Jane Austen Naval

The Admiralty is a brick building, containing the office and apartments for the lords commissioners of the Admiralty, who superintend the marine department, and is contiguous to the Horse Guards on the north. With respect to the architecture, the principal front facing Parliament-street displays a proof that the noble lord and board who presided at the time it was built, had objects of more consequence than symmetry and proportion to attend to: it was designed and erected by Shipley. The screen in the front (which was designed and erected by Adams)) is so peculiarly elegant, that it in a degree redeems the other part from disgrace. On the top of the Admiralty are erected two telegraphs, the inside of which may be seen by proper application to the porter, or person who works the machine.

...with its appropriate decorations of globes, books, maps, &c.....after what has been said, it does not seem necessary to make any remarks on the extent of the building; but, as it has been before remarked, that the noble lords were engaged in transactions of more importance than attending to the symmetry and proportion of their house, which was probably left to the architect, who might in many cases leave it to the management of his foreman, it may afford some amusement to our readers, to recite a few sportive sallies of the wits of the time on the brick and mortar of the principal front.

They said, and truly said, that it is a contemptible piece of architecture. Of the portico of this building, composed of four Ionic columns, with a pediment of stone, a story is told, that, from the strange disproportion of the shafts, is highly probable. The architect, Shipley, had made them of a proper length, when it was found that the pediment of one of his shafts had blocked up the window of one of the principal apartments; and he endeavoured to remedy the error, by carrying his columns to the roof of the building: and in truth, in its present state, one is compelled to admit the truth of what was remarked by the late George Selwyn, that though the columns are certainly neither of the Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian order, they would be admirable models to take for a new one, which might be denominated the dis, or disporportioned order; "or," added he, "if we chose to give it immortality, baptize it with an appropriate title, and name it the Robinsonian order, in honour of Sir Thomas Robinson."

The figure of Sir Thomas Robinson must be in the recollection of many of our readers; --- so long, so lank, so lean, so bony, that he struck every one who saw him, as distinct from all other men, and out of all manner of proportion. When the late Lord Chesterfield was confined to his room by an illness, of which he felt a consciousness that he should never recover, a friend, who visited him in the character of one of Job's comforters, gravely said, he was sorry to tell his lordship, that every body agreed in thinking he was dying ,and that he was dying by inches. "Am I?" said the old peer, "am I indeed" why then I rejoice from the bottom of my soul, that I am not near so tall as Sir Thomas Robinson."

To return to the building; certain it is that such columns never were seen either in Greece, or Rome, or any other country.

The screen in the front, which was designed and erected by Adams, is so far from being liable to any part of this censure, that it forms a striking contrast, or would, if it were possible, shew in a more glaring light the gross absurdities of the principal front of the building.

The lord high admiral is classed as the ninth and last great officer of the crown; and the honour it conferred, and trust it invested, were formerly considered to be so great, that the post was usually given either to some of the king's younger sons, near kinsmen, or one of the chief of the nobility. To the lord high admiral belongeth the cognizance of contracts, pleas, or quarrels made upon the sea, or any part thereof which is not within any county of the realm; for his jurisdiction is wholly confined to the sea. The court is provided for the trial and punishment of all offences committed on the high seas, and is a civil court. Courts-martial in the Admiralty have a judge advocate appointed to assist them. The present judge of the Admiralty is the Right Honourable Sir William Scott, Knight, L.L.D., the salary 2500l. The present king's advocate general is Sir John Nicholl, Knight, L.L.D.

In King Henry III.s days, and in the reigns of Edward I. II. and III. Richard II. Henry IV. V. and VI. there were several admirals; for the cautious wisdom of those days would not trust a subject with so great a charge, nor permit any one man to have a certain estate in a post of so great importance. But, nevertheless, in those days there was a great admiral of England.

King Henry VI. in the fourteenth year of his reign, constituted John Holland Duke of Exeter, and Henry Holland his son, admirals of England, Ireland and Aquitaine for life.

The power of this great officer is described in a statute of Charles II.: it is enacted that he may grant commissions to inferior vice-admirals, or commanders in chief of any squadron of ships, to call and assemble courts-martial, consisting of commanders and captains; and no court-martial, where the pains of death are inflicted, shall consist of less than five captains at least; the admiral's lieutenant to be as to his purpose esteemed as a captain: and in no case when sentence of death shall pass, by virtue of the articles (for regulating and better governing his majesty's navies, ships of war, and forces at sea) aforesaid, or any of them (except in case of mutiny), there shall be execution of such sentence of death, without leave of the lord high admiral, if the offence be committed within the narrow seas. But in case any of the offences aforesaid be committed in any voyage beyond the narrow seas, whereupon sentence of death shall be given in pursuance of the aforesaid articles, or any of them, then execution shall be done by order of the commander in chief of that fleet or squadron wherein sentence was passed.

He hath also power to appoint coroners to view dead bodies found on the sea-coast or at sea; commissioners or judges for exercising justice in the High Court of Admiralty; to imprison and to release, &c.

Moreover to him belong, by law and custom, all fines and forfeitures of all transgressors at sea, on the seashore, in ports, and from the first bridge on rivers towards the sea; also the goods of pirates and felons, condemned or outlawed; and all waifs, stray goods, wrecks of sea deodands; a share of all lawful prizes, lagon, jetson, flotson; that is, goods lying in the sea, goods cast by the sea on the shore, not granted formerly, or belonging to lords of manors adjoining to the sea; all great fishes, as sea-hogs, other fishes of extraordinary bigness, called royal fishes, whales only and sturgeons excepted.

"De sturgeoni observatur quod rex ilua intergram: de baleno vero sufficit si rex haveat caput et reginae caudam." Master William Prynne, who is one of the commentators upon the above curious law, says, that the reason must be, that "our wise and learned lawgivers willed the queen to have the tail of the whale, that her majesty might have the whalebone to make her stays"; forgetting that this was made law upwards of two hundred years before stays were ever worn or thought of. Note farther, that the bone used for stays, is taken out of the head, and not the tail of the fish.

On this ancient law being once mentioned to the late Dr. Buchan, author of Domestic Medicine, &c. &c. he repeated the following little impromptu, which I think has never before been printed:

"If a sturgeon should chance to be cast upon land,
Honest George, Heaven bless him! the whole may command;
But if equal misfortune befall a poor whale,
Let the king have the head, and the queen the tail."

It is not the object of this volume to say much concerning the great power and interest which the king of England hathin the British seas; and as to the antiquity of the Admiralty Court, and of the name of Admiral, it may be found in a record mentioned by the Lord Chief Justice Coke (Coke's Institute, p. 142, entitled "De Superioritate Maris Angliae, et Jure Officii Admiralitatis in eodem"), said to be among the archives in the Tower of London.

He is called admiral from amir, an Arabic word signifying praefectus , and in Greek marinus. His patent formerly run thus: "Angliae, Herbinae, et Aquitanae magnus admirallus, et praefectus generalis clargis et marium dictorum regnorum."

The various distinguished actions which have been recorded of many of our admirals, and established the honour and superiority of the British navy, would fill volumes. To enumerate them would occupy more space than can be here allotted to it, and does not come into the plan of this work; but to close the recital of any thing tending to the establishment of our naval character, without inserting the name of the late Lord Nelson, would be a very improper omission.

Painters have exhausted their art in pictured representations of his actions; sculptors have hewn marble monuments to eternize his heroic professional abilities, which have been placed in the most conspicuous situations in different public buildings throughout the kingdom; and poets have invoked the muse, and exerted their utmost efforts to perpetuate his fame, in praises that, used to any other individual, might have ben deemed extravagant panegyric: but the whole nation appear to have been so gratefully alive to his exalted merit, and so highly to revere his memory, that it is hardly deemed equal to what his conduct peremptorily claimed from his surviving countrymen. The Right Honourable Horatio Viscount Nelson, and Duke of Bronte, was a most active, brave, and able officer. He defeated the French fleet in Aboukir Bay, August 1, 1798, and took eight sail of the line; for which he was raised to the peerage. He was second in command at the battle of Copenhagen, where he displayed great courage and conduct; for which he was raised to the dignity of viscount. He completely defeated the combined fleet of France and Spain, off Cape Trafalgar, October 21, 1805, in which he lost his life.

In the advices some of our admirals have transmitted to the Board of Admiralty and others, there is a brevity, which Shakespeare says is the soul of wit; there is, however, a brevity, which is so admirable a model of epistolary writing, that I cannot resist transcribing one or two of them; premising, that as they are taken from memory, they may not do justice to the originals.

The first is from Sir George Rodney to the Governor of Barbadoes, and is as follows:

"The battle is fought, --- the day is ours, --- the English flag is victorious; --- we have taken the French admiral, with nine other ships, and sunk one."

The last I shall subjoin is from a foreigner, but seems mixed up with a large portion of British Spirit. It was written to Admiral Benbow, who died in October 1702, at Jamaica, of the wounds he received in an engagement with M. du Casse, in the West Indies, off the high land of St. Martha, in the same year.

Soon after Admiral Benbow's return to Jamaica, he received a letter from M. du Casse, of which the following is a translation:

"I had little hopes on Monday last but to have supped in your cabin; yet it pleased God to order otherwise; I am thankful for it. As for those cowardly captains who deserted you, hang them up; for by G--d, they deserve it.

Capture of Two East-Indiamen.
(from "Bell’s Weekly Messenger," August 26, 1798)

The following is given as the most correct account respecting the capture of the Raymond and Woodcote East-Indiamen:---

The Raymond had sailed from Bombay on the 16th of last May, and after an unexpected short passage, had reached Telliecberry on the 20th. -- She came to anchor about three o’clock, and at this tme a ship which had been noticed bearing down from the Westward under English colours, steered close under her stern, and changed her colours for the tri-coloured flag, fired a gun, and demanded her to surrender. The deception, although great, was not so complete, but that before she had approached so very near, Captain Smedley had made the signal to the Woodcote of an enemy, and when she declared herself such, he was as well prepared as circumstances would admit to receive her.

The cables of both ships were immediately cut, in the hope that it might be practicable to run them ashore, but this was absolutely precluded from the want of wind; the measure, however, assisted the Raymond to veer round a little, and thus admitted her to bring some of her guns to bear upon the enemy, which in the meantime was raking her fore and aft, chiefly directing her fire upon her rigging. Under this disadvantage, nevertheless, she continued engaged near three quarters of an hour, when the enemy left her to go to the Woodcote, which was distant about a quarter of a mile. In the same manner as with the Raymond, the Preneuse took her station under the Woodcote’s stern, and even came to an anchor, engaging, however, only with small arms. At length Captain Hannay was hailed by his name, and seeing how ineffectual must be his resistance, he was summoned to surrender, which he accordingly did.

The Preneuse now returned to the Raymond, when Captain Smedley having consulted with his Officers and being convinced that it would be to no purpose to resume the action, also surrendered, about an hour and five minutes after the commencement of the attack.

The Preneuse carries 46 guns, of which 30 are 24 pounders; 8 are 9 pounders, and 8 are 38 pound carronades; and before the engagement, her crew consisted of 556 men: the force of the Raymond was only 26 guns of 9 and 3 pounders.

The loss on the part of the Raymond are said to be three killed and four or five wounded; among the latter, Mrs. Brutton, the Lady of Lieutenant Brutton, of the 75th Regiment, and is numbered, as having been grazed upon the face by a splinter. Capt. Heath, also a Passenger, received a contusion upon the shoulder. The Preneuse suffered in nearly the same number.

The Preneuse had been observed in the Offing the evening before, and a boat belonging to Mabe was discovered to have corresponded with her, in consequence of which, and the French Commander hailing Captain Hannay by his name, circumstances of strong suspicion, we understand, attached themselves to certain Foreigners at that Factory, which had led to their arrest and an official enquiry.

The following is extracted from the Official Returns of the Force of Great Britain, up to the first inst.:---At sea, 80 of the line, 9 fifties, 129 frigates, 97 sloops, 5 bombs, 123 brigs, 30 cutters, 39 schooners---total 522. In port and fitting, 43 of the line, 7 fifties, 30 frigates, 38 sloops, 1 bomb, 29 brigs, 6 cutters, 17 schooners--total, 171. Guardships, 4 of the line, 1 fifty, 4 frigates, 5 sloops---total 14. Hospital ships &c. 34 of the line, 4 fifties, 2 frigates---total, 40. In ordinary, and repairing for service, 69 of the line, 13 fifties, 56 frigates, 37 sloops, 6 bombs, 10 brigs, 2 schooners---total, 193. Building, 32 of the line, 2 fifties, 13 frigates, 5 sloops---total 52.---Grant total, 202 of the line, 36 fifties, 234 frigates, 172 sloops, 12 bombs, 162 brigs, 36 cutters, 78 schooners--in the whole 992 vessels of war. Of the varied force of the British navy, there are, in the Mediterranean 87 vessels; 28 of the line. Off the coast of Spain and Portugal, 72; 15 of the line. In the English Channel, 82; 14 of the line.

A fine 74-gun ship was launched, Feb. 13, from the King’s Yard at Woolwich. This vessel was first building in the arsenal at Flushing, and was brought thence on the capture of Walcheren. She has been named the Chatham, in compliment to the commander of that expedition.---Another 74, the Dublin, was the same day launched from Mr. Brent’s yard, Rothertithe.

Take that, you "Frenchies!"
(from the “Gentleman’s Magazine” for April, 1812)

Transmitted by Vice-adm. Sir E. Pellew.

Sir, Alceste, off Lissa, Dec. 1.

HIS Majesty’s ships under my orders having been driven from their anchorage before Lugina, by strong gales, had taken shelter in Lissa; when the telegraph on Whitby Hill signalized three suspicious sail South; Alceste, Active, and Unité were warped out of Port St. George the moment a strong E.N.E. wind would permit; and on the evening of the 28th ult. off the South end of Lissa, I met with Lieut. McDougall, of his Majesty’s ship Unité, who, with a judgment and zeal which does him infinite credit, had put back, when on his voyage to Malta in a neutral, to acquaint me he had seen three French frigates 40 miles to the Southward; every sail was carried on in chace, and at nine in the morning of the 29th, the Enemy were seen off the island of Augusta; he formed in line upon the larboard tack, and stood towards us for a short time; but not finding his Majesty’s ships bearing upon him under all sail, in close line abreast, he bore up to the N.W. and set steering sails. At 11 the rear ship separated and stood to the N.E.; I immediately detached the Unité after her (and Capt. Chamberlayne’s report to me of the result, I have the honour to inclose).

At 20 minutes after one P.M. the Alceste commenced action with the other two, by engaging the rear in passing to get at the Commodore, but an unlucky shot soon afterwards bringing down our maintop-mast, we unavoidably dropped a little astern: cheers of Vive l’Empereur resounded from both ships; they thought the day their own, not aware of what a second I had in my gallant friend Capt. Gordon, who pushed the Active up under every sail, and brought the sternmost to action, within pistol-shot; the headmost then shortened sail, tacked and stood for the Alceste (which, though disabled in her masts, I trust the experience was by no means so at her guns), and after a warm conflict of two hours, and 20 minutes, it ended by the French Commodore making sail to the Westward; which, from my crippled state, I was unable to prevent, and the other surrendering, after being totally dismasted, and five feet of water in the hold. She proved to be the Pomone, of 44 guns and 322 men, commanded by Capt. Rosamel, who fought his ship with a skill and bravery that have obtained for him the respect and esteem of his opponents; the other was the Pauline, of similar force, commanded by Mons. Montford, Capitaine de Vaisseau, with a broad pendant; they were from Corfu, going to join the squadron at Trieste. The Alceste had 20 killed and wounded, Active 32, and Pomone 50; and it is with poignant regret I inform you that Capt. Gordon has lost leg; but, thank God, he is doing well. His merits as an officer I need not dwell upon, they are known to his country; and he lives in the hearts of all who have the happiness to know him. His First Lieutenant, Dashwood, lost his arm soon after he was wounded, and the ship was fought by Lieut. Hays in a manner that reflects the highest honour upon him: his services before had frequently merited and obtained the high approbation and strong recommendation of his Captain, who also speaks in the warmest praise of Acting Lieutenant Moriarty, Mr. Lothian, Master, Lieutenant Meers, Royal Marines, and every officer, seaman, and marine under his command.
(Capt. Maxwell concludes with praising the services and zeal of First Lieutenants A. Wilson and J. Montague, and Messrs. H. Moore and J. Adair; Lieut. Miller, of the Royal Marines, Active, and Lieut. Lloyd, Royal Marines, Alceste, were on shore at Canesa Castle and Hostes Island for the defence of Lissa, hourly threatened with attack from the Enemy assembled at Scitina. Capts. Bligh and Chamberlayne, of the Acorn and Unité, are also warmly praised for their services.)

(Signed) M. MAXWELL.

To Capt Rowley, of the Eagle, &c.

A letter from Capt. Chamberlayne of the Unité follows, stating, that as soon as the weather enabled him to close with La Persanne, and fire a part of his broadside, the French Captain, Satie, returned his, and struck his colours. Capt C. says his surprise was great, when he found his prize was La Persanne, of 860 tons, 26 guns, and 190 men, 55 of which were military. He praises the masterly manoeuvres and preserving resistance of the Enemy for nearly four hours. The Unité’s masts, yards, sails, and rigging, were nearly all shot away. Lieuts. Crabb, McDougall, and Hotham, particularly distinguished themselves, as did Mr. Gibson, promoted for his gallantry on board the Active.

The ships taken were, La Pomone, Capt. C. Rosamel, 44 guns, 332 men, 1100 tons, having in her hold 42 iron and 9 brass guns, and 220 iron wheels for gun carriages; La Persanne, M. Satie, 2 guns, 190 men, 866 tons; a store ship of about 26 nine-pound guns (new) having about 130 iron and some brass guns in her hold. The Pauline, which escaped, was of 44 guns, 332 men, and 1000 tons.

The Alceste had C. Nourse, Midshipman, and 6 seamen killed, with Lieut Wilson (slightly) and 12 seamen wounded.

The Active had G. Osboorne, Midshipman and seven seamen, wounded; and Capt. Gordon (badly, amputated leg); Lieut. Dashwood (ditto, ditto arm); and Lieut. G. Hays, slightly with 24 seamen wounded.

Dispatches were received on Thursday at the Admiralty from Admiral Lord Bridport, dated off Ushant, the 16th inst. which afford some reason to hope that the French fleet in the harbour of Brest will soon venture to sea. We understand that on the evening of Wednesday last, one of our frigates looked into the harbour, and saw eleven sail of the line, and several frigates, loose their topsails, which, however could not weigh for want of wind; and on the following morning discovered the whole of them making an effort to put to sea. Some of them weighed; and a frigate and a cutter came out, but the rest of the fleet not being able to follow them, on account of a sudden calm, they were obliged to return. The squadron under the command of Vice-Admiral Thompson left the Channel fleet on Thursday, in consequence of Lord Bridport having resumed his station with some fresh victualled ships.

An Officer on board Lord St. Vincent’s fleet writes as follows:---”To give you an idea how droll the war is carried on in this part of the world, I some days since sent cloaths on shore to be washed by one of the Spanish boats, which supplies us with vegetables; they returned the next day well washed, though very dear. Flags of truce pass every day; in short, one would scarcely believe we are at war with Spain.”

Letters from Spain, in the French papers, state that the Spanish frigate la Gertrude, has been taken off Alicant by the English.

Friday morning an extraordinary express was sent off to Falmouth with the Government dispatches, to be put on board the Princess Charlotte packet for the West Indies, which was detained by order of Government, but which is directed to sail immediately on her voyage as soon as the dispatches are put on board her.

The Bombay frigate, under the command of Lieut. Frost, lying at Banda, with his Majesty’s frigate the Resistance, Capt. Pakenham, was expected to sail against the Dutch Factory of Ternate, when the last accounts left Madras. The Russian fleet, under the command of Admiral Taite, is come up to the Nore for fresh water and other necessaries, with which they are ordered to be supplied with all possible dispatch, in order to proceed to the North Seas.

A serious conspiracy was discovered on the 14th ult. on board the Neptune man of war, one of the channel fleet, off Ushant, the object of which, it is said, was to put all the Officers to death, and to carry the ship into Brest. The discovery of this diabolical plot was made in the following manner:---one of the conspirators, whose calm consideration of the infernal project shocked his nature, and induced him to repent, contrived to drop a letter on the quarter deck, directed to the Captain, which was picked up by the Officers, and delivered to their Commander. It contained a full discovery of the nature and extent of the plot; in consequence of which the conspirators were immediately secured.

This day week, two young men, Mates of West-India ships, just arrived, were going with two reputable young women to be married at Rothertithe Church; when arrived within a little distance of the Church, a Press gang stopped the coach, and dragged out the two young men and a landsman, their friend, and notwithstanding the earnest entreaties of the young girls and their relations, who followed in another coach, hurried them on board the tender.

NAVAL COURTS MARTIAL.--Tuesday last, on board the Gladiator, in Portsmouth Harbour, Lieutenant Lionel Hill, commanding the Joseph cutter, was tried for disrespect to Captain Butt, of the Explosion, and disobedience of orders, in appearing at a sea port not of uniform; and sentenced to be dismissed the command of the Joseph, and to be put at the bottom of the list.---Same day Laughlin McCormack, a seaman belonging to the Cynthia, was tried for desertion from that ship, entering into the Cleopatra, and deserting her; when he was sentenced to receive 300 lashes through the fleet, to forfeit all his pay, and be imprisoned in solitary confinement in the Marshalsea for six months.

On Friday, the day of presenting colours at Blackheath, Mary Ann Talbot, who has served several years in the navy, and been in some engagements, under the name of John Taylor, resumed her seaman-dress, and went down the River in a boat to see the review. The waterman attempted to impose on her, and on resisting his demand as he used much abusive language, and challenged her to fight; the proposal was accepted, and they landed at the Isle of Dogs for the purpose; after a sharp set to, her superior dexterity prevailed, and the fellow declared himself beaten, and gladly consented to carry her to Greenwich without further payment -- She, however, paid him his fare, and remitted the small wager which he risked on his battle.

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Captured, 1798	Take that, you "Frenchies!"