Part 13 (1/2)
In consequence of the way s.h.i.+ps had suffered from the attacks of worms on former occasions, those now destined for the West Indies were sheathed by a new process.
On the 25th of February Admiral Vernon again sailed on an expedition against Carthagena, but finding his force inadequate to reduce it, after refitting at Porto Bello, he proceeded to the river Chagres, an accurate chart of which he had obtained from the pirate Lowther, who, by doing this piece of service, had his majesty's pardon granted him. The castle of San Lorenzo was quickly captured, and a large amount of merchandise and plate found in the place. After blowing up the fortifications, and destroying two guarda costas, he returned to Jamaica. He next, being joined by Sir Challoner Ogle with a large body of troops, attacked Carthagena; forcing a beam which had been laid across the harbour, the fleet entered and blew up a considerable number of forts, great gallantry being shown by the commanders of the s.h.i.+ps of war and their crews. The British troops, however, were repulsed with great slaughter in their attempts to storm Fort Saint Lazare. In consequence of sickness, it became at length necessary to raise the siege, and the admiral returned to Jamaica. The establishment of a settlement on the island of Rattan and an attack on Cuba were designed by Admiral Vernon, but this and other plans were thwarted by the commander of the land forces, General Wentworth--showing the inconvenience which, in nearly all instances, arises from a division of command. Probably, had the whole power been vested with Admiral Vernon, his plans would have succeeded. Soon after his arrival in England, in consequence of a disagreement with the Admiralty, he was deprived of his command in 1746, after which he did not again go to sea. Probably in consequence of observing the ill effects of undiluted spirits among his crews in the West Indies, he was the first to order a sailor's allowance of rum to be mixed with water, to which the name of grog has since been given.
During this war the English merchants lost a number of their vessels in the British Channel and the German Ocean, the prizes being carried into Vigo, Bilboa, and San Sebastian, where the poor sailors suffered inexpressible hards.h.i.+ps, being driven barefooted a hundred or two hundred miles up the country, lodged in damp dungeons, and fed only on bread and water. On hearing of this treatment, the British Government allowed to every prisoner sixpence a-day, which was regularly paid to them. On the other hand, the English s.h.i.+ps of war and privateers took several valuable prizes from the Spaniards, and destroyed many of their privateers; while the masters of the merchant-s.h.i.+ps bravely defended themselves, and were never taken but by a superior force. One of these actions is worthy of being recorded. On the 27th of December, the _Pulteney_ privateer, a large brigantine, mounting 16 carriage-guns and 26 swivels, with 42 men, commanded by Captain James Purcell, was standing into the Bay of Gibraltar after a cruise, when she was seen from Old Gibraltar, from whence 2 large Spanish xebeques, each carrying 120 men, 12 carriage-guns, and a great number of patereroes and musquetoons, were sent out to take her. They soon came up with her, a little to the eastward of Europa Point, and almost within reach of the guns of Gibraltar. In the bay lay an 80-gun s.h.i.+p, but without her topmasts, so that the only way of a.s.sisting the privateer was to send a reinforcement of men, which might easily have reached her before the xebeques, but the commander of the s.h.i.+p of war, alleging that so small a vessel could not escape, declined to do so. The gallant Captain Purcell, however, was of a different opinion, and resolved to defend his vessel to the last, being supported by his officers and men. After the Spaniards had fired a few single guns, they came near and hailed the vessel by her name, the captain entreating the English to strike and preserve their lives. These threats were returned by the _Pulteney's_ guns. The Spaniards then attempted to board, but were resolutely beaten off. They twice more renewed the attempt; Captain Purcell having prudently reserved half his broadside, they had not the courage to board him. For an hour and three-quarters the engagement continued, till the Spaniards, unable to stand the pounding they were receiving, made off with their oars towards Malaga, having lost above a hundred of their men--the _Pulteney_ having had but one man killed and five more badly wounded, though it is remarkable that every man on board was shot through the clothes, the sails and rigging were cut to pieces, and some 9-pounders went through the hull and masts of the privateer. The governor, officers, and princ.i.p.al inhabitants of Gibraltar, who were witnesses of the action, to show Captain Purcell the high estimation in which they held his character, presented him with a piece of plate with a suitable inscription, and gave a handsome reward to the sailors for their bravery.
In 1742 the _Tiger_, of 50 guns, Captain Herbert, was lost on a cayo near the island of Tortuga, when the crew got on sh.o.r.e and saved most of their stores. They then mounted twenty of the s.h.i.+p's guns for their protection, thus saving themselves from being made prisoners by the Spaniards, who had sent a s.h.i.+p, _El Fuerte_, of 60 guns, for that purpose. In the attempt, however, she also got on sh.o.r.e and was lost.
On this cayo Captain Herbert remained nearly two months. At length, a sloop and schooner appeared off the spot; Captain Herbert, pulling off in his boats, boarded and took them, and returned in them with his s.h.i.+p's company safe to Jamaica.
In 1744, the French fleet having united with that of Spain, war was declared against France. Admiral Matthews was at this time commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean. In an action which ensued soon afterwards, Admiral Matthews accused his second in command, Admiral Lestock, of not doing his duty, and sent him to England, but was himself recalled to undergo a court-martial, the issue of which was that he was dismissed and rendered for ever incapable of serving his majesty.
Several other officers were also tried on various charges, some of whom were cas.h.i.+ered. The sentence of several of them was considered extremely hard, and many circ.u.mstances appearing in their favour, his majesty was pleased to restore them to their former rank.
Courts-martial, indeed, appear to have taken place very frequently.
Discipline was often lax, and that high tone which afterwards prevailed in the navy was apparently greatly wanting.
An action, which, had the English been successful, would have saved the lives and fortunes of many of the leading Jacobites, took place in 1745.
On the 9th July of that year the _Lion_, a 60-gun s.h.i.+p of 400 men, commanded by Captain Piercy Brett, being on a cruise, fell in with the _Elizabeth_, a French s.h.i.+p of war, of 64 guns and 600 men, and a small frigate, the latter having on board Prince Charles, son of the old Pretender, and several officers of distinction who were accompanying him in order to support his cause in Scotland. At five o'clock in the evening the _Lion_ got within pistol-shot of the _Elizabeth_, when a most obstinate battle began, and continued with great fury till ten, at which time the _Lion_ had lost her mizen-mast, all her other masts and yards being so much wounded, and rigging and sails cut to pieces, that she became unmanageable. The _Elizabeth_ not being so much crippled in her rigging, her commander availed himself of the opportunity, to set what sail he could, and got off. The _Lion_ had 45 men killed and 107 wounded. Among the latter were Captain Brett, with all his lieutenants and the master. The _Elizabeth_ had her captain and 64 men killed, and 144 wounded. She was so much damaged that it was with difficulty she reached Brest. The frigate pursuing her course landed Prince Charles at Lochaber on the 27th day of July.
In order to prevent succours being sent to the rebels from France, Admiral Vernon proceeded with a strong squadron to the Downs, and Rear-Admiral Byng was sent with some s.h.i.+ps to the coast of Scotland.
English s.h.i.+p-owners and merchants had sent many large privateers of considerable force to sea, and they were especially fortunate this year.
The _Prince Frederick_, of 28 guns and 250 men, commanded by Captain James Talbot, fell in off the western islands with two large French s.h.i.+ps with valuable cargoes, which had just returned from the South Seas. After an obstinate engagement they captured the _Marquis D'Autin_, of 400 tons, 24 guns, and 68 men; and the _Lewis Erasmus_, of 500 tons, 28 guns, and 66 men. The privateers and their prizes having been convoyed to Bristol by three men-of-war, the treasure and plate taken out of them were put into forty-five waggons and carried to London, when, upon a division of the prize-money, each sailor's share amounted to 850 pounds. The captains and crews of the privateers behaved with great generosity to their prisoners, allowing them to keep their valuable effects, and when the common men were landed, they distributed to each twenty guineas. The proprietors, whose share amounted to 700,000 pounds, made a voluntary tender of it to the Government to a.s.sist in putting down the Jacobite rebellion.
Another privateer took a Spanish s.h.i.+p worth 400,000 pounds; and another, one of 50,000 pounds; but a fourth, the _Surprise_, commanded by Captain Redmond, was less fortunate, for having taken a French East India s.h.i.+p, after an action of six hours, with a cargo valued at 150,000 pounds, the prize, from the number of shot in her hull, sank the next day with all her wealth on board.
There are many instances of captains of privateers being at once given commands in the Royal Navy. Captain Rous in the _s.h.i.+rley_ galley, and ten more stout privateers, having escorted a body of troops from Boston to a.s.sist in the reduction of Louisbourg, as a reward, his majesty directed that the privateer, which carried 24 guns, should be purchased into the navy as a post-s.h.i.+p, and Captain Rous appointed to command her.
Fortunes were very frequently rapidly made, not only by commanders of privateers, but by captains of men-of-war. Among these fortunate men was Captain Frankland, afterwards Admiral Thomas Frankland. When in command of the _Rose_, of 20 guns and 125 men, being on a cruise off the coast of South Carolina, he fell in with _La Concepcion_, of 20 guns and 326 men, from Carthagena bound to Havannah; and after a severe and obstinate battle captured her, she having 116 killed and 40 wounded, while he had only 5 men killed and 13 wounded. Her cargo consisted of 800 serons of cocoa, 68 chests of silver, gold and silver coin to a large amount, plate, a curious two-wheeled chase, the wheels, axles, etcetera, all of silver, diamonds, pearls, precious stones, and gold.
So great was the quant.i.ty of money that the shares were delivered by weight, to save the trouble of counting it; and when the cargo was taken out of the s.h.i.+p, and she was put up for sale, the French captain, upon the promise of reward from Captain Frankland, discovered to him 30,000 pistoles which were concealed in a place that no one would ever have thought of looking for them. Captain Frankland presented the French captain with a thousand pistoles, with which he was far from contented.
The captain also made another fortunate discovery by means of a young French boy whom he had taken into his service. The boy complained to him that one of the sailors had taken from him a stick which was in appearance of no value. Captain Frankland recovered it for the boy, and on returning it gave him a tap on the shoulder, when, hearing something rattle, he took off the head, and found jewels (according to the Frenchman's account) worth 20,000 pistoles. When the captain surrendered, he had given this stick to the boy in the hopes of saving it, not imagining such a trifle would be ever noticed.
That year 531 prizes were taken from the Spaniards and French, but the English lost very nearly as many, though their vessels were smaller and of much less value.
Mr William Brown, master of the _Sh.o.r.eham_, having been placed by Captain Osborne in command of a small privateer of 2 guns and 12 swivels, captured a Spanish privateer of 10 guns and 18 swivels; and shortly afterwards another of 5 guns and 32 men; and was for his gallantry promoted by the Lords of the Admiralty to the command of a sloop of war.
Among the gallant deeds performed at this time, an action fought by the _Fame_, a privateer belonging to Liverpool, and commanded by Captain Fortunatus Wright, deserves to be recorded. While on a cruise in the Levant, she encountered sixteen French s.h.i.+ps, one of them mounting 20 guns, with 150 men, fitted out expressly for the purpose of taking her.
They engaged her furiously for three hours off the island of Cyprus, when the large s.h.i.+p was run ash.o.r.e and her crew fled up the country.
The _Fame's_ crew then boarded and brought her off.
By an Act of Parliament pa.s.sed this year, every s.h.i.+p in Great Britain or his majesty's plantations in North America was compelled on first going to sea to be furnished with a complete suit of sails, made of sail-cloth manufactured in Great Britain, under a penalty of fifty pounds. It was also enacted that every sail-maker in Britain or the plantations shall on every new sail affix in letters and words at length his name and place of abode, under a penalty of ten pounds.
By an order in council dated the 10th of February, 1747, established rank was first given to the officers in the Royal Navy, and a uniform clothing appointed to be worn by admirals, captains, lieutenants, and mids.h.i.+pmen. Hitherto they had dressed much as suited their fancy. The crew of a man-of-war must have looked more like a band of pirates than a well-ordered s.h.i.+p's company of the present day. Even in later days mids.h.i.+pmen sometimes appeared on the deck of a man-of-war in rather extraordinary costume, as the following account, taken from the journal of an old admiral, will show.
”As we mids.h.i.+pmen met on board the cutter which was to carry us to Plymouth, we were not, I will allow, altogether satisfied with our personal appearance, and still less so when we stepped on the quarter-deck of the seventy-four, commanded by one of the proudest and most punctilious men in the service, surrounded by a body of well-dressed, das.h.i.+ng-looking officers. Tom Peard first advanced as chief and oldest of our gang, with a bob-wig on his head, surmounted by a high hat bound by narrow gold lace, white lapels to his coat, a white waistcoat, and light blue inexpressibles with mids.h.i.+pman's b.u.t.tons. By his side hung a large bra.s.s-mounted hanger, while his legs were encased in a huge pair of waterproof boots. I followed next, habited in a coat `all sides radius,' as old Allen, my schoolmaster, would have said, the skirt actually sweeping the deck, and so wide that it would b.u.t.ton down to the very bottom--my white cuffs reaching half-way up the arm to the elbow. My waistcoat, which was of the same snowy hue, reached to my knees, but was fortunately concealed from sight by the ample folds of my coat, as were also my small clothes. I had on white-thread stockings, high shoes and buckles, and a plain c.o.c.ked hat, a prodigiously long silver-handled sword completing my costume. d.i.c.k Martingall's and Tom Painter's dresses were not much less out of order, giving them more the appearance of gentlemen of the highway than of naval officers of respectability. One had a large bra.s.s sword, once belonging to his great-grandfather, a trooper in the army of the Prince of Orange, the other a green-handled hanger, which had done service with Sir Cloudsley Shovel.” The writer and his friends had to beat a precipitate retreat from the _Torbay_, as, with a stamp of his foot, their future captain ordered them to begone, and instantly get cut-down and reduced into ordinary proportions by the Plymouth tailors. This description refers to some thirty years later than the time we are speaking of. The tailor had taken his models, the writer observes, from the days of Benbow; or rather, perhaps, from the costumes of those groups who go about at Christmas time enacting plays in the halls of the gentry and n.o.bility, and are called by the west-country folks ”geese-dancers.”
Vice-Admiral Anson, who had returned from his voyage to the Pacific, was now placed in command of a powerful fleet, and sent to cruise on the coast of France. He and Rear-Admiral Warren sailed from Plymouth on the 9th of April to intercept the French fleet, with which it fell in on the 3rd of May off Cape Finisterre, convoying a large number of merchantmen.
Admiral Anson had made the signal to form line of battle, when Rear-Admiral Warren, suspecting the enemy to be merely manoeuvring to favour the escape of the convoy, bore down and communicated his opinion to the admiral, who thereon threw out a signal for a general chase. The _Centurion_, under a press of sail, was the first to come up with the rearmost French s.h.i.+p, which she attacked in so gallant a manner that two others dropped astern to her support. Three more English s.h.i.+ps coming up, the action became general. The French, though much inferior in numbers, fought with great spirit till seven in the evening, when all their s.h.i.+ps were taken, as well as nine sail of East India s.h.i.+ps. The enemy lost 700 men, killed and wounded, and the British 250. Among the latter was Captain Grenville of the _Defiance_, to whom a monument was erected by his uncle, Lord Cobham, in his gardens at Stowe. Upwards of 300,000 pounds were found on board the s.h.i.+ps of war, which were conveyed in twenty waggons by a military escort to London.
So pleased was the king with this action that, after complimenting Admiral Anson, he was created a peer of Great Britain, and Rear-Admiral Warren was honoured with the order of the Bath.