300 



Monthly Review of Literature, 



[March, 



colours. The tlien existing government of 

 France had sent out not only an order, 

 menacing the commander with death who 

 struck, but aiso a small white silk ensign 

 to each ship, with " Vive la Repiihli(/ue" 

 inwrought on it. The French ships when 

 beaten ceased firing, and allowed us to 

 take possession of tliem, and haul down 

 their colours. The Vengeur, which sunk 

 after a terrible conflict with the Bnms- 

 wick, wliose captain fell rather early in 

 the action, and Miiich was then com- 

 manded by Lieutenant Cracraft, was fouglit 

 by desperate men. The officers of tliat 

 tliip were seen walking the stern gallery, 

 and in conversation when she was settling 

 by tlie head. We believe, that it is ge- 

 nerally tliought by naval men, that the 

 bold attack made by the orders of Lord 

 Howe, might, against a more skilful enemy, 

 liave exposed our fleet to uncommon 

 peril. The English fleet bore down in a 

 line abreast. The enemy were superior in 

 point of sailing, and might have received 

 this long line with a raking fire, and then 

 bore away for a while, then again haided up, 

 and renewed this raking fire, and so con- 

 tinued the battle until the masts and rig- 

 ging of oiu' fleet had materially suffered, if 

 they had continued such an attack. After 

 the battle, six disabled ships of the enemy 

 were to windward of our fleet — in other 

 words, our fleet was between them and 

 the beaten enemy : these disabled ships 

 were permitted to rejoin their beaten con- 

 sorts ; there is no doubt they might liave 

 been taken and added to the splendour of 

 the victory. This victory was of vital im- 

 jjortance, considering the state of Europe, 

 and tliat it was the commencement of a 

 war. 



How could a naval officer make so egre- 

 gious a blunder as the following ? It is a 

 blunder, too, of some consequence : he 

 tays that : — 



" On Uie 1st of June, the Marlborough behig dis- 

 - masted and disabled, and her Captahi, the Hon. G. 

 Berkeley, and licr first Lieutenant, Sir Michael Sc.u- 

 nidur, being both severely wounded, the remaining 

 officers were deliberating on the proi)riety of striking 

 to the enemy, when a cuck, having escaped from his 

 coop, suddenly perclied on the stump of the main- 

 mast, and crowed sufficiently loud to produce an 

 instantaneous cheer fore and aft." 



This is a cock and a bull story: Sir 

 Michael Seymour was the third lieutenant 

 of that ship. The present Admiral Monck- 

 ton was the first lieutenant. 



We cannot learn that any intention ever 

 existed, on board the Marlborough, of strik- 

 ing to the enemy. 



We have neither limits, nor information 

 sufficient, to say more of the critiques on 

 the naval battles. It has been, we know, 

 considered by great officers, a question, 

 whether the lines of Nelson's fleet at Tra- 

 falgar were too long, because in light 

 winds and a swell, the leading ships woiUd 

 be in action, at least, three-quarters of an 



hour before the rear ones could engage 

 with effect. It must too be remembered, 

 that firing lulls the wind, and so renders the 

 arrival of the sternmost ships more tardy. 

 The best written tale in the volume 

 is called the "Coast Blockade." It is 

 interesting, circumstantial, and dramatic. 

 The account of the naval captain, acting as 

 a civil judge, at Newfoundland, is amushig ; 

 and the following scene characteristic and 

 comic : — 



" The witness appearing resolutely determined 

 to be dull of comprehension, the judge forgot all 

 his assumed ofiicial dignity, and with great warmth 

 exclaimed, ' I tell you what it is, young fellow — 

 I'll bring you up with a round turn directly" — (not, 

 of course, that he meant to hang him). ' Answer 

 me directly, sir,' adding in an under tone, ' damn 

 the fellow ! he claps a stopper on all our proceed- 

 ings.' The witness still continuing to prevaricate, 

 the judge rose in a menacing attitude, and said, 

 " I have had enough of your traverse sailing, and 

 if you don't answer that plain question, by G— d I'll 

 give you three dozen directly :' all necessity for an 

 interpreter now vanished ; the witness answered ex- 

 plicitly — truth was elicited, and justice administered. 



Our author has entered on the subject 

 of punishment, in the same dashing man- 

 ner as thoughtless people usually do on 

 subjects of great importance, and attacks, 

 right and left, all those who have raised 

 their voices on this subject. Whenever 

 men are placed in authority, and with 

 power over others, they require restraints 

 of the strongest order to prevent any abuse 

 of that power. Will the author of these 

 volumes say, that there was no general 

 abuse of the power of inflicting punishment, 

 before tlie regulations which now restrain 

 them were issued by the Admiralty? No 

 naval man would dare to say, that the abuse 

 was not general, though not universal. 

 A short time after the promulgation of 

 these restricting regulations, which com- 

 pelled the captains to send a regular re- 

 turn of the men punished, the crime, 

 and number of lashes, the punishment 

 decreased more than one-half. It follows, 

 as clear as light follows darkness, that 

 there previously existed one-half the quan- 

 tity of punishment more than was neces- 

 sary. Let it be clearly understood, that 

 we are not whimpering advocates for the 

 abolition of the power of flogging : such 

 power is necessary ; but the power is so 

 great, that it requires the strictest re- 

 straints. Some men are passionate, some 

 unfeeling, some savage, and some fools ; 

 all these, and more even— for we must in- 

 clude the capricious — are all likely, nay, 

 almost certain, to ahuse their power — the 

 timid and effeminate are usually martinets : 

 indeed, it may be said, that there are 

 scarcely two instances of tyrants and mar- 

 tinets being gallant officers. Trace our 

 great and victorious naval chieftains from 

 Howard to Nelson — examine the chai-ac- 

 ters of our celebrated and successfid cap- 

 tains, and how many of these gallant spirits 

 will be foimd to have been severe in their 



