510] ANNUAL REGI 
Ous a spirit of discontent, the con- 
sequences of which, if it were not 
timely suppressed, might prove ruin- 
ous to the tfation in its most essen- 
tial interests, by throwing open tbe 
channel, and all the neighbouring 
seas, to the uncontrouled « dominion 
of the Trench fleets and craizers. 
These would not fail, upon the first 
intelligence of the variance between 
the British ficets and the govern- 
ment, to avail themselves, with all 
speed, of so favourable an opportus 
nity of distressing the trade and the 
navigation of this country. 
‘Lhe first lord of the admiralty, 
eat] Spencer, accompanied by lord 
Arden, andadmiral YOURE, repaired, 
accordingly, to Portsmouth, where 
they directly proceeded to,take into 
consideration the petition that had 
been transmitted to the. board. 
They authorized lord Bridport to 
inform the ships companies, that 
they would recommend it to the 
king, to propose to parliament an 
auguientation of pay, to the seamen 
in the navy, at the rate of. four 
shillings a month to petty officers 
and able seamen ; three shillings to 
ordinary seamen ; and two shillings 
to Jandmen. Seamen wounded in 
action were also to continue in the 
receipt of their pay, till cured or 
declared unable to serve, when they 
should be allowed a pension, or ad- 
mitted*into Greenwich-nospital. 
To this notification the 
replied, by requesting that the long+ 
established distinctions in the navy, 
of able and ordinary seamen, should 
be retained: the pay of the former 
to be raised to one shilling a day, 
and that of petty officers and ordi- 
nary-seamen in the usual propor- 
tion: they also requested that the 
pay of the marines, while on board, 
should ‘be the same as of ordinary 
seamen , 
S Perk, 179%, 
seamen, and that the pensions of 
Greenwich-hospital should be ine 
creased to ten pounds. 
On the twentieth of April, the 
lords of the admiralty notified to 
Jord Bridport their compliance with 
the demands of the seamen, direct- 
ing him to make it known through 
the fleet, and to require, in conse- 
quence, an immediate return of the 
people to their duty, on pain of for- 
feiting their right to smart-money, 
to pensions from the chest of Chat- . 
ham, and to an admission into 
Greenwich-hospital, and of being 
made -responsible for the conse- 
quences that might ensue from the 
continuance of their disobedience. 
They were informed, at the same 
time, that an unqualified pardon, 
for all that bad passed, would be 
granted to every ship’s company 
that should, within one hour of 
these resolutions being communi- 
cated to them, submit to their of- 
ficers, and cease to hold farther in- 
tercourse with those who remained 
in a state of mutiny. 
On the twenty-first, admirals 
Gardner, Cc!poys, and Poole, went 
on-board the Royal Charlotte, in 
order to confer with the delegates, 
who explicitly informed them, that 
it was the determination of the 
crews, to agree to nothing that 
should not be sanctioned by par- 
liament, and guaranteed by the 
king’s proclamation. Admiral Gard- 
_ ner was so irritated by this declara- 
tion, that he seized one of the 
delegates by the collar, and swore 
he would have them all hanged, 
with every fifth man throughout 
the fleet. This behaviour of the 
admiral so exasperated the ship’s 
company of, the Queen Chariotte, 
that it was with difficulty he escaped 
with his life. 
The 
