having pushed on at her greatest speed for England. The frame of the
_Ramilies_ having opened during the night, the admiral was prevailed
upon, by the renewed and pressing remonstrances of his officers,
although with great reluctance, to let six of the forwardmost and four
of the aftermost guns of the main deck be thrown overboard, together
with the remainder of those on the quarter-deck; and the ships still
continuing to open very much, he ordered tarred canvas and hides to be
nailed fore and aft from under the sills of the ports on the main deck
under the fifth plank above, or within the water ways; and the crew,
without orders, did the same on the lower deck. Her increasing
complaints required still more to be done. The admiral directed all the
guns on the upper deck, the shot, both on that and the lower deck, and
various heavy stores, to be thrown overboard; a leakage in the
light-room of the grand magazine having almost filled the ship forward,
and there being eight feet of water in the magazine, every gentleman was
compelled to take his turn at the whips or in handing the buckets. The
ship was besides frapped from the fore mast to the main mast.
Notwithstanding their utmost efforts the water still gained on them the
succeeding night, and the wind blowing very hard, with extremely heavy
squalls, a part of the orlop deck fell into the hold: the ship herself
seemed to work excessively, and to settle forward.
On the morning of the 19th, under these very alarming circumstances, the
admiral commanded both the bower anchors to be cut away, all the junk to
be flung overboard, one sheet and one bower cable to be reduced to junk
and served the same way, together with every remaining ponderous store
that could be got at, and all the powder in the grand magazine (it being
damaged); the cutter and pinnace to be broken up and tossed overboard,
the skids having already worked off the side. Every soul on board was
now employed in baling. One of the pumps was got up; but to no purpose,
for the shot lockers being broken down, some of the shot, as well as the
ballast, had fallen into the well; and as the weather moderated a
little everything was made ready for heaving the lower-deck guns into
the sea, the admiral being anxious to leave nothing undone for the
relief of the ship.
When evening approached, there being twenty merchant ships in sight, the
officers united in beseeching him to go into one of them; but this he
positively refused to do, deeming it, as he declared, unpardonable in a
commander-in-chief to desert his garrison in distress; that his living a
few years longer was of very little consequence, but that, by leaving
his ship at such a time, he should discourage and slacken the exertions
of the people by setting them a very bad example. The wind lulling
somewhat during the night, all hands baled the water, which, at this
time, was six feet fore and aft.
On the morning of the 20th the admiral ordered the square and
stream-anchors to be cut away, and within the course of the day all the
lower-deck guns to be thrown overboard. When evening came the spirits of
the people in general, and even of the most courageous, began to fail,
and they openly expressed the utmost despair, together with the most
earnest desire of quitting the ship, lest they should founder in her.
The admiral hereupon advanced and told them that he and their officers
had an equal regard for their own lives, that the officers had no
intention of deserting either them or the ship, that, for his part, he
was determined to try one night more in her; he therefore hoped and
entreated they would do so too, for there was still room to imagine that
one fair day, with a moderate sea, might enable them, by united
exertion, to clear and secure the well against the encroaching ballast
which washed into it; that if this could be done they might be able to
restore the chains to the pumps and use them, and that then hands enough
might be spared to raise jury masts, with which they might carry the
ship into Ireland; that her appearance alone, while she could swim,
would be sufficient to protect the remaining part of her convoy; above
all, that as everything that could be thought of had now been done for
her relief, it would be but reasonable to wait the effect. He concluded
with assuring them that he would make the signal directly for the trade
to lie by them during the night, which he doubted not they would comply
with.
This temperate speech had the desired effect; the firmness and
confidence with which he spoke, and their reliance on his seamanship and
judgment, as well as his constant presence and attention to every
accident, had a wonderful effect upon them; they became pacified,
returning to their duty and their labours. Since the first disaster, the
admiral had, in fact, scarcely ever quitted the deck; this they had all
observed, together with his diligence in personally inspecting every
circumstance of distress. Knowing his skill and experience, they placed
great confidence in them; and he instantly made, according to his
promise, a signal for all the merchantmen.
At this period, it must be confessed, there was great reason for alarm,
and but little for hope; for all the anchors and guns, excepting one,
together with every other matter of weight, had been thrown overboard,
and yet the ship did not seem to be at all relieved. The strength of the
people was likewise so nearly exhausted, having had no sleep since the
first fatal stroke, that one half of the crew were ordered to bale, and
the other to repose; so that, although the wind was much abated, the
water still gained upon them, in spite of all their efforts, and the
ship rolled and worked prodigiously in a most unquiet sea.
At three in the morning of the 21st, being the fourth night, the well
being broken in, the casks, ballast, and remaining shot rushed together
and destroyed the cylinder of the pumps; the frame and carcase of the
ship began to give way in every part, and the whole crew exclaimed that
it was impossible to keep her any longer above water.
In this extremity the admiral resolved within himself not to lose a
moment in removing the people whenever daylight should arrive; but told
the captain not to communicate any more of his design than that he
intended to remove the sick and lame at daybreak, and for this purpose
he should call on board all the boats of the merchantmen. He,
nevertheless gave private orders to the captain, while this was doing,
to have all the bread brought upon the quarter-deck, with a quantity of
beef, pork, and flour, to settle the best distributing of the people
according to the number of trade ships that should obey their signal,
and to allow an officer to each division of them; to have the remaining
boats launched, and as soon as the sick were disposed of, to begin to
remove the whole of the crew, with the utmost dispatch, but without
risking too many in a boat.
Accordingly, at dawn, the signal was made for the boats of the
merchantmen, but nobody suspected what was to follow, until the bread
was entirely removed and the sick gone. About six o'clock the rest of
the crew were permitted to go off, and between nine and ten, there being
nothing farther to direct and regulate, the admiral himself, after
shaking hands with every officer, and leaving his barge for their better
accommodation and transport, quitted for ever the _Ramilies_ which had
then nine feet of water in her hold. He went into a small leaky boat,
loaded with bread, out of which both himself and the surgeon who
accompanied him were obliged to bale the water all the way. He was in
his boots, with his surtout over his uniform, and his countenance as
calm and composed as ever. He had, at the going off, desired a cloak, a
cask of flour, and a cask of water, but could get only the flour; and he
left behind all his stock, wines, furniture, books, charts, etc., which
had cost him upwards of one thousand pounds, being unwilling to employ
even a single servant in saving or packing up what belonged to himself
alone, in a time of such general calamity, or to appear to fare better
in that respect than any of the crew.
The admiral rowed for the _Belle_, Captain Forster, being the first of
the traders that had borne up to the _Ramilies_ the preceding night in
her imminent distress, and by his anxious humanity set such an example
to his brother-traders as had a powerful influence upon them--an
influence that was generally followed by sixteen others.
By three o'clock most of the crew were taken out, at which time the
_Ramilies_ had thirteen feet of water in her hold, and was evidently
foundering in every part. At half-past four the captain and first and
third lieutenants left her, with every soul excepting the fourth
lieutenant, who stayed behind only to execute the admiral's orders for
setting fire to her wreck when finally deserted. The carcase burned
rapidly, and the flame quickly reaching the powder, which was filled in
the after magazine, and had been lodged very high, in thirty-five
minutes the decks and upper works blew up with a horrid explosion and
cloud of smoke, while the lower part of the hull was precipitated to the
bottom of the ocean.
At this time the admiral, in the _Belle_, stood for the wreck to see his
last orders executed, as well as to succour any boats that might be too
full of men, the swell of the sea being prodigious, although the weather
had been moderate ever since noon of the foregoing day. There were,
however, at intervals, some squalls, with threats of the weather soon
becoming violent. It was not long before they were realised, for within
two hours after the last of the crew were put on board their respective
ships, the wind rose to a great height, and so continued, without
intermission, for six or seven successive days, so that no boat could,
during that time, have lived in the water. On such a small interval
depended the salvation of more than six hundred lives!
Upon their separation taking place, the officers who were distributed
with portions of the crew among the _Jamaica_ men, had orders
respectively to deliver them to the first man of war or tender they
should meet with, and to acquaint the Secretary of the Admiralty by the
earliest opportunity of their proceedings. A pendant was hoisted on
board the _Belle_, by way of distinction that she might, if possible,
lead the rest. Some of the traders kept with her, and others made the
best of their way, apprehensive lest they should soon fall short of
provisions, as they had so many more to feed.
The _Silver Eel_ transport, which had sailed from Bluefields with the
invalids of Sir George Rodney's fleet, and was under the command of a
lieutenant of the navy, had been ordered to keep near the _Ramilies_.
That ship was accordingly at hand on September 21st, the day of her
destruction, and in consequence of several deaths on the passage, had
room enough for the reception of all those that were now ailing or
maimed, and was consequently charged with them, being first properly
fitted for their accommodation.
The _Silver Eel_ parted from the admiral in latitude 42° 48´ N. and
longitude 45° 19´ W.; after seeing the _Ramilies_ demolished, and being
ordered to make for the first port, ran into Falmouth, October 6th, on
the afternoon of which day one of the trade ships, with a midshipman and
sixteen of the crew of the _Ramilies_, reached Plymouth Sound. Another
of the same convoy having on board another portion of the crew, with the
captain and first lieutenant, anchored in the same place before daylight
the next morning. The _Canada_, however, having exerted her utmost
speed, had, prior to all these, on the 4th of the same month got to
Portsmouth, where she spread the news of the dispersion of this
miserable fleet, which being conveyed to France, her privateers
immediately put to sea in hopes of making prize of them. Some of the
_Jamaica_ men, with part of the crew of the _Ramilies_, fell in
consequence into their hands; two of the _West India_ men were captured
in sight of the _Belle_, but she herself, with the admiral and
thirty-three of his crew, arrived safe, though singly, on October 10th,
in Cork Harbour, where was the _Myrmidon_ frigate. The admiral
immediately hoisted his flag on board the latter, and sailing with the
first fair wind, arrived, on the 17th, in Plymouth Sound.
THE LOSS OF H.M.S. _CENTAUR_.
BY CAPTAIN INGLEFIELD.
The storm which proved fatal to the _Ramilies_ was responsible for the
loss of many other ships in the same convoy, among which was the
_Centaur_ of seventy-four guns, whose commander, Captain Inglefield,
with the master and ten of the crew, providentially escaped the general
fate. The captain's narrative affords the best explanation of the manner
and means by which this signal deliverance was effected.
"The _Centaur_" (says Captain Inglefield) "left Jamaica in rather a
leaky condition, keeping two hand pumps going, and, when it blew fresh,
sometimes a spell with a chain pump was necessary. But I had no
apprehension that the ship was not able to encounter a common gale of
wind.
"In the evening of September 16th, when the fatal gale came on, the ship
was prepared for the worst weather usually met in those latitudes, the
main sail was reefed and set, the top-gallant masts struck, and the
mizen yard lowered down, though at that time it did not blow very
strong. Towards midnight it blew a gale of wind, and the ship made so
much water that I was obliged to turn all hands up to spell the pumps.
The leak still increasing, I had thoughts to try the ship before the
sea. Happy I should have been, perhaps, had I in this been determined.
The impropriety of leaving the convoy, except in the last extremity, and
the hopes of the weather growing moderate, weighed against the opinion
that it was right.
"About two in the morning the wind lulled, and we flattered ourselves
the gale was breaking. Soon after we had much thunder and lightning from
the south-east, with rain, when it began to blow strong in gusts of
wind, which obliged me to haul the main sail up, the ship being then
under bare poles. This was scarcely done, when a gust of wind, exceeding
in violence anything of the kind I had ever seen or had any conception
of, laid the ship on her beam ends. The water forsook the hold and
appeared between decks, so as to fill the men's hammocks to leeward: the
ship lay motionless, and to all appearance irrecoverably overset. The
water increasing fast, forced through the cells of the ports, and
scuttled in the ports from the pressure of the ship. I gave immediate
directions to cut away the main and mizen mast, hoping when the ship
righted to wear her. The main mast went first, upon cutting one or two
of the lanyards, without the smallest effect on the ship; the mizen mast
followed, upon cutting the lanyard of one shroud; and I had the
disappointment to see the foremast and bowsprit follow. The ship upon
this immediately righted, but with great violence; and the motion was so
quick, that it was difficult for the people to work the pumps. Three
guns broke loose upon the main deck, and it was some time before they
were secured. Several men being maimed in this attempt, everything
movable was destroyed, either from the shot thrown loose from the
lockers, or the wreck of the deck. The officers, who had left their beds
naked, when the ship overset in the morning, had not an article of
clothes to put on, nor could their friends supply them.
"The masts had not been over the sides ten minutes before I was informed
the tiller was broken short in the rudder head; and before the chocks
could be placed the rudder itself was gone. Thus we were as much
disastered as it was possible, lying at the mercy of the wind and sea;
yet I had one comfort, that the pumps, if anything, reduced the water in
the hold; and as the morning came on (the 17th) the weather grew more
moderate, the wind having shifted in the gale to north-west.
"At daylight I saw two line-of-battle ships to leeward; one had lost
her fore mast and bowsprit, the other her main mast. It was the general
opinion on board the _Centaur_ that the former was the _Canada_, the
other the _Glorieux_. The _Ramilies_ was not in sight, nor more than
fifteen sail of merchant ships.
"About seven in the morning I saw another line-of-battle ship ahead of
us, which I soon distinguished to be the _Ville de Paris_, with all her
masts standing. I immediately gave orders to make the signal of
distress, hoisting the ensign on the stump of the mizen mast, union
downwards, and firing one of the forecastle guns. The ensign blew away
soon after it was hoisted, and it was the only one we had; but I had the
satisfaction to see the _Ville de Paris_ wear and stand towards us.
Several of the merchant ships also approached us, and those that could
hailed, and offered their assistance; but depending upon the king's
ship, I only thanked them, desiring, if they joined Admiral Graves, to
acquaint him of our condition. I had not the smallest doubt but the
_Ville de Paris_ was coming to us, as she appeared to us to have
suffered the least by the storm, and having seen her wear, we knew she
was under government of her helm; at this time, also, it was so moderate
that the merchantmen set their top-sails; but approaching within two
miles she passed us to windward: this being observed by one of the
merchant ships she wore and came under our stern, offering to carry any
message to her. I desired the master would acquaint Captain Wilkinson
that the _Centaur_ had lost her rudder as well as her masts, that she
made a great deal of water, and that I desired he would remain with her
until the weather grew moderate. I saw this merchantman approach
afterwards near enough to speak to the _Ville de Paris_, but am afraid
that her condition was much worse than it appeared to be, as she
continued upon the tack. In the meantime all the quarter-deck guns were
thrown overboard, and all but six which had overset on the main deck.
The ship, lying in the trough of the sea, laboured prodigiously. I got
over one of the small anchors, with a boom and several gun carriages,
veering out from the head door by a large hawser, to keep the ship's bow
to the sea; but this, with a top-gallant sail upon the stump of the
mizen mast, had not the desired effect.
"As the evening came on it grew hazy, and blew strong in squalls. We
lost sight of the _Ville de Paris_, but I thought it a certainty that we
should see her the next morning. The night was passed in constant labour
at the pumps. Sometimes the wind lulled, the water diminished; when it
blew strong again, the sea rising, the water again increased.
"Towards the morning of the 18th I was informed there was seven feet
water upon the kelson; that one of the winches was broken, that the two
spare ones would not fit, and that the hand pumps were choked. These
circumstances were sufficiently alarming; but upon opening the after
hold, to get some rum up for the people, we found our condition much
more so.
"It will be necessary to mention that the _Centaur's_ after hold was
inclosed by a bulk head at the after part of the well: here all the dry
provisions and the ship's rum were stowed upon twenty chaldron of coals,
which unfortunately had been started on this part of the ship, and by
them the pumps were continually choked. The chain pumps were so much
worn as to be of little use; and the leathers, which, had the well been
clear, would have lasted twenty days or more, were all consumed in
eight. At this time it was observed that the water had not a passage to
the well, for here there was so much that it washed against the orlop
deck. All the rum--twenty-six puncheons--all the provisions, of which
there was sufficient for two months, in casks, were staved, having
floated with violence from side to side until there was not a whole cask
remaining; even the staves that were found upon clearing the hold were
most of them broken in two or three pieces. In the fore hold we had a
prospect of perishing; should the ship swim, we had no water but what
remained in the ground tier, and over this all the wet provisions and
butts filled with salt water were floating, and with so much motion that
no man could with safety go into the hold. There was nothing left for us
to try but baling with buckets at the fore hatchway and fish-room; and
twelve large canvas buckets were immediately employed at each. On
opening the fish-room, we were so fortunate as to discover that two
puncheons of rum, which belonged to me, had escaped. They were
immediately got up and served out at times in drams; and had it not been
for this relief, and some lime juice, the people would have dropped.
"We soon found our account in baling; the spare pump had been put down
the fore hatchway, and a pump shifted to the fish-room; but the motion
of the ship had washed the coals so small that they reached every part
of the ship, and the pumps were soon choked. However, the water by noon
had considerably diminished by working the buckets; but there appeared
no prospect of saving the ship if the gale continued. The labour was too
great to hold out without water: yet the people worked without a murmur,
and indeed with cheerfulness.
"At this time the weather was more moderate, and a couple of spars were
got ready for shears to set up a jury fore mast; but as the evening came
on the gale again increased. We had seen nothing this day but the ship
that had lost her main mast, and she appeared to be as much in want of
assistance as ourselves, having fired guns of distress; and before night
I was told her fore mast was gone.
"The _Centaur_ laboured so much that I had scarcely a hope she could
swim till morning. However, by great exertion with the chain pumps and
baling, we held our own; but our sufferings for want of water were very
great, and many of the people could not be restrained from drinking salt
water.
"At daylight (the 11th) there was no vessel in sight; and flashes from
guns having been seen in the night, we feared the ship we had seen the
preceding day had foundered. Towards ten o'clock in the forenoon the
weather grew more moderate, the water diminished in the hold, and the
people were encouraged to redouble their efforts to get the water low
enough to break a cask of fresh water out of the ground tier; and some
of the most resolute of the seamen were employed in the attempt. At
noon we succeeded with one cask, which, though little, was a seasonable
relief. All the officers, passengers, and boys, who were not of the
profession of seamen, had been employed in thrumming a sail, which was
passed under the ship's bottom, and I thought had some effect. The
shears were raised for the fore mast; the weather looked promising, the
sea fell, and at night we were able to relieve at the pumps and baling
every two hours. By the morning of the 20th the fore hold was cleared of
the water, and we had the comfortable promise of a fine day. It proved
so, and I was determined to make use of it with all possible exertion. I
divided the ship's company, with officers attending them, into parties,
to raise the jury fore-mast; to heave over the lower-deck guns; to clear
the wreck of the fore and after holds; to prepare the machine for
steering the ship, and to work the pumps. By night the after hold was as
clear as when the ship was launched; for, to our astonishment, there was
not a shovel of coals remaining, twenty chaldrons having been pumped out
since the commencement of the gale. What I have called the wreck of the
hold was the bulkheads of the after hold, fish-room, and spirit-rooms.
The standards of the cockpit, an immense quantity of staves and wood,
and part of the lining of the ship were thrown overboard, that if the
water should again appear in the hold we might have no impediment in
baling. All the guns were overboard, the fore mast secured, and the
machine, which was to be similar to that with which the _Ipswich_ was
steered, was in great forwardness; so that I was in hopes, the moderate
weather continuing, that I should be able to steer the ship by noon the
following day, and at least save the people on some of the western
islands. Had we had any other ship in company with us, I should have
thought it my duty to have quitted the _Centaur_ this day.
"This night the people got some rest by relieving the watches; but in
the morning of the 21st we had the mortification to find that the
weather again threatened, and by noon it blew a storm. The ship laboured
greatly and the water appeared in the fore and after hold, and
increased. The carpenter also informed me that the leathers were nearly
consumed; and likewise, that the chains of the pumps, by constant
exertion and the friction of the coals, were considered as nearly
useless.