Adam Duncan (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ...mutineers. Over and above all the concessions made to the latter, they required that liberty should be given as a matter of right to every man in rotation, when ships came into port; that unpopular officers should not be employed again iu the same ship, without the consent of the company; that all who had deserted should be pardoned; that prize money should be more equally divided; and that the articles of war should be recast, and deprived of such clauses as were likely to inspire "terror and prejudice against His Majesty's service." They also required the admiralty board to come down to Sheerness, and confer with them. Fortunately, on May 16 the Channel fleet had returned to something like order, though for some weeks longer discipline could not be vigorously enforced. This fact strengthened the admiralty's hands. With some exceptions the demands were refused. Troops and militia were poured into Sheerness. The guns at Tilbury were manned, and the furnaces for hot shot kept in heat, in case the mutineers should make a dash at London. A gen era exodus from Sheerness began, and shops were closed in apprehension of a conflict. There was actual firing at Tilbury upon a boat-load of mutineers; and the boom of the guns was heard in London, --the first shots fired in anger near the capital since the day when the Dutch sailed up the Medway and attacked Chatham. On receiving the reply, the mutineers proceeded at once to action. A line of ships was moored across the Thames, and no vessel was permitted to pass it. The close blockade of London began, --a measure infinitely dangerous to the capital at a time when communications by land were slow and difficult, before the railway and canal system had been developed, and when London depended upon the...