and orphans of our seamen wanting. In less than one hour a thousand
guineas were subscribed at Lloyd's for their relief. The popular
rejoicing took the form of illuminating the houses, smashing Earl
Stanhope's windows, and much beer drinking. The thanks of both Houses
of Parliament were given to Earl Howe, and, on his arrival at
Portsmouth, the King, Queen, and the Royal family went down and paid
him a visit on board his own ship, on 29th June. As there is a
crispness, and freshness, about contemporary accounts of events, let
the _Times_ (July 1st) tell the story.
"On the King being received on board the 'Queen Charlotte,' he
presented Earl Howe with a diamond hilted sword. His lordship,
perceiving His Majesty's intention, threw the sword he had on his side
upon the deck, and, kneeling, received from the Sovereign's hand this
distinguished proof of approbation. His Majesty also presented a gold
chain, to which a medal is hereafter to be annexed, to Admiral Sir
Alexander Hood, and Rear-Admiral Gardner; the like honour was
conferred on Lord Howe's first captain, Sir Roger Curtis. The wounded
Admirals, Bowyer and Pasley, who consequently could not attend, have
been distinguished with similar marks of His Majesty's favour."
Poor Admirals Bowyer and Pasley had to be pensioned off, on account of
their wounds, in February 1795, the sum awarded to each being £500 per
annum.
* * * * *
At the commencement of 1795 the French took possession of Utrecht,
Rotterdam, and Dort: the treasure of the Prince of Orange was sent to
London, and the Stadtholder and his family had to make a hurried
flight for their lives in an open boat, luckily reaching Harwich
safely. The French having thus occupied Holland, the English
Government laid an embargo on all Dutch vessels in our ports.
The Opposition still attempted to embarrass the Government on the
question of the War, and, on 26th January, Mr. Grey, in a very lengthy
speech, brought forward a motion, recommending peace with France. Pitt
came forward with an amendment, to the purport that there could be no
security for peace whilst the Government of France was an irregular
one, and, on its being put, it was carried by 269 to 86.
Wilberforce still kept "pegging away" at the Slave Trade, and, on 26th
February, introduced a motion, "for leave to bring in a Bill for the
abolition of the slave trade, at a time to be limited." Pitt lent him
the weight of his influence, but it was a small House, and he lost it
by a majority of 17.
Fox, naturally (being in opposition), was always baiting the
Government, and on 24th March he moved, "That the House should resolve
itself into a Committee to inquire into the state of the nation;" but
he suffered a severe defeat, the numbers against his motion being 219;
for, 63.
The English troops in Holland had met with a series of misadventures,
and were compelled to retreat. A fine array of 35,000 men left our
shores for this expedition, and but about a fifth part could be
mustered when they reached the town of Bremen, on the 27th and 28th of
March--and right glad were they to embark on board the transports
lying in the Elbe, ready to receive them.
* * * * *
The harvest of 1794 had been bad, and bread and provisions generally
were so dear as practically to amount to a famine among the poor.
People, as a rule, will, unfortunately, not starve quietly, so we
hear of food riots occasionally. On 11th April a mob at Portsea
attacked the butchers' and bakers' shops, and compelled them with
persuasive eloquence to sell, the one, meat at 4d per lb.--the other,
bread at 6d a quartern loaf. Again on 20th April, the Oxford Militia,
with loaded guns and fixed bayonets, went to Seaford, where, having
confiscated all the beef and mutton they could lay their hands on,
they sold it at 4d per lb., and then, going to Newhaven, they seized
2000 sacks of flour, and sold it at their own price. This flagrant
breach of military discipline was, however, soon punished, for the
Horse Artillery and Lancashire Fencibles came up and took the rioters
prisoners. But similar riots were rife all through the Midlands.
In the autumn things got even worse, and Parliament was assembled
earlier than usual to deliberate on a remedy for this state of things;
the outcome of which was an order for a bounty of twenty shillings per
quarter on wheat from the Mediterranean, fifteen shillings on wheat
from America, and five shillings per quarter on Indian corn. Bills
also were passed prohibiting the manufacture of starch from wheat, and
also the distillation of spirit from grain.
This scarcity of food, and the heavy burdens, both in taxation, the
levying of men, and the pressgangs, fell sorely on the poor, who
murmured loudly,--a fact which was duly taken advantage of by the
demagogues for their own seditious purposes. They agitated for
universal suffrage and annual parliaments, and the movement gathered
strength. On the 26th October, the Corresponding Society held a mass
meeting in Copenhagen Fields, and the inflammatory speeches there
delivered, no doubt, bore their fruit three days afterwards, when the
mob stoned the King. As the _Times'_ account of this assault is very
meagre, compared with that in the _Annual Register_, I copy the latter
_verbatim_.
"_29th October._--On the occasion of His Majesty's going to the House
of Lords, the Mall and the Parade of St. James's Park, and Parliament
Street, were completely choked up with spectators. The crowd was by no
means so great at the Coronation, and, to see the King go to the
House, there never were before more than a tenth part of the numbers
of this day; for they, at least, amounted to 200,000. Several noblemen
and Cabinet Ministers passed through the Park from Buckingham House
about two o'clock. The Earl of Chatham, Duke of Gloucester, &c., were
hissed, and the Duke of Portland was very much hooted.
"About twenty minutes afterwards the King left Buckingham House, and
was violently hissed and hooted and groaned at the whole way; but no
violence was offered till he arrived opposite the Ordnance Office,
when a small pebble, or marble, or bullet, broke one of the windows.
In returning, the moment His Majesty entered the Park the gates of the
Horse Guards were shut, for the purpose of excluding the mob who
followed the carriage; at which, as it passed opposite Spring Gardens
Terrace, another stone was thrown, but it fortunately struck the
woodwork between the windows.
"The crowd now pressed closely round the coach, and His Majesty, in
considerable agitation, signified, by waving his hands to the Horse
Guards on each side, his anxiety that the multitude should be kept at
a distance. In this way he passed on through the Park, and round by
the Stable Yard, into St. James's Palace, at the front gate, the
bottom of St. James's Street. A considerable tumult took place when
His Majesty was about to alight, and one of the horses in the state
coach took fright, threw down an old groom of the name of Dorrington,
and broke one of his thighs, but it proved, fortunately, a simple
fracture; his other thigh was considerably bruised, but not
dangerously.
"A few minutes after His Majesty had entered the palace, the mob
attacked the state coach with stones, and did it great injury. In its
way along Pall Mall to the Mews many things were also thrown at it.
After a short time the King went, in his private coach, from St.
James's to Buckingham House; but, on his way through the Park the mob
surrounded the carriage, and prevented it from proceeding, crying out,
'Bread! Bread! Peace! Peace!'--The Guards were, however, speedily
brought up, and they protected the carriage till His Majesty got safe
into Buckingham House.
"When His Majesty entered the House of Peers, the first words he
uttered were these, to the Lord Chancellor: 'My Lord, I have been shot
at!' This alluded to the substance which had broke the window while
passing the Ordnance Office.
"Three or four persons were apprehended on suspicion of having thrown
stones, &c., at the King, and one of them was charged with having
called out, 'No king,' and other such expressions. They were all
examined at the Duke of Portland's office; and, waiting the result of
this business, nothing was done in the House of Lords till near six
o'clock, when Lord Westmoreland, who rode in the carriage with the
King, having previously moved 'that strangers be ordered to withdraw,'
stated the insult and outrage with which the King had been treated;
and added that His Majesty, and those who had accompanied him, were of
opinion that the glass of the coach had been broken by a ball from an
air-gun, which had been shot from a bow window of a house adjoining
the Ordnance Office, with a view to assassinate him.
"The King, through the whole of the riot, displayed the cool
magnanimity for which the family have ever been distinguished. At the
time that the glass of the coach was broken, he said to Lord
Westmoreland, 'That is a shot;' and, instead of leaning back in the
carriage, or striving to avoid the assassin, he pointed to the round
hole in the pane, and examined it. But this was not all; he went into
the private coach, to go from St. James's to the Queen's house, in the
midst of the wildest commotions of the multitude, thereby exposing
himself, almost without guards, to their fury; and then it was that
His Majesty's person was most imminently in danger."
"_30th October._--Confident in the attachment of his people,
notwithstanding the alarms of the preceding day, the King, accompanied
by Her Majesty and three of the Princesses, visited Covent Garden
Theatre, and, at their entrance, was received with the usual burst of
applause. 'God save the King' was sung twice, and, by a considerable
part of the house, over-zealously called for a third time; this, in a
corner of the gallery, provoked a few hisses, which, however, were
soon overruled, and one or two of the most active of the turbulent
party were turned out; after which the performance went on."
Five persons were apprehended for this outrage, but with the exception
of one, Kidd Wake, aged 27, a journeyman printer, who owned to his
hissing and hooting at His Majesty, and who was committed to take his
trial on 14th November, I cannot trace their fate; probably they were
discharged for want of evidence.
A Royal Proclamation was issued, offering one thousand pounds reward
to any one "who shall give information, so that any of such authors,
actors, or abettors, as aforesaid, shall be apprehended and brought
to justice."
In November there were fearful storms, especially on the 6th, which
were extraordinarily destructive, both to life and property. One of
these storms was so severely felt at Weymouth, that nearly 1600 dead
bodies were, at different times, thrown up on the beach, 300 being
buried at one time, and, had not the Gloucestershire Militia helped in
burying them, there would, doubtless, have been a pestilence.
On 8th December Pitt, in the House of Commons, delivered a message
from the King, in which occurs the following passage, which must have
been hailed with thanksgiving throughout the length and breadth of the
land:--"His Majesty, on this occasion, thinks proper to acquaint the
House, that the crisis which was depending[2] at the commencement of
the present session, has led to such an order of things in France, as
will induce His Majesty (conformably to the sentiments which he has
already declared) to meet any disposition to negotiation on the part
of the enemy, with an earnest desire to give it the fullest and
speediest effect, and to conclude a treaty for general peace, whenever
it can be effected on just and suitable terms for himself and his
allies."
[Footnote 2: (?) impending.]
At the commencement of 1796 the Royal Family were still in bad odour
with a certain section of the public,--nor can it be wondered at by
any one who has studied the satirical prints of the day. Every foible
of Royalty was noted, exaggerated, engraved on "perennial brass,"
exhibited most freely in the shop windows, and most eagerly purchased.
Farmer George, and his simple, and somewhat mean habits, the Queen's
avarice, the Prince of Wales' licentiousness, and extravagance, and
all the scandals (and they were many) appertaining to the rest of the
Royal Family, were ruthlessly laid bare, and mercilessly exposed to
the public gaze.
That this must have tended to lower the Royal Family in most men's
eyes, there can be no doubt, so that we are not very much surprised at
the occasional practical manifestations of the mob. On the night of
1st February, there was more stone-throwing on the part of the
populace, which the _Times_ of 3rd February thus describes:--"On
Monday night, as the Royal Family were returning from Drury Lane
Theatre, just as they reached the middle of Pall Mall, a stone was
flung at the coach in which were their Majesties and the
lady-in-waiting, which broke the glass, and, entering the carriage,
struck the Queen on the cheek, and fell into Lady Harrington's lap.
"A deposition of the circumstances was taken yesterday at the Duke of
Portland's office, at which his Grace and some of the Bow Street
Magistrates were present; when four of the footmen attending their
Majesties were examined; a reward will be immediately offered to
discover the offender." And so it was to the extent of £1000, but
nothing came of it.
Whilst on the subject of the royal unpopularity, I may mention that
Kydd Wake, who last year was apprehended for hissing and hooting at
the King, was tried before Lord Kenyon, for "trespass, riot, and
misdemeanour," and found guilty--sentence being deferred. This,
however, was pronounced upon him by Mr. Justice Ashurst at the Court
of King's Bench 7th May. His judgment was somewhat long-winded, and he
concluded thus:--"It now becomes my duty to pronounce the sentence of
the Court; which is, that you be committed to the custody of the
keeper of the Penitentiary House, in, and for, the County of
Gloucester, and be kept to hard labour for the space of five years;
and, within the first three months of that time, that you stand in,
and upon, the Pillory for one hour, between the hours of eleven and
two o'clock in the afternoon, in some public street on a market day;
and that you give sureties in £1000, for your good behaviour for the
term of ten years, to be computed from the expiration of the said five
years; and that you be further imprisoned till you find the said
sureties."
On the 15th February, Mr. Grey, in the House of Commons, again
ventilated the subject of peace, this time in the shape of an address
to the King, praying him to communicate to the executive government of
France, his readiness to meet any disposition to negotiate a general
peace. Both Pitt and Fox spoke on the subject, but the motion was lost
by 189 to 50.
There was one crumb of comfort to the nation, which had hitherto been
suffering from a grievous scarcity of bread-stuffs, and this was the
great fall in wheat, which took place on 31st March. On that date,
owing to the large importations of foreign wheat, this grain fell 13s.
per quarter.
Joy, too, must have sprung up in the national heart when the King made
his speech on the opening of both Houses, 7th October. He said:--"I
have omitted no endeavours for setting on foot negotiations to restore
peace to _Europe_, and to secure, for the future, general
tranquillity. The steps I have taken for this purpose have at length
opened the way to an immediate and direct negotiation, the issue of
which must either produce the desirable end of a just, honourable, and
solid Peace for Us, and for Our Allies, or must prove, beyond dispute,
to what cause alone the prolongation of the calamities of war must be
ascribed. I shall immediately send a person to Paris with full powers
to treat for this object, and it is My anxious wish that this measure
may lead to the restoration of General Peace; but you must be sensible
that nothing can so much contribute to give effect to this desire, as
your manifesting that We possess both the determination and the
resources to oppose, with increased activity and energy, the farther
efforts with which We have to contend."
The "person" who was to go over to France as Plenipotentiary, was Sir
James Harris, who had lately been made Lord Malmesbury--and he arrived
at Paris on 22nd October. The usual diplomatic fencing took place, but
this was brought to an end by a squabble respecting the annexation of
the Netherlands to France. Lord Malmesbury wished to communicate with
his Government on this point, but the Directory meant to force his
hand, and required his ultimatum within twenty-four hours, and, as he
still asked for time, he was told his presence in Paris was useless,
and that he must depart within two days. He replied that he would
leave next day, and demanded his passports. On the 20th December he
left Paris for England, and so ended, for a while, all hopes of peace.
That the French had but faint hopes of a successful end to the mission
is evident, for, during the negotiations, on 2nd November, the Council
of Five Hundred passed a decree, prohibiting the importation of
British goods into the Republic.
As a proof of the patriotism of the English people, and their thorough
reliance on the Government, Pitt asked for a loan of eighteen
millions. This loan, called "The Loyalty Loan," was opened on 5th
December, and in _15 hours 20 minutes_ it was all subscribed. The
_Times_ of 6th December says--"Yesterday, soon after 11 o'clock, the
SUBSCRIPTION for EIGHTEEN MILLIONS STERLING, for the services of the
ensuing year, closed at the Bank; and such was the general desire to
subscribe, that the Court Room was a scene of the utmost confusion.
Many gentlemen were altogether disappointed; and those who could get
near the books to put down their names, did so with the utmost
difficulty. There was very little remaining to be subscribed; for a
great number of orders had been received by Mr. Newland in the
morning, from the country, which claimed a preference; and,
accordingly, the doors were shut some time, until these commissions
were written down. There is no doubt but that many millions more would
have been subscribed, if the public service had required it. There
cannot be a greater proof of the patriotism of all ranks of people in
thus assisting Government, because, at the time the loan was opened,
the other funds were considerably the cheapest purchase."
Nor was it money only, that our forefathers gave. In October 195,000
men were voted for the land service for the year 1797, and 120,000
seamen and marines for the navy. There was also a levy of 15,000 men,
from the different parishes, for sea service, and recruiting the
regiments of the line, and a supplementary militia was raised, of
60,000 men, not to be immediately called out, but to be enrolled,
officered, and completely trained, so as to be ready in a moment of
danger, and a force of 20,000 irregular cavalry was also embodied.
The year closed with a frost which exceeded in severity any known for
many years. Many people were frozen to death, and the thermometer was
34, and 35 degrees below freezing point.
* * * * *
1797 opened very gloomily; finance, the backbone of a nation, was
somewhat dislocated. People were alarmed at the rapid growth of the
National Debt, and, selling out of the funds, found other investments
for their capital: there had been an enormous drain of bullion to
subsidise the allies, and Pitt had borrowed from the Bank in the most
reckless manner. It was in vain that the Bank remonstrated with him,
but still he borrowed, so that at last he had to be told that if he
took any more, it would probably lead to the insolvency of the Bank.
There was a run upon the country banks, and its effects were soon felt
in London; and, on 26th, an order of the Privy Council was made,
forbidding the Bank of England from making cash payments, until
Parliament had been consulted. On inquiry, it was found that the Bank
was not only perfectly solvent, but, after payment of all liabilities,
its capital would amount to £9,660,290. Under these circumstances Mr.
Pitt brought in a bill (37 George III. cap. 28), permitting the Bank
to issue notes from 20s. upwards, in lieu of cash. This measure
brought relief, and saved the National credit.
Perhaps one of the chief National events in the year, was the mutiny
of the fleets. Looking at it from this distance of time, one can
hardly wonder at it, especially when we consider the way in which the
crews were procured, by impressment and otherwise, their hard fare,
the bad accommodation for them, the frequent punishments, from 50 to
500 lashes, at the discretion of a possibly irate captain, frequently
for venial offences; add to this, small pay, and constant work, and we
are fain to acknowledge that the men who could stand such treatment
tamely, were almost more than human.
Yet they stated their grievances very properly, and quietly, sending
petitions, either in February, or March, to Lord Howe, begging him to
use his influence with the Admiralty, to procure them an increase of
wages, and an improvement in the quality, and quantity, of their
provisions. No notice whatever was taken of this temperate
remonstrance, so the men, finding no help came to them, tried to help
themselves, and secret communication was opened between all the
vessels of the fleet. No one can defend the gross breach of discipline
of which they were guilty, but it must be remembered that they were
ignorant men, smarting under a sense of injury, rendered especially
galling, by their just complaints, and moderate demands, being utterly
ignored.
Their plot to seize the ships, and expel the officers, came to be
known, and, on 15th April, Admiral Lord Bridport, in obedience to
orders from the Admiralty, signalled for the fleet to sail. But the
men refused to put to sea (unless an enemy was known to be at sea),
until their grievances had been examined into, and redressed. A
deputation, of two men from each ship, met in the Admiral's cabin, and
another petition was drawn up. On the 18th, a Committee of the Lords
of the Admiralty went to Portsmouth, to investigate the seamen's
claims; and the result was, that Admiral Bridport returned to his ship
on 23rd April, and, having hoisted his flag, he told his crew that he
brought with him the redress of all their grievances, and the King's
pardon for all offenders.
One would imagine that this would satisfy them, coming as it did from
the mouth of their "father and friend," but when, on the 7th of May,
he signalled to put to sea, no ship would obey him. The fact is, the
men were suspicious; they had been so badly treated with regard to the
granting of their moderate demands, that they thought the order for
sailing was only a ruse to get them away, and then faith would not be
kept with them. This mutiny was unfortunately accompanied by
bloodshed, and it lasted until the 14th May. On the 11th, Lord Howe
visited the fleet, saw the delegates, and assured them, that before a
Royal pardon could be proclaimed, they must express contrition for
their conduct. This they did, but solemnly declared they would never
again receive on board those officers they had sent on shore. This was
agreed to, and Lord Howe, on the 14th of May, showed them an Act of
Parliament, which granted what they wished, and the fleet at St.
Helens were, for a time, content.
But, at the Nore, there was much discontent, or rather open mutiny;
the men had forced the Admiralty to grant their demands, and now
thought they could go in for more; and, to enforce it, they attempted
to blockade the Thames, and prevent any vessel from entering or
departing,--and they did fire on several that attempted to run the
blockade. Of course, such a state of things could not last long, and
the removal of all the buoys, by the Admiralty, helped to bring about
a surrender. Their provisions began to run short, and the Government
peremptorily refused to accede to their demands. Some of the fleet
left, and returned to their duty, on the 9th June. On the 10th, more
struck the red flag, and on the 12th, there were but seven left that
were not flying the Union Jack; and next day, five of them sought the
protection of Sheerness.