Part 16 (1/2)

The French are supposed to have lost 3000 men killed, and double that number wounded, for, besides the s.h.i.+ps' crews, the fleet had on board 5500 troops. It was said that at the time the _Ville de Paris_ struck there were but three men left alive and unhurt on the upper deck, and that the Comte de Gra.s.se was one of the three.

A story is told of a female sailor who fought in the action. While the battle was raging, one of the crew of a gun being wounded and sent below, a woman took his place. After the action she was brought before the admiral, when it was discovered that she was the sailor's wife, and had been concealed on board. She declared that she thought it her duty to supply her husband's place, and fight the French. Rodney threatened her for a breach of the rules, but privately sent her a purse of ten guineas.

A few days afterwards the admiral detached Sir Samuel Hood in chase of the crippled French s.h.i.+ps, when two more were captured in the same gallant way by Captain Goodall of the _Valiant_. A frigate of 32 guns and a sloop of 16 were also taken.

For this action Sir George Rodney was created a peer of Great Britain; Sir Samuel Hood a peer of Ireland; and Admiral Drake and Commodore Affleck were made baronets.

These actions must be taken merely as examples of what the navy was about at that time.

Towards the end of 1782, negotiations for a general peace were set on foot, and it was finally concluded early in the following year.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

GEORGE THE THIRD--FROM WAR WITH REPUBLICAN FRANCE, A.D. 1792, TO END OF A.D. 1802.

We will briefly run over a few events which occurred previous to the breaking out of the first revolutionary war.

On May the 29th, 1782, the _Royal George_, of 100 guns, being heeled over at Spithead to repair a pipe which led under water, the lower-deck guns having been run out, the water rushed with such rapidity in at the port-holes that she filled and sank--Rear-Admiral Kempenfeldt, with more than half his officers, and four hundred persons, peris.h.i.+ng, many of them the wives and children of the seamen and marines on board.

We are apt to consider that the uniform of the navy differed greatly from the army; but in an order dated the 11th of January, 1783, admirals, vice-admirals, and rear-admirals were directed to wear coats very similar to those worn by generals, lieutenant-generals, and major-generals respectively, in the army, with the exception of the crown and anchor b.u.t.tons.

In the month of June, 1785, his Royal Highness Prince William Henry, who had now served his time as a mids.h.i.+pman, pa.s.sed his examination, and was appointed third lieutenant of the _Hebe_ frigate, of 40 guns.

In 1785 a debate arose in the House of Commons on the propriety of repairing the old 64-gun s.h.i.+ps, and also suffering s.h.i.+ps of war to remain in ordinary with the copper on their bottoms. Captain Macbride thought that the 64-gun s.h.i.+ps should be either broken up or sold, and recommended in future none less than seventy-fours to be built for the line of battle. He also pointed out the mischievous effects that might ensue in suffering s.h.i.+ps to be laid up with their copper on, alleging that the copper would in time corrode the bolts; in consequence of which the s.h.i.+ps' bottoms might drop out. He had examined a coppered s.h.i.+p under repair, and found the bolts corroded and eaten away. s.h.i.+ps had, however, before this time, been fastened with copper bolts, and probably those seen by Captain Macbride were either iron bolts cased only with copper or composition.

The supplies granted by Parliament for the sea-service for the year 1789 amounted to 2,328,570 pounds.

On the 24th of November, 1787, the _Bounty_, of 215 tons, commanded by Lieutenant William Bligh, sailed from Spithead, for the Pacific Ocean, to obtain a supply of the bread-fruit tree. On the 28th of April, 1789, some of his officers and crew mutinied, and took possession of the s.h.i.+p, casting the commander and those who remained firm to him adrift in an open boat. The hardihood and judgment he displayed in conducting his boat's crew across the Pacific to Batavia are well known.

Many useful contrivances have been invented by inferior officers of the navy. Among others, Mr Hill, the carpenter of the _Active_, invented a machine for drawing bolts out of s.h.i.+ps' sides. He also invented a method for stopping shot-holes.

In 1791 some experiments were made on board a s.h.i.+p in Portsmouth Harbour, when he stopped a shot-hole on the outside of the s.h.i.+p, four feet under water, in the s.p.a.ce of one minute, without the a.s.sistance of any person out of the vessel. He stopped in the same manner a s.p.a.ce in the s.h.i.+p's side, four feet under water, of four feet by four inches, in two minutes and a-half. During the time of effectually curing both leaks, the s.h.i.+p made only ten inches water in the well.

He also invented a wheel to work the chain-pump, which was much safer and less liable to get out of order than that before in use.

The French Revolution broke out in 1792. On the 21st of the following January, the French beheaded their king, Louis the Sixteenth; in consequence of which the French amba.s.sador at the court of London was ordered to quit England. A short time before this the new Republic had exhibited its hostile spirit against England, and on the 2nd of January a shot had been fired from one of the batteries near Brest on the British 16-gun brig-sloop _Childers_. Though a 48-pounder shot struck her, no one was hurt.

On the 1st of February the National Convention declared war against Great Britain and the United Netherlands.

England at this time possessed nominally 135 s.h.i.+ps of war in commission, and 169 in ordinary or under repair; 21 building or ordering to be built, and 86 harbour-s.h.i.+ps; making in all 411 s.h.i.+ps of 402,555 tons.

Of these there was one of 100 guns, 12-pounders, of 2091 tons, in commission; two of 100 guns, 18-pounders, under repair; and two of 100 guns, 12-pounders, under repair. Of second-rates there were four 98-gun s.h.i.+ps in commission, and eleven under repair; of 90-gun s.h.i.+ps there was one under repair. Of two-deckers third-rate there was one 80-gun s.h.i.+p in commission and one under repair. Of seventy-fours there were 19 in commission and 61 under repair. Of sixty-fours there were only two in commission and 30 under repair, making a total of 113 line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps. There were 75 frigates either in commission or under repair; but 23 of these carried 28 guns only. Of the most useless cla.s.s of s.h.i.+ps in the service, the 24 and 20 gun post-s.h.i.+ps, there were 12 in commission or under repair. Of 18-gun s.h.i.+p-sloops and gun brigs there were altogether 40. Besides these there were 25 bomb fire-s.h.i.+ps and cutters, either in commission or under repair, making a total of 304 vessels, exclusive of those building; but of these probably some were unseaworthy, and of those building or ordered to be built, many were not in a state to be launched for two or more years. However, in consequence of the expected rupture between Spain and Russia, in the previous two or three years upwards of 60 line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps were in a condition speedily to go to sea, while the dockyards were well-stocked with imperishable stores. Thus, in a few weeks, 200 cruisers were commissioned and fit for use.

At that time we had admirals 17, vice-admirals 19, rear-admirals 19, post-captains 446, commanders 136, lieutenants 1417, and masters 197.

The number of seamen and marines, including officers of all ranks, voted by Parliament for the service of the current year, was 45,000.

Portugal and Naples, who joined England, had the first six s.h.i.+ps of the line and four frigates, and the latter four 74-gun s.h.i.+ps.

The Spanish navy amounted to 204 vessels, 76 of which were of the line, carrying from 112 to 60 guns.

The Dutch navy at this time, though amounting nominally to 119 vessels, from a 74-gun s.h.i.+p to the smallest armed cutter, was of little use to England, a large number of the s.h.i.+ps lying rotting in the different harbours, and those able to put to sea being of comparatively small size, and carrying but light guns.