Chapter XLI
"British sailors have a knack, Haul away, yo ho, boys. Of hauling down a Frenchman's jack 'Gainst any odds, you know, boys."
OLD SONG.
There was, I flatter myself, some little skill in the introduction of theforegoing chapter, which has played the part of chorus during the time thatthe _Bombay Castle_ has proceeded on to Canton, has taken in her cargo, andis on her passage home, in company with fifteen other East Indiamen andseveral country ships, all laden with the riches of the East, and hasteningto pour their treasures into the lap of their country. Millions werefloating on the waters, entrusted to the skill of merchant-seamen to conveythem home in safety, and to their courage to defend them from the enemy,which had long been lying in wait to intercept them. By a very unusualchance or oversight, there had been no men-of-war despatched to protectproperty of such enormous value.
The Indian fleet had just entered the Straits of Malacca, and were sailingin open order, with a fresh breeze and smooth water. The hammocks had beenstowed, the decks washed, and the awnings spread. Shoals of albicore weredarting across the bows of the different ships; and the seamen perched uponthe cat-heads and spritsail-yard, had succeeded in piercing with theirharpoons many, which were immediately cut up, and in the frying-pans forbreakfast. But very soon they had "other fish to fry;" for one of theIndiamen, the _Royal George_, made the signal that there were four strangesail in the S.W.
"A gun from the commodore, sir," reported Newton, who was officer of thewatch. "The flags are up--they are not our pennants."
It was an order to four ships of the fleet to run down and examine thestrange vessels.
Half-an-hour elapsed, during which time the glasses were at everymast-head. Captain Drawlock himself, although not much given to climbing,having probably had enough of it during his long career in the service, wasto be seen in the main-top. Doubts, suspicions, declarations, surmises, andpositive assertions were bandied about, until they were all dispelled bythe reconnoitring ships telegraphing, "a French squadron, consisting of oneline-of-battle ship, three frigates, and a brig." It was, in fact, thewell-known squadron of Admiral Linois, who had scoured the Indian seas,ranging it up and down with the velocity as well as the appetite of ashark. His force consisted of the _Marengo_, of eighty guns; the famed_Belle Poule_, a forty-gun frigate, which outstripped the wind; the_Semillante_, of thirty-six guns; the _Berceau_, ship corvette, oftwenty-two, and a brig of sixteen. They had sailed from Batavia on purposeto intercept the China fleet, having received intelligence that it wasunprotected, and anticipating an easy conquest, if not an immediatesurrender to their overpowering force.
"The recall is up on board of the commodore," said Mathews, the first mate,to Captain Drawlock.
"Very well, keep a good look-out; he intends to fight, I'll answer for it.We must not surrender up millions to these French scoundrels without atussle."
"I should hope not," replied Mathews; "but that big fellow will make ageneral average among our tea canisters, I expect, when we do come to thescratch. There go the flags, sir," continued Mathews, repeating the numberto Captain Drawlock, who had the signal-book in his hand.
"Form line of battle in close order, and prepare for action," read CaptainDrawlock from the signal-book.
A cheer resounded through the fleet when the signal was made known. Theships were already near enough to each other to hear the shouting, and theconfidence of others added to their own.
"If we only had _all_ English seamen on board, instead of these Lascars andChinamen, who look so blank," observed Newton to Mathews, "I think weshould show them some play."
"Yes," growled Mathews; "John Company will some day find out the truth ofthe old proverb, 'Penny wise and pound foolish!'"
The French squadron, which had continued on the wind to leeward until theycould fetch the India fleet, now tacked, and laid up directly for them. Inthe meantime, the English vessels were preparing for action: the clearingof their lumbered decks was the occasion of many a coop of fowls, or pig ofthe true China breed, exchanging their destiny for a watery grave.Fortunately, there were no passengers. Homeward-bound China ships are notencumbered in that way, unless to astonish the metropolis with suchmonstrosities as the mermaid, or as the Siamese twins, coupled by naturelike two hounds (separated lately indeed by Lytton Bulwer, who hassatisfactorily proved that "unity between brethren," so generally esteemeda blessing, on the contrary, is a bore). In a short time all was ready, andthe India fleet continued their course under easy sail, neither courtingnor avoiding the conflict.
At nightfall the French squadron hauled to the wind; the conduct of theChina fleet rendered them cautious, and the French admiral considered itadvisable to ascertain, by broad daylight, whether a portion of the Englishships were not men-of-war; their cool and determined behaviour certainlywarranted the suspicion. It was now to be decided whether the Indiamenshould take advantage of the darkness of the night to escape, or wait theresult of the ensuing day. The force opposed to them was formidable andconcentrated; their own, on the contrary, was weak from division, each shipnot having more than sixty English seamen on board; the country ships noneat all, the few belonging to them having volunteered on board of theIndiamen. In his decision Commodore Dance proved his judgment as well ashis courage. In an attempt to escape, the fleet would separate; and, fromthe well-known superior sailing of the French squadron, most of them wouldbe overtaken, and, being attacked singlehanded, fall an easy prey to theenemy.
In this opinion the captains of the Indiamen, who had communicated duringthe night, were unanimous, and equally so in the resolution founded uponit, "to keep together and fight to the last." The India fleet lay to forthe night, keeping their lights up and the men at their quarters; most ofthe English seamen sound asleep, the Lascars and Chinese sitting up ingroups, expressing, in their own tongues, their fear of the approachingcombat, in which, whether risked for national honour or individualproperty, they could have no interest.
The morning broke, and discovered the French squadron about three miles towindward. Admiral Linois had calculated that if the fleet consisted only ofmerchant vessels they would have profited by the darkness to have attemptedto escape, and he had worked to windward during the night, that he might beall ready to pounce down upon his quarry. But when he perceived that theEnglish ships did not attempt to increase their distance he was sadlypuzzled.
The French tricolour hardly had time to blow clear from their taffrails,when the English unions waved aloft in defiance; and that Admiral Linoismight be more perplexed by the arrangements of the night, three of the mostwarlike Indiamen displayed the red ensign, while the remainder of the shipshoisted up the blue. This _ruse_ led the French admiral to suppose thatthese three vessels were men-of-war, composing the escort of the fleet.
At nine o'clock the commodore made the signal to fill; and the Frenchsquadron not bearing down, the India fleet continued its course under easysail. The French admiral then edged away with his squadron, with theintention of cutting off the country ships, which had been stationed toleeward; but which, since the British fleet had hauled their wind, had beenleft in the rear. It was now requisite for the British commander to actdecidedly and firmly. Captain Timmins, an officer for courage and conductnot surpassed by any in our naval service, who commanded the _RoyalGeorge_, edged to within hail of the commodore, and recommended that theorder should be given to tack in succession, bear down in a line-a-head,and engage the enemy. This spirited advice was acted upon; the _RoyalGeorge_ leading into action, followed by the other ships in such closeorder that their flying jib-booms were often pointed over the taffrails oftheir predecessors.
In a quarter of an hour was to be witnessed the unusual spectacle of afleet of merchant ships exchanging broadsides with the best equipped andhighest disciplined squadron that ever sailed from France. In less than anhour was presented the more unusual sight of this squadron flying from themerchant ships, and the signal for a general chase answered withenthusiastic
cheers.
That Admiral Linois might have supposed, previous to the engagement, thatsome of the British ships were men-of-war, is probable; but that he knewotherwise after they had commenced action, must also have been the case.The fact was, he was frightened at their determined courage and theirdecided conduct; and he fled, not from the guns, but from the _men_.
I do not know on record any greater instance of heroism on the part ofBritish seamen; and I am delighted that Newton Forster was in the conflict,or of course I could not have introduced it in this work.
And now, those who read for amusement may, if they please, skip over to thenext chapter. There are points connected with the India service which Iintend to comment upon; and as all the wisdom of the age is confined tonovels, and nobody reads pamphlets, I introduce them here.
When one man is empowered to hold in check, and to insist upon theobedience of a large proportion of his fellows, it can only be by "opinion"that his authority can be supported.
By "opinion" I mean the knowledge that he is so empowered by the laws ofthe country to which they all belong, and by which laws they will bepunished, if they act in opposition to his authority. The fiat of theindividual commanding is in this case the fiat of the nation at large; tocontend with this fiat is not contending with the individual, but with thenation, to whose laws they must submit, or return to their country no more.A commander of a vessel, therefore, armed with martial law, is, in fact,representing and executing, not his own will, but that of the nation whohave made the law; for he is amenable, as well as his inferiors, if he actscontrary to, or misuses it.
In the merchant service martial law is not permitted; the bye-laws relativeto shipping, and the common law of the country, are supposed to besufficient; and certainly the present system is more advisable than to vestsuch excessive power in the hands of men, who, generally speaking, neitherrequire nor are fit to be entrusted with it. Where, as in the greaternumber of merchant vessels, the master and his subordinate officers composeone-third, if not one-half of the complement on board, nothing but the mostflagrant conduct is likely to produce insubordination.
But in the East India service the case is different. The vessels themselvesare of dimensions equal, if not superior, to our largest class of frigates,and they carry from thirty to forty guns; the property embarked in them isalso of such an extent, that the loss almost becomes national: theircommanders are men of superior attainments, as gentlemen and as officers;finally, the complement of seamen under their command is larger than onboard of many of the king's ships.
The above considerations will at once establish that those bye-laws whichafford protection to the well-governing of the merchant service in general,are not sufficient to maintain the necessary discipline on board of theEast India ships. The greater the disproportion between the unit whocommands and the numbers who obey, the greater the chance of mutiny.Sedition is the progeny of assembly. Even where grievances may be real, ifthere is no contact and no discussion, there will be no insubordination;but imaginary grievances, canvassed and discussed in assembly, swell intodisaffection and mutiny. When, therefore, numbers are collected together,as in the vessels of the East India service, martial law becomesindispensable; and the proof of it is, that the commanders of these vesselshave been forced to exercise it upon their own responsibility. A letter ofmarque should be granted to all vessels carrying a certain number of men,empowering the commanders, under certain sureties and penalties, toexercise this power. It would be a boon to the East India ships, andultimately a benefit to the navy.
To proceed. The merchant ships of the Company are men-of-war; themen-of-war of the Company are--what shall I call them? By their rightnames--they are all _Bombay Marine_: but let me at once assert, in applyingtheir own name to them as a reproach, that the officers commanding themare not included in the stigma. I have served with them, and have pleasurein stating that, taking the average, the vessels are as well officered asthose in our own service; but let us describe the vessels and their crews.Most of the vessels are smaller in scantling than the run down (andconstantly _going down_) ten-gun brigs in our own service, built for alight draft of water (as they were originally intended to act against thepirates, which occasionally infest the Indian seas), and unfit to contendwith anything like a heavy sea. Many of them are pierced for, and actuallycarry fourteen to sixteen guns; but, as effective fighting vessels, oughtnot to have been pierced for more than eight. I have no hesitation inasserting that an English cutter is a match for any of them, and a Frenchprivateer has, before now, proved that she was superior. The crews arecomposed of a small proportion of English seamen, a small proportion ofPortuguese sea-cunnies, a proportion of Lascars, and a proportion of HindooBombay marines. It requires two or three languages to carry on the duty;customs, religions, provisions, all different, and all living and messingseparate. How is it possible that any officer can discipline a ship'scompany of this incongruous description, so as to make them "pulltogether"? In short, the vessels and the crews are equally contemptible,and the officers, in cases of difficulty, must be sacrificed to the prideand meanness of the Company. My reason for taking notice of the "BombayMarine" arises from an order lately promulgated, in which the officers ofthis service were to take rank and precedence with those of the navy. Now,as far as the officers themselves are concerned, so far from having anyobjection to it, I wish, for their own merits and the good-will that I bearthem, that they were incorporated into our navy-list; but as long as theycommand vessels of the above description, in the event of a war, I will puta case, to prove the absurdity and danger which may result. There is notone vessel at this present time in their service which would not be sunk byone well-directed broadside from a large frigate; yet, as many of theirofficers are of long standing, it is very probable that a squadron ofEnglish frigates may fall in with one of these vessels, the captain ofwhich would be authorised by his seniority to take the command of the wholeof them. We will suppose that this squadron falls in with the enemy, ofequal or superior force; can the officer in command lead on to the attack?If so, he will be sent down by the first broadside. If he does not, fromwhom are the orders to proceed during the action? The consequences would beas injurious as the arrangement is ridiculous.
The charter of the East India Company will soon expire; and if it is to berenewed, the country ought to have some indemnification for the threemillions which this colony or conquest (which you please) annually drawsfrom it. Now there is one point which deserves consideration: theconstitutional protection of all property is by the nation, and as a navalforce is required in India, that force should be supplied by the armamentsof the nation, at the expense of the Company. I have already proved thatthe Bombay Marine is a useless and incompetent service: let it be abolishedaltogether, and men-of-war be sent out to supply their place. It is mostimportant that our navy should be employed in time of peace, and ourofficers gain that practical knowledge without which the theoretical isuseless. Were this insisted upon, a considerable force would be activelyemployed, at no expense to the country, and many officers become valuable,who now are remaining inactive, and forgetting what previous knowledge theymay have acquired of their nautical duties.
At the same time, every East India ship should be compelled to take onboard her whole complement of English seamen, and not be half manned byLascars and Chinamen.
But I presume I must be careful how I attempt to legislate for thatcountry, or I shall have two tame elephants sent after me by the man _what_puts his hair in papers!
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