think I should say?”
The Red Devil's wraith hovered behind him, saliva almost dribbling from the corner of his mouth, “Look at these ignorant souls; they still worship you as a hero. Why not say something they'd like to hear?”
Arthur took a deep breath and let out a deafening roar, “Oxford is a bunch of whores' bastards!”
“Oh!!!!”
The audience erupted into thunderous applause.
“Cambridge is the same!” he added immediately.
The applause grew even more fervent...
(The protagonist, possessed by a devil, travels through 19th-century Britain in a world without magic)

The Shadow of Great Britain

Arthur read with great interest the "Poor Man's Guardian," which cost a penny, and it was not until he reached the end of the article that he realized something was amiss.


The founder of the "Poor Man's Guardian," Hetherington, was a figure on Scotland Yard's surveillance list.


Although the "Combination Acts" had been repealed in 1824 and censorship of publications had gradually relaxed, while the official thresholds had disappeared, there were still plenty of sly tricks behind the scenes.


Since most workers belonged to the impoverished class, it was unlikely they had much money left over for anything beyond basic necessities.


Therefore, to prevent workers' unions from founding influential publications, the British Government began collecting a stamp duty on newspapers, pushing the price up to four pennies, using the cost increase to limit newspaper sales.


Chapter 3: The Navy's Smuggling Problem