Part 11 (2/2)
In a fright, in a fright.
Says Kirby unto Wade, I will run, I will run; Says Kirby unto Wade, I will run; I value not disgrace, Nor the losing of my place, My en'mies I'll not face With a gun, with a gun.
'Twas the _Ruby_ and _Noah's Ark_ Fought the French, fought the French; 'Twas the _Ruby_ and _Noah's Ark_ fought the French; And there was ten in all; Poor souls they fought them all, They valued them not at all, Nor their noise, nor their noise.
It was our Admiral's lot, With a chain-shot, with a chain-shot; It was our Admiral's lot, with a chain-shot Our Admiral lost his legs; Fight on, my boys, he begs, 'Tis my lot, 'tis my lot.
While the surgeon dressed his wounds, Thus he said, thus he said; While the surgeon dressed his wounds, thus he said, Let my cradle now, in haste, On the quarter-deck be placed, That my enemies I may face, Till I'm dead, till I'm dead.
And there bold Benbow lay, Crying out, crying out; And there bold Benbow lay, crying out, Let us tack about once more, We'll drive them to their own sh.o.r.e; I don't value half-a-score, Nor their noise, nor their noise.
In 1703 Rear-Admiral Dilkes did good service by pursuing a fleet of forty-three French merchantmen, convoyed by three men-of-war, into a bay between Avranches and Mount Saint Michael. He first sent in his boats, under cover of the s.h.i.+ps, when fifteen sail were taken, six burnt, and three sunk; and, on the following morning, the enemy having got into too shoal water for the large s.h.i.+ps to approach, he in person led the boats, when two men-of-war were burnt, a third was taken, and seventeen more of the merchant-vessels were burnt, so that only four escaped. For this signal service the queen ordered gold medals to be struck, and presented to the admiral and all his officers.
Parliament this year voted 40,000 men, including 5000 marines, for the sea-service.
On the night between the 26th and 27th of November, one of the most fearful storms ever known in England began to blow. It commenced between eleven and twelve o'clock, from the west-south-west, with a noise which resembled thunder, accompanied by bright flashes of lightning, and continued with almost unrelenting fury till seven the next morning. During these few hours thirteen men-of-war were cast away, and 1509 seamen were drowned. Among the officers who lost their lives were Rear-Admiral Beaumont, when his s.h.i.+p, the _Mary_, was driven on the Goodwin Sands. Of the whole s.h.i.+p's company, Captain Hobson, the purser, and one man, Thomas Atkins, alone were saved. The escape of Atkins was remarkable. When the s.h.i.+p went to pieces, he was tossed by a wave into the _Stirling Castle_, which sank soon after, and he was then thrown by another wave, which washed him from the wreck into one of her boats. Sir Cloudsley Shovel, who was lying in the Downs, saved his s.h.i.+p by cutting away her main-mast, though she narrowly escaped running on the _Galloper_. The wives and families of the seamen who perished on this occasion received the same bounty as would have been granted had they been actually killed in fight in her majesty's service. The House of Commons also resolved to present an address to her majesty, stating, that as they could not see any diminution of her majesty's navy without making provision to repair the same, they besought her immediately to give directions for repairing this loss, and for building such capital s.h.i.+ps as her majesty should think fit.
In 1704 Sir George Rooke, who commanded a large squadron in the Mediterranean, on board of which was a body of troops under the Prince of Hesse, resolved to attempt the capture of Gibraltar. On the 17th of July, while the fleet lay in Tetuan Roads, he called a council of war, when, finding that his officers were ready to support him, he gave orders that the fleet should at once proceed to the attack. Entering the Bay of Gibraltar, the s.h.i.+ps took up a position to prevent all communication between the rock and the continent, and the Prince of Hesse landed on the isthmus with 1800 marines. His highness having taken post there, summoned the governor, who answered that he would defend the place to the last. At daybreak on the following morning, the 22nd, Sir George ordered the s.h.i.+ps under the command of Rear-Admiral Byng and Rear-Admiral Vanderduesen to commence the cannonade, but owing to want of wind they were unable to reach their stations till nearly nightfall. In the meantime, to amuse the enemy, Captain Whitaker was sent in with some boats, who burnt a French privateer of 12 guns at the old mole. On the 23rd, soon after daybreak, the s.h.i.+ps having taken up their stations, the admiral gave the signal for commencing the cannonade, when, in five or six hours, 15,000 shot were thrown into the fortress, compelling the enemy to retreat from their guns. Sir George now considering that could the fortifications be captured, the town would yield, sent in Captain Whitaker with all the boats, to endeavour to possess himself of it. Captain Hicks and Captain Jumper, who lay next the mole, were the first to reach the sh.o.r.e with their pinnaces, and before the other boats could come up, the enemy sprang a mine, which blew up the fortifications on the mole, killed 2 lieutenants and about 40 men, and wounded about 60 others. The gallant captains, then advancing, gained possession of the great platform, Captain Whitaker capturing a redoubt half-way between the mole and the town, many of the enemy's guns being also taken. The next day the governor offered to capitulate; when, hostages being exchanged, the Prince of Hesse marched into the town, of which he took possession, the Spaniards composing the garrison being allowed to march out with all the honours of war--though the French were excluded from this part of the capitulation, and were detained as prisoners of war.
The town was found to be extremely strong, with 100 guns mounted, all facing the sea, and with two narrow pa.s.ses to the land. It was also well supplied with ammunition, but the garrison consisted of less than 150 men. However, it was the opinion that fifty men might have defended the fortifications against thousands, and the attack made by the seamen was brave almost beyond example. Sixty only were killed, including those blown up, and 216 wounded. As this design was contrived by the admiral, so it was executed entirely by the seamen, and to them was the honour due.
Leaving a garrison under the Prince of Hesse, the fleet sailed to Tetuan, in order to take in wood and water. At the end of the year the Spaniards attempted its recapture, but Sir John Leake arriving to its relief, surprised and took three French frigates, a fire-s.h.i.+p, corvette, and stores.h.i.+p laden with warlike stores, the very night before the Spaniards had intended to storm it. The following month 2000 troops arrived to garrison the place, making it no longer necessary for the s.h.i.+ps to remain in the bay.
Notwithstanding the many important services rendered by Sir George Rooke, his political opponents gaining the ascendant, so annoyed him that he resolved to retire, to prevent public business from receiving any disturbance on his account. He pa.s.sed the remainder of his days as a private gentleman, for the most part at his seat in Kent. He left but a small fortune, so moderate that when he came to make his will, it surprised those who were present. The reason he a.s.signed reflected more honour on him than had he possessed unbounded wealth. His words were: ”I do not leave much, but what I leave was honestly gotten--it never cost a sailor a tear, or the nation a farthing.” He died on the 24th of January, 1708-9, in the fifty-eighth year of his age, leaving one son, George Rooke, by the daughter of Colonel Luttrell, of Dunster Castle, Somersets.h.i.+re.
On the resignation of Sir George Rooke, Sir Cloudsley Shovel was appointed Vice-Admiral of England.
In 1704 a sum of 10,000 pounds was voted by Parliament for building a wharf and storehouses in the dockyard at Portsmouth, and 40,000 men for the sea-service, including 8000 marines, proving the value which was attached to this arm. Probably they were trained even then to a.s.sist in working the s.h.i.+p, while to them was committed those duties exclusively which have since been so ably performed by our gallant blue-jackets on sh.o.r.e.
On the 1st of December, 1704, Greenwich Hospital was opened for the reception of seamen, and a lieutenant-governor, captain, and two lieutenants, a physician, and surgeon, were appointed by warrant.
Numerous other officers were afterwards appointed, as well as two chaplains.
In 1705, the Eddystone Lighthouse, which had been blown down during the great storm, was rebuilt by Act of Parliament, and the contribution from the English s.h.i.+pping, which had before been voluntary, was fixed by its authority. The contest with France, Queen Anne's war, as it was called, resulted in the general destruction of the French power at sea; and after the battle of Malaga, we hear no more of their great fleets. The number of their privateers, however, was _very_ much increased, in consequence of which Parliament was urged on by the mercantile interest to put them down. The loss also by the great storm, and the misfortunes met with in the West Indies, indeed, every untoward accident, induced the nation more eagerly to demand an augmentation of the navy. Thus, at the close of 1706, not only were the number but the quality of the men-of-war greatly superior to what they had been in Charles's reign.
The economy and discipline of the navy was also much improved. Great encouragement was also given to seamen, by the utmost care being taken in the treatment of the wounded, and exact and speedy payment of prize-money.
A bounty was now given for hemp imported from the plantations, and every encouragement was afforded to British merchants to enable them to carry on their schemes with vigour.
The gallantry of Captain Mordaunt, son of the Earl of Peterborough, in command of the _Resolution_, of 70 guns, in the Mediterranean, deserves to be remembered. He had sailed with his father from Barcelona on the 13th of March, 1706, with an envoy of the King of Spain to the Duke of Savoy on board, and had in company the _Enterprise_ and _Milford_ frigates. When within about fifteen leagues of Genoa, six French line of battle s.h.i.+ps were seen, who immediately gave chase to the English squadron. Lord Peterborough and the Spanish envoy on this went on board the _Enterprise_, and, with the _Milford_, made their escape to Leghorn.
The enemy continued the chase of the _Resolution_, when one of their s.h.i.+ps came about ten o'clock at night within shot of her, but did not begin to fire till the other s.h.i.+ps had come up. The _Resolution_ had been much shattered a few days before in a heavy gale of wind, and was at no time a fast sailer. Notwithstanding the great disparity in force, Captain Mordaunt made a brave resistance; but by the advice of his officers he ran the s.h.i.+p ash.o.r.e under the guns of a Genoese fort, from which, however, he received no manner of protection; and shortly afterwards he was wounded in the thigh, when he was carried on sh.o.r.e.
At five the French commodore sent in all the boats of his squadron, but the enemy were repulsed and obliged to retire to their s.h.i.+ps. The next morning a French 80-gun s.h.i.+p, brought up under the _Resolution's_ stern, with a spring in her cable, and opened a heavy fire upon her. Her officers finding that there was no prospect of saving the s.h.i.+p, with the consent of Captain Mordaunt, set her on fire, and in a short time she was consumed, while they and the crew got safely on sh.o.r.e.
The last act of the gallant Sir Cloudsley Shovel was an attempt to a.s.sist the Duke of Savoy and Prince Eugene, who were closely investing Toulon. A large number, however, of the French s.h.i.+ps were destroyed before the siege was raised. On his return to England, on the 23rd of October, 1707, a strong gale blowing from the south-south-west, his s.h.i.+p, the _a.s.sociation_, ran upon the rocks called the Bishop and his Clerks off Scilly, and immediately going to pieces, every soul perished.
The _Eagle_ and _Romney_ shared the same fate; other s.h.i.+ps struck, but happily got off. The body of the brave Sir Cloudsley was the next day cast on sh.o.r.e, and was known by a valuable ring which he wore on his finger. Being brought to Plymouth, it was thence conveyed to London and interred in Westminster Abbey, where a magnificent monument was erected by Queen Anne to his memory.
We may judge of the progress of the navy by the sums voted by Parliament for its support, which in this year amounted to 2,300,000 pounds.
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