A Chinese Command: A Story of Adventure in Eastern Seas

In the cozy warmth of a modest riverside cottage, Lieutenant Dick Penryn watches his old schoolmate Murray Frobisher prepare for an urgent night‑time departure. Their close friendship, forged in Devon and honed on the decks of torpedo‑boats, makes the sudden call to action all the more personal. When word arrives of an enemy fleet threatening Portland, Murray is thrust into a desperate dash across storm‑tossed waters, his tiny vessel fighting both the elements and dwindling coal supplies.

The story follows Murray’s perilous sprint to Portsmouth, a race against time that tests his seamanship and resolve. As the gale howls and the sea roars, the young commander must rely on his wits, his crew’s grit, and a dash of daring to deliver the crucial message. Listeners are drawn into a vivid portrait of naval life at the turn of the century, where loyalty, bravery, and the unforgiving sea intertwine in a pulse‑quickening adventure.