Josef, of one hundred and twelve guns, just at the moment that the Spaniard surrendered; "and on the quarter-deck of a Spanish first-rate,'" he writes, "extravagant as the story may seem, did I receive the swords of vanquished Spaniards; which as I received I gave to William Fearnley, one of my bargemen, who put them with the greatest sang-froid under his arm." But the maritime power of England was now to pass through a more bitter trial and a more dangerous crisis than all those which the enemy's forces could inflict upon her. The state of the finances had been growing more serious every day; orders had been given to the Bank of England not to make any payment in specie above twenty shillings, and the substitution of paper money for a limited time was voted by Parliament. The merchants and men of business turned a courageous face to necessity; while another class of men, generally accustomed to brave all dangers, but who had for some time been irritated and discontented, threatened the country at the very same moment with a fatal blow. In the middle of April, 1797, an insurrection broke out on board the squadron of Lord Bridport, who was commanding in the Channel. The precautions of the conspirators were so well taken that the officers were deposed, sent on shore, or kept as hostages, without a drop of blood being shed. The sailors claimed an increase of pay equivalent to that which the army and militia had received. They complained of the unjust distribution of prize-money, and of the severity of some of their chiefs. The first claims were not exaggerated, and they were not insolent either in reality or in form. Admirals Gardner, Colpoys, and Pole, were charged to confer with the delegates of the mutineers. These refused to treat without the sanction of Parliament. Admiral Gardner, furious, seized one of the negotiators by the collar, swearing he would have them all hanged with every fifth man in the fleet. The admiral narrowly escaped with his life, while the mutineers hoisted the red flag, and waited further developments. After two or three days' suspense, Lord Bridport came on board ship, with a promise of complete redress and full pardon. For a moment the Channel squadron returned to its duty. Lord Bridport brought his fleet to St. Helen's. Some days later, however, the fire which smouldered beneath the ashes broke out anew, and the officers were once more deposed. As Admiral Colpoys, who had remained with two ships at Portsmouth, had forbidden delegates from the mutineers to be received, the insurrection became violent; the Marlborough and the London sailed for St. Helen's. It was necessary to employ the intervention of old Lord Howe, who had always been popular among the sailors, to stifle the revolt; even then it was at the price of such important concessions that the contagion soon reached other squadrons. At Sheerness, under the inspiration of Richard Parker, who had entered the navy as a volunteer, an intelligent and educated man, but ambitious and corrupt, the insurgent sailors concentrated their strength, and prudently withdrew from the coasts; they brought the ships to the Nore, and soon after bombarded some vessels which had remained faithful to the king; among others, the San Fiorenzo, a beautiful frigate destined to transport the Princess Royal and her husband, the Duke of Wurtemberg, to Germany. A part of Lord Duncan's fleet joined the insurgents, thus abandoning the blockade of Holland. Two ships alone remained faithful to the admiral. He had continued his signals as though the greater part of his fleet had still been in sight; but his patriotism was keenly wounded. has often been my pride with you to look into the Texel," "It he said to his crew, "and see a foe which dreaded coming out to meet us; my pride is now humbled indeed." Great anxiety was felt in relation to the army, now a prey to an agitation which seditious placards helped to ferment. The beginning of a mutiny manifested itself in the artillery at Woolwich. The insurgent vessels had hoisted the pirates' red flag and blockaded the entrance to the Thames. The First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Spencer, had failed in his attempts at conciliation. Parliament passed two bills pronouncing the severest penalties against all attempt at incitement to revolt, and forbidding any communication with the rebel fleet. England in reality exiled the sailors who had revolted against her. This was a most material blow struck at the insurrection, for to the wounded national sentiment was soon joined the want of provisions. The squadrons which remained faithful to their duty made an appeal to their comrades: moreover, the mutinous leaders proved hard and arbitrary. On the 9th of June, two of the ships concerned in the mutiny abandoned the fleet. On the 13th, five more took refuge under the batteries of Sheerness. On the 15th, all the ships at anchor struck the red flag, and the mutiny was at an end, and Admiral Buckner sent a detachment on board the Sandwich, which arrested Parker and his accomplices. Some weeks later they were hanged on the mainyard of the admiral's ship, while the repentant and confused English sailors swore to efface the memory of their fault by new efforts of valor. It was during this crisis of national bitterness and uneasiness that Mr. Fox and Lord Grey declared their intention of no longer taking part in parliamentary discussions, being decided, they said, not to be concerned with politics whose |