256 THE SEA. 



On June 10th two of the ships, the Leopard and Repulse, hauled down the flag of 

 mutiny, and sailed into the Thames; their example was soon followed by others. Parker 

 and his cause were lost. 



On the evening of June 14-th this miserable affair was at an end. The crew of the 

 Sandwich, Parker's own ship, brought that vessel under the guns of the fort at Sheerness, 

 and handed him as a prisoner to the authorities. Sixteen days afterwards he was hanged. 

 His wife presented a petition to the queen in favour of her wretched husband, and is 

 stated to have offered a thousand guineas if his life could be spared. But he, of all men 

 who were ever hanged, deserved his fate, for he had placed the very kingdom itself in 

 peril. Other executions took place, but very few, considering the heinousness of the 

 crime committed. Still, the Government knew that the men had been in the larger 

 proportion of cases more sinned against than sinning; and when later, Duncan's victory 

 over the Dutch fleet provided an occasion, an amnesty was published, and many who had 

 been confined in prison, some of them under sentence of death, were released. En passant, 

 it may be remarked that three marines were shot at Plymouth on July Cth of the same 

 year, for endeavouring to excite a mutiny in the corps, while another was sentenced to 

 receive a thousand lashes. 



The mutinous spirit evinced at Portsmouth, Plymouth, and the Nore spread even to 

 foreign stations. Had it not been for Duncan's manly and sensible appeal to his crew, 

 where there were some disaffected spirits, our naval supremacy might have been seriously 

 compromised as regards the Dutch. On board the Mediterranean Fleet, then lying off 

 the coast of Portugal, the mutineers had for a time their own way. The admiral 

 commanding, Lord St. Vincent, was, however, hardly the man to be daunted by any 

 number of evil-disposed fellows. He had only just before added to his laurels by another 

 victory over the enemies of his country. The ringleaders on board the flagship St. George 

 were immediately seized, brought to trial, and hanged the next day, although it was 

 Sunday, a most unusual time for an execution. Still further to increase the force of the 

 example, he departed from the usual custom of drawing men from different ships to assist 

 at the execution, and ordered that none but the crew of the Si. George itself should 

 touch a rope. The brave old admiral, by his energy and promptitude, soon quieted every 

 symptom of disaffection. 



The last of the mutinies broke out at the Cape of Good Hope, on October 9th of the 

 same year, when a band of mutineers seized the flagship of Admiral Pringle, and appointed 

 delegates in the same way as their shipmates at home, showing plainly how extended 

 was the discontent in the service, and how complete was the organisation of the insurgents. 

 Lord Macartney, who commanded at the Cape, was, however, master of the occasion. Of 

 the admiral the less said the better, as he showed the white feather, and was completely 

 non-plussed. Macartney manned the batteries with all the troops available, and ordered 

 red-hot shot to be prepared. He then informed the fleet that if the red flag was not at 

 once withdrawn, and a white one hoisted, he would open fire and blow up every ship 

 the crew of which held out. The admiral at the same time informed the delegates that 

 all the concessions they required had already been granted to the fleets at home, and of 

 course to thorn. In a quarter of an hour the red flag was hauled down, and a free pardon 



