Part 14 (2/2)
It appears that the whole number of seamen and marines employed during the war amounted to 184,893. Of these, only 1512 had been killed in action or by accident, while 133,700 had either died by sickness or were missing--probably, had deserted. Thus, on the books of the Navy Office but 49,673 remained. Of these, all except 16,000 were paid off at the peace. To pay them, Parliament granted 832,000 pounds; to pay the officers, including those on half-pay, 398,000 pounds.
In 1764 Mr Harrison's chronometer was again tried on board the _Tartar_ frigate, commanded by Captain John Lindsay, who reported most favourably on it.
This year the officers of his majesty's navy were directed to act as custom-house officers on the coast of America, as well as in the British Channel, but, from the complaints made, the Admiralty released them from a service which they considered as degrading to their situation.
On the 3rd of July his majesty's s.h.i.+p _Dolphin_, of 20 guns, commanded by the Honourable John Byron, and the _Tamer_ sloop of war, 14 guns, Captain Mouat, sailed from Plymouth on a voyage of discovery. On her return in 1766 the _Dolphin_ was again despatched, under the command of Captain Samuel Wallis, and the _Swallow_ sloop of war, Captain Carteret, was ordered to accompany her till she should have got through the Straits of Magellan.
In 1768 a pump, invented by Mr Coles in 1764, was tried on board the _Seaford_ frigate in Portsmouth harbour, and it was found that with four men it pumped out a ton of water in 43 and a half seconds; with two men, in 55 seconds; and when choked with s.h.i.+ngle ballast, it was cleared in 4 minutes: while the old pump, with seven men, pumped out one ton of water in 76 seconds.
Early this year the Royal Society presented a memorial to his majesty, expressing a wish that proper vessels might be appointed to sail to the southward to observe the transit of Venus over the disc of the sun. The Admiralty accordingly, for this service, purchased the _Endeavour_ barque, and placed her under the command of Lieutenant James Cook. Mr Charles Green was appointed astronomer, and Mr Banks and Dr Solander embarked on board her.
In the month of June, 1769, a French frigate having anch.o.r.ed in the Downs without paying the usual compliment to the British flag, Captain John Hollwell, the senior officer there, in the _Apollo_ frigate, sent on board to demand the customary salute. The French captain refused to comply, upon which Captain Hollwell ordered the _Hawke_ sloop of war to fire two shots over her, when the Frenchman thought proper to salute.
In 1771 Admiral Sir Charles Knowles obtained his majesty's permission to enter into the service of the Empress of Russia as admiral of her fleet.
Though high payments were promised him, it appears that he was very inadequately rewarded. On his return in 1774, he found some difficulty in being reinstated to his rank as admiral.
A machine, invented by Dr Lynn, for making salt water fresh, was tried on board the _Resolution_ at Deptford with great success, in consequence of which the Admiralty directed all s.h.i.+ps of war to be fitted with a still and the necessary apparatus.
In 1772 Captain James Cook, who had lately returned, undertook a second voyage of discovery in the Pacific, on board the _Resolution_, accompanied by Captain Furneaux in the _Adventure_.
We now come to the first outbreak of hostilities with the revolted provinces of North America. At Rhode Island, his majesty's schooner _Gaspee_, commanded by Lieutenant Duddingstone, was attacked in the night by 200 armed men in eight boats, who, notwithstanding the defence made by her commander, seized the vessel, when he and several of his people were wounded, and the rebels taking out the crew, set her on fire.
In 1773 Lord Howe presented a pet.i.tion to the House of Commons in behalf of the captains in the navy, soliciting an increase of half-pay. It was carried by a great majority, and two s.h.i.+llings a-day were added to the half-pay. The pay of surgeons was also increased, as was that of masters.
It was now evident that the ministry expected to be plunged into war.
On the 26th of April the guard-s.h.i.+ps were ordered to take on board six months' provisions, to complete their complement of men, and to prepare for sea. All the s.h.i.+ps of war reported fit for service were got ready to be commissioned, rendezvous were opened for the raising of seamen, and a proclamation issued by his majesty offering bounties of 3 pounds to every able seaman who should enter the navy, 2 pounds to an ordinary seaman, and 1 pound to a landsman. On the 22nd of June his majesty reviewed the fleet at Spithead, consisting of 20 sail of the line, 2 frigates, and a few sloops, when he was saluted by 232 guns. It was the first of many visits. He knighted several officers, others received promotion, and sums were distributed among the dockyard artisans, the crews of his yacht, the poor of Portsea and Gosport, and the prisoners confined for debt in Portsmouth jail.
Another voyage was undertaken to the North Pole in the hopes of discovering a pa.s.sage to the East Indies. The _Racehorse_ and _Carca.s.s_ bombs, commanded by the Honourable Captain Phipps--afterwards Lord Mulgrave--and Captain Lutwidge, were equipped for the enterprise, but, unable to penetrate the ice, returned in the same autumn. On board the _Racehorse_ sailed, in the capacity of captain's c.o.xswain, one who was ere long to make his name known to fame--Horatio Nelson.
His majesty's s.h.i.+p _Kent_, commanded by Captain Fielding, was nearly destroyed while saluting the admiral as she was sailing out of Plymouth Sound, the wadding from the guns having communicated with some powder in the ammunition-chest on the p.o.o.p. It blew up all the after-part of the s.h.i.+p, when most of the men on the p.o.o.p were blown overboard, 50 of whom being killed or dreadfully wounded.
On the 29th of June, 1775, the Hibernian Marine Society in Dublin was inst.i.tuted for maintaining and educating the children of decayed, reduced, or deceased seamen, and apprenticing them to the sea-service.
The news arrived of a conflict between the revolted provinces and a detachment of the king's troops at Lexington, when the latter were compelled to retire with considerable loss into the town of Boston.
This was followed by the attack on Bunker's Hill on the 17th of June, when the British also lost a number of officers and men, and the flame of war now began to blaze over the whole of the continent. The incidents, however, of the American war of independence cannot but be briefly touched on. A fleet under Lord Shuldham and Commodore Sir Peter Parker was sent to blockade the princ.i.p.al naval ports, and both parties fitted out small vessels on Lake Champlain to carry on the contest. The English squadron was under the command of Captain Pringle, who found the Americans drawn up in an advantageous position to defend the pa.s.sage between the island of Valicour and the main. As the enemy was to windward, he was unable to work up his large vessels, so that his gunboats and a schooner were alone engaged. He, however, succeeded in sinking the largest American schooner and a smaller vessel. At night, he called off the vessels engaged, and anch.o.r.ed his fleet in line, to be ready for an attack the next morning. General Arnold, who commanded the American squadron, finding it inferior, availed himself of the darkness of the night, and withdrew towards Crown Point. Captain Pringle followed him on the 13th, when another action ensued, and continued for two hours, the Americans being dispersed, leaving the _Was.h.i.+ngton_ galley, with General Waterburn on board, in the hands of the British; others were run on sh.o.r.e and burnt by their own crews, the remainder effecting their escape to Ticonderoga.
Letters of marque and reprisal were now granted by the Admiralty against the thirteen revolted provinces. On the 18th of March the French king issued an edict to seize all British s.h.i.+ps in the ports of France, and on the 13th of April a squadron of French s.h.i.+ps of war under the command of the Comte D'Estaing sailed for North America. It was not, however, till the 5th of June that an English fleet under Admiral Byron was sent out in quest of it. The English fleet was dispersed by a heavy gale, when Admiral Byron alone succeeded in reaching the American coast. He found the French squadron already at anchor in the neighbourhood of New York.
Admiral Keppel was now appointed to the command of the Channel Fleet, and soon afterwards the _Milford_ captured the _Licorne_, a French frigate of 32 guns, which, with three others, had been found reconnoitring the fleet. The _Arethusa_ and _Alert_ cutters pursued the other French vessels, and at night came up with the _Belle Poule_, when the first action of this war ensued, celebrated in song. Captain Marshall informed her commander that his orders were to conduct him to the British admiral, with which the French captain peremptorily refused to comply. Captain Marshall then fired a shot over her, which was instantly returned by a broadside from the _Belle Poule_. A desperate engagement took place, and continued with great obstinacy for two hours, by which time they were close in with the French coast. The _Belle Poule_ then stood in to a small bay, from whence a number of boats came out and towed her into a place of safety. The _Arethusa's_ main-mast fell over the side, and she was otherwise so disabled that it was with the utmost difficulty she could clear the land. The next morning she was towed back to the fleet by the _Valiant_ and _Monarch_.
”The Arethusa.”
Come, all you jolly sailors bold, Whose hearts are cast in honour's mould, While English glory I unfold, Huzza to the _Arethusa_!
She is a frigate, tight and brave, As ever stemm'd the das.h.i.+ng wave; Her men are staunch To their favourite launch; And when the foe shall meet our fire, Sooner than strike we'll all expire On board of the _Arethusa_.
'Twas with the spring fleet she went out The English Channel to cruise about, When four French sail in show so stout Bore down on the _Arethusa_.
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