52 WEYMOUTH AND THE WAR, 1802-3. 



Captain Wolfe and agrees to furnish him with "a sufficient 

 number of constables to assist him and preserve order," to 

 quote the narrative. Evidently the worthy naval officer, thus 

 assured, hoped to arrange everything quietly and peacefully. But 

 when he lands, the only constables he finds are two special 

 constables who are urging on the Portland mob! The Mayor 

 stands aside and lets the lawless element do what it will, and 

 does not dare to refuse to commit the men who fall into its 

 hands. In fact, as a Weymouth man, he has more sympathy 

 with the populace than with outer authorities, and probably 

 had some little local axes of his own to grind and sharpen as 

 well. At any rate there is some suggestion of this in the 

 comment the Author makes in a final foot-note. " We should 

 here state that the Court acquainted Captain Wolfe that he 

 had done wrong in communicating with the Mayor of Wey- 

 mouth when acting under an order from the King in Council." 

 In like fashion to the Mayor's conduct is that of the Coroner, 

 who told Captain Wolfe that his verdict of wilful murder " was 

 given in consequence of his dreading the resentment of the 

 populace had he acted more leniently." And he seems to say 

 this as a matter of course, feeling sure Captain Wolfe would 

 understand how very natural his behaviour was ! The whole 

 neighbourhood, the Isle of Portland, Weymouth, Wyke, 

 Rodwell and the coast villages near, all are concerned with the 

 "free trade," in wrecking, and, now war was coming, with 

 the fitting out of privateers. And everyone concerned is 

 deterniined he will not be interfered with in these paying 

 pursuits. And here emerge two other facts the strong vested 

 interests of the neighbourhood, and the keen eye to private 

 advantage of the local people. The Coroner, whose apology 

 to Captain Wolfe I have mentioned, seems to have hurried on 

 board the Aigle after returning his verdict against four of her 

 officers, to solicit his employment by them in making their 

 affidavits in defence ! This because he had heard that another 

 local attorney had been engaged by them ! Similarly a 

 Weymouth surgeon "waited upon Captain Wolfe and solicited 

 him to entrust the Aigle's wounded to his care, stating that he 



