JERVIS. 107 



31. JOHN JERVIS. 



JOHN JERVIS, ADMIRAL LORD ST. VINCENT, was born January 9, 1735, in Staf- 

 fordshire, England. He entered the navy January 4, 1749, became lieutenant in 

 1755, and participated in the conquest of Quebec in 1759, being made commander 

 the same year. During the next twelve or fifteen years he traveled somewhat 

 widely through Europe, making professional notes. During the American Revo- 

 lution he commanded in the English Channel, participated at Gibraltar, and was 

 for years in Parliament. From 1793 to 1795, as vice admiral, he cooperated with 

 the army in the conquest of the French islands in the West Indies. As Admiral, 

 in 1795, he took command of the Mediterranean fleet, facing the allied fleets of 

 France and Spain. In 1797, off Cape St. Vincent, he defeated the allies against 

 heavy odds (in which affair Nelson won great honors), and was made Earl St. 

 Vincent. His health having broken down, he resigned his command in 1799, but 

 later took command of the Channel fleet and subsequently was, for some time, first 

 lord of the admiralty. In 1810 he retired. He died in 1823. He had married his 

 cousin, Martha Parker, who died childless, 1816. 



The most striking traits that Jervis showed were the following: 



Self-reliance. His father wished him to follow law, but he preferred the 

 advice of his father's coachman; and when he had once evinced his predilection 

 for the sea no expostulations on the part of his parents could shake him. When 

 his uncle got him placed, through the admiralty, on a guardship at the age of 13 

 years, he concluded that he should be going on some expedition of importance and 

 volunteered for regular service. When he drew on his father for 20 and the draft 

 came back protested, he says: "I immediately changed my mode of living, quitted 

 my mess, lived alone, and took up the ship's allowance, washed and mended my 

 own clothes, made a pair of trousers out of the ticking of my own bed." When 

 he had leave on hah" pay he traveled over Europe to get a first-hand view of condi- 

 tions. At sea he used his unlimited power, and would quell mutiny by hanging 

 or flogging those of his men who offended him. His opinions of his officers were 

 formed with great independence and held tenaciously. In action he showed 

 resource in a moment of danger. As for himself he despised cant, prized inde- 

 pendence, and was fearless in decision. As head of the admiralty he was a vigor- 

 ous and thoroughgoing reformer and applied the same autocratic methods there 

 that he had employed on shipboard. 



Administrative ability. Jervis was extremely industrious and a great 

 organizer and disciplinarian. He studied hard, and had surprising aptitude and 

 a fine memory for all branches of professional and general knowledge. He under- 

 stood human nature and ruled his men "by a wise combination of prompt severity 

 tempered by judicious clemency." To his discipline and his organization of his 

 squadron the success of the battles of St. Vincent and, to a certain extent, Nelson's 

 squadron at the Nile, were due. "The instant repair of any damages to the ships, 

 whether caused by storrn or battle, was almost a mania with him." In the ad- 

 miralty he reformed notorious corruptions in the dockyards. 



He was always energetic. When on half pay he went to France and nearly 

 ruined his health in study to make up early deficiencies in his education. Again, 

 in time of peace, he entered Parliament. At 71 years of age he took up with 

 alacrity the command of the Channel fleet and carried out a naval campaign. It 

 is said that he was extremely punctual in all his concerns, even the most trifling, 

 and "answered every letter the moment he received it." His father also was a 



