1807.
Sir James is called into active service.--Joins the Channel
Fleet as second in command.--Shifts his Flag from the San Josef
to the Prince of Wales.--His decisive conduct.--Anecdote of the
Prince of Wales' Men.--Change of Ministry.--Sir James leaves
the Channel Fleet, and returns to Guernsey.--Is offered the
Command in the East Indies.--Letter on that occasion.
Early in the year 1807 Sir James was called into more active service.
The enemy's fleet at Brest had again become formidable. Earl St.
Vincent was appointed to command the Channel fleet, and immediately
applied for Sir James to be second in command. To make him eligible
for this, he was promoted to the rank of Vice-admiral; and on the 7th
of January he received orders to hoist his flag, blue at the fore, on
board the San Josef, of 112 guns. As the noble Earl was unable from
ill health to keep the sea in the Hibernia, his flag-ship, the whole
responsibility fell on Sir James.
The San Josef, one of the finest ships in the navy, had been taken in
the battle of the 14th of February 1797; and, having since that
period been almost constantly employed, was in need of a thorough
repair. In February she became so leaky, that Sir James was obliged to
shift his flag into the Prince of Wales, Captain Bedford, and send the
San Josef into Plymouth to be repaired; and, it being ascertained that
it would take more than a year before she could be ready, the officers
and men were turned over to the Ville de Paris, which was ordered to
fit for his flag.
Sir James's activity in blockading the enemy was unremitting. The
fleet consisted of twenty-seven sail of the line, nine of which were
three-deckers. It was his custom, every day that the weather
permitted, to stand towards the Black Rocks in a line of battle, and
off in a line of bearing, always communicating with the in-shore
squadron.
On one occasion, while the weather had been thick for several days,
the signal was made from the Hibernia for the enemy's fleet to
leeward. The English fleet bore up in chase; and, although the Prince
of Wales was the worst-sailing ship in the fleet, by carrying a great
press of sail she became the headmost. The wind was from the west, and
the fleet was standing in for Brest, the French coast being a lee
shore. Captain Bedford, who was not so well acquainted with the coast
as Sir James, represented the danger that the fleet was running into,
as it was blowing hard at the time; when Sir James replied, "There is
good anchorage in Douvarnenez Bay," and continued his course: but it
was soon after discovered that the strangers were the Plantagenet and
in-shore squadron, and the fleet was still able to weather Ushant.
Captain Bedford, who, like other promoters of a religious feeling on
board ship, was liable to be imposed upon by hypocrites, had on board
the Prince of Wales a set of individuals among the seamen, who, taking
advantage of his desire to encourage piety among the crew, ingratiated
themselves so far by their outward manifestations as to induce him to
appropriate a convenient berth in the ship, where they might sing
psalms and perform other devotional exercises unmolested. This place
virtually served as a depot for the hypocrites, who had for a long
time unsuspectedly committed divers acts of depredation. Just before
the ship went into port, either to refit or replenish the water and
provisions, the secretary's gold watch disappeared, as well as a
considerable sum of money; and the complaint being made by him to the
Admiral, the latter commanded the captain to call all hands on deck,
and make a strict search for the stolen property.
The men being reported on deck by the officer who had charge of the
lower decks, Captain Bedford said, "Where shall we begin to search?"
to which the lieutenant replied, "My cabin, sir; then your's; and
then the _religious berth_." This answer drew forth a rebuke for even
_suspecting_ these "good Christians," as the captain emphatically
called them. The examination was however persisted in: the officers
went to the berth, the keys were demanded, and could not be found; but
an iron crow-bar was effectually substituted; and the whole of the
missing property, besides many other stolen articles, were discovered
in the chests of these miscreants, to the surprise and mortification
of the worthy Captain Bedford, who did not fail immediately to make
his report to the Admiral then on the quarter-deck.
Before punishment of criminals takes place in a flag-ship, it is usual
for the captain to carry the particulars to the Admiral. It was the
practice of Sir James Saumarez to examine these reports minutely, and
convince himself of the necessity of the punishment before giving it
his sanction; which was always done with that painful reluctance so
natural to his humane disposition. In this instance, however, his
feelings of indignation were more than usually roused: he emphatically
said, "Captain Bedford, I desire that you will immediately give each
of these wretches such a punishment as will effectually put a stop to
this unparalleled wickedness."
We need scarcely add that his orders were implicitly obeyed; and such
was the indignation of the crew, that there was no necessity for
urging the boatswain's mates to do their duty, while Sir James, who
never could witness punishment without extreme pain, retired to his
cabin. He did not fail, however, to point out to every one how much
the offence of theft had been aggravated by being committed under the
cloak of religion, for which no punishment within the limited power of
the captain could be too severe.
A change of ministry having taken place, Lord Gardner was appointed to
command the Channel fleet; and, as his lordship chose the Ville de
Paris for his flag, Captain Conn and the other officers were turned
over to the Hibernia: three of Lord St. Vincent's officers were
superseded; and Sir James joined his new flag-ship at sea. During the
summer, when the wind came from the westward, and blew strong, the
fleet bore up for Torbay. On one of these occasions Sir James showed
much decision. The captains and officers of the fleet had sent their
chronometers on shore to be cleaned and regulated, not expecting that
there would be much occasion for them: it happened, however, that the
fleet was blown off the coast by a strong north-east wind, which
lasted more than a week. During this the ships, by chasing and
performing various evolutions, had lost the reckoning, which differed
from the true position by the chronometer of the Hibernia, which
happened to be the only one in the fleet. After the easterly wind, a
heavy westerly gale came on; and before Ushant could be made, the
weather became thick, and the signal was made to bear up for Torbay,
and at the same time for the longitude.
Sir James had now to decide: if the reckoning was right, the course by
chronometer would have wrecked the fleet in Bigberry Bay; and if the
chronometer was right, the course by reckoning would have carried the
fleet on the Bill of Portland. Under these circumstances Sir James
carefully examined both, and at once decided on following the course
by chronometer; and the fleet safely anchored in Torbay in the middle
of the night.
Lord Gardner took a house near Brixham, and Sir James continued for
some time to carry on the duty as usual; till at length Lord Gardner
apprised Sir James that he had applied for his old friend, Sir John
Duckworth, to be his second in command: on which Sir James wrote to be
superseded; and in August, the same year, he struck his flag, to
rehoist it on board the Inconstant at Guernsey. His old flag-ship was
during the winter prepared for him, and in February 1808 he proceeded
to Guernsey.
During this period, war with Russia broke out. Affairs in the north
wore a serious aspect, and it was evident that the Baltic must soon
become the seat of war.
Sir James received the following letter from Lord Mulgrave, offering
him the command in the East Indies, which was the most lucrative
station; but prize-money was always a secondary consideration with
the Admiral. He declined accepting the offer, as will be seen by his
answer.
Admiralty, January 23rd, 1808.
MY DEAR SIR,
Sir Edward Pellew having expressed a wish to be relieved from
the command in the East Indies, I am desirous (before I think
of another arrangement) to learn whether that station would be
agreeable to you; in which case I should have great
satisfaction in giving you that appointment.
I have the honour to be, with sincere regard and the highest
esteem, Dear sir,
Your most obedient and faithful servant,
MULGRAVE.
To Vice-admiral Sir James Saumarez, K.B. &c.
Guernsey, 30th January 1808.
MY DEAR LORD,
I am honoured with your lordship's private and confidential
letter, and I cannot sufficiently express my grateful
acknowledgements for the obliging manner in which your lordship
has been pleased to propose to me the command in the East
Indies, which I should be most happy to profit by, did the
state of my health hold out any prospect of my fulfilling so
important a trust with satisfaction to myself or to the benefit
of my country. I am therefore, though reluctantly, compelled to
decline this mark of your lordship's kindness.
I have the honour to be, &c. &c.
James Saumarez.
To Earl Mulgrave.