A STORY OF THE SEA

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 297, 4 June 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

A STORY OF THE SEA

When, in 1793, Admiral Duucan, having 1 at last gained his " flag,', was appointed to command the North Sea floet, tbinga were looking very bad for England. After such mistakes as Great Britain had committed in America, and such mis-foi-tuues as her allies had experienced on the Continent of Europe, any other nation would have given way in despair. Even such a roan as William Pitt could at times soe no bottom to the abyss and no salvation but peace. What saved Great Britain and the cause of freedom was her doggedness, and, above all, her command of the sea. . . . The crisis became more and more acute in the last years of tho century. At auy moment the French might dominate the Channel, or the Dutch might be in tho Thames. Its fortunes were embarked on board each and every fleet it possessed. It was in these circumstances that Admiral Duncan was told off to watch for a powerful Dutch fleet known to be lyiosr in the Texel, with the intention of conveying a French army over to England or Ireland at the first favourable opportunity. Not only was thsre that fleet, scarcely less in naval repute than England's own, lying with in couple of days' sail of the English coast, but ieternal circumstances mado the moment a profoundly anxious one for everyone who loved this country. Tho famous mutiny at the Nore had just occurred, and Admiral Duncan had to keep one eye on the outside enemy and one on the discontented seamen, upon whom he relied to fight them. Fortunately for those islands, the fleet stationed off Yarmouth was not so wholly mutinous as that in the mouth of tho Thames. Yet it was bad enough, and a more painful or exciting passage in naval history was never described than that upon which new light is thrown in these pages. When Admiral Duncan ordered bis ships to go out to meet the enemy, who was believed to be in the very act of starling for the invasion of England, tho men made sail, it is true- and then disregarding the orders and treaties of their officers, hoisted the red flag in defiance at every mast head, and putting a rebellious quartermaster in charge on every quarterdeck, went away, not to Holland, but to join the other mutinous crews at the Kore 1 Admiral Duncan arrived off Texel with one ahip besides his own, and counted ninety-five vessels of all kinds ranged against him. What he ought to have done in logic under those circumstances must always remain a disputable point; what ho did was crowned by that justifying success which Providence so often awards to (he adventurous. With his two ships he sailed straight into tho narrow harbour channel, and anchoring them thoro defied the armada within to come out aud fight'. It was an act of desperate valour which brought its own reward with it. The enemy, with common <<ense on their side, could not bolieve that two ships of the line, even though they were English, would offer battle to 20, hacked by innumberablo frigates and lesser ships. It was certain, they argued, that a powerful hostile force was in the offing to back the heroic vessels grimly waiting at their gates, and not a Dutchman would move on any consideration. The British crews stood by their arms three days and three nights, then the wind changed, the acuteness of the crisis was over, and the Admiral proceeded by manreuvreing of his ships and signalling to an imaginary fleet, to trade u pou the impression he saw he had made until help could be seut out to him from home.

Probably England had never been in greater danger of successful invasion than during that week, when Admiral Duncan—the Horatius Codes of the sea —stood with a couple of bravo ships' crews against her powerful enemies. But the opportunity passed ; the mutiny of the Nore died out and the British fleet was soon in a position to oii'er battle ones more on equal terms. The chanoe came shortly afterwards. The Dutch armada sailed reluctantly from Imrbour, and was pounced upon by its eager rivals. Tho Lo "danders, for one reason or another, did not want to fight, though they stood to their juiib gallantly enough when tho time came. The English, en the other hand, were burning to revive their somowhat faded laurels. Ono brief passage will illustrate the spirit, that moved them, from the highest to the lowest : The Belliquex, G-i guns, had been amongst tho most mutinous of Admiral Duncan's ships, but she took this occasion to redeem her character. Captain Tnglis, a Scotsman, belonging to East Lothian, who had a rather hasty temper, had neglected to make himself a complete master of the signal book, and on the morning of the battle found himself more puzzled than enlightened by it. At last, throwing it upon the deck, ho exclaimed in broad Scotch, "D , &c, &c, tho book ! Up wi' the hel-lom, and gang into the middle o't " And " into tho middle o't" the Belliqueux weut with all tho other ships, tho low hills behind Campordown echoed to the thunder of a furious fight, and when it was over the most powerful naval force which could bo manned by a hostile Europe was practically destroyed, and England once more undisputed mistress of the seas.