208 | 
the navy. Theprincipal of thesewas, 
a 1igorous discipline too severely 
maintained, and the harsh behaviour 
tothe men of several of their officers, 
especially of those for whom they,en- 
tertained little respect, and whom 
they represented as most forward, 
atall times, to exercise authority in 
the most odious manner. Another 
cause, not so frequently mentioned, 
but not the Jess real, was the striking 
disproportion observed in the distri- 
bution of prize-mouey: this they 
considered not only:as inequitable, 
but as a proof of the contempt in 
which they were held by their 
officers ; and yet, it was evident, 
that, to the bravery of the seamen, 
was principally due the success in 
most engagements. 
These latent causes of discontent, 
by the contagion of a general spirit 
of inquiry into rights, natural and 
conventional, were kindled, in the 
navy, into an open flaine. 
That part of the fleet which led 
the way, in expressing discontent, 
was the division commanded by Jord 
Bridport, and yet no symptoms of 
this nature had been perceived by 
the officers. Hence, it was sur- 
mised, thata spirit of dissatisfaction 
had been diffused into the shipscom- 
panies, by those who had lately en- 
tered among them : several of whom 
were known to be of qualifications 
superior to the situation to. which 
they were diviven by unprosperous 
circumstances, and, in some degree, 
allured by the greatness of the boun- 
ties given Of these, several were 
discovered afterwards to have been 
disqualified attorneys, and cashiered 
excisemen, clerks dismissed from 
employment, and other individuals 
in similar cases. It was also sug- 
gested, that, besides these, many 
persons had entered on-board the 
ANNUAL REGIS 
TER, 1797. 
ships, as common, seamen, come- 
pletely qualified to breed disturb- 
ances, by acting in that station, and 
selected, for that very purpose, by 
the enemies of government. 
Certain it is, that the plan of 
operations, concerted among the 
disaffected, evinced great judgment 
andsagacity. They were conducted 
with spirit and ability, and plainly 
shewed, that the authors were per- 
sons of no coutemptible capacities ; 
as no measures could have been 
taken more effectually conducive 
to the end proposed, 
The first motice given; we dis- 
satished. spirit in the navy, was to 
lord Howe. Inthe course'of Fe- 
bruary and March, he received se- 
veral letters, . inclosing petitions, 
from different. ships companies, in 
the channel fleet. They were ano- 
nymous, and asked for no more than 
an increase of pay, to enable them 
to provide better for their families. 
These petitions appeared obviously 
to proceed from one person ; the 
style and hand-writing being the 
same in each. The noveltv of the 
circumstance, however, induced 
Jord Howe to «make particular in- 
guiry, from the commanding officer 
at Portsmouth, whether any dissatis- 
faction prevailed in the fleet. He 
was answered in the ‘negative, and- 
the whole represented. as a scandal+ 
ous endeavour to give government 
to understand, that the navy disap- 
proved of their conduct in that de- 
partment. 
The admiralty, to salted aera 
Howe transmitted these petitions, 
seemed to-be of the same opinion, 
and they were laid by without far- 
ther notice ; when, suddenly, .the 
transactions that took place, at.Ports 
mouth shewed that they were only 
the prelude to proceedings of much 
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