364 THE FALMOTTTH MUTINY OF 1810. 



to their ships. It was felt necessary to mark the occasion in 

 some signal way, and the idea of removing the packets to 

 Plymouth, which had entered Mr. Saverland's mind on the 30 th 

 Oct., occurred quite independently to the Secretary of the 

 Treasury on the same day. It thus happened, that the Secretary 

 of the Post Office, on repairing to Whitehall on the 3 1 st Oct. , to 

 suggest the adoption of this plan, found that it was already 

 being favourably considered ; and on the same day instructions 

 were sent to Sir Robert Oalder to despatch forthwith to 

 Falmouth, a force sufficient to navigate the packets round to 

 Plymouth. 



The news fell like a thunderbolt on Falmouth. It was 

 received on the 2nd November, and even Mr. Saverland was 

 not prepared for it. The sailors had, as already stated, returned 

 to their ships, and the step appeared so little necessary, that 

 the agent thought that his chiefs in London must have failed to 

 comprehend how much the situation had improved, and he 

 consequently sent off an express, with a full report. The 

 measure was, however, dictated by a strong feeling that it was 

 necessary once for all to show the seamen and the inhabitants of 

 Falmouth that they were not masters of the position. It was 

 felt, not unjustly, that the danger and inconvenience of any 

 interruption of the postal service, was great enough to warrant 

 the department in giving a severe lesson ; and the decision to 

 remove the packets was consequently persisted in. 



On the 6th November, H.M.S. " North Star," accom- 

 panied by a frigate and two sloops-of-war, entered Falmouth 

 harbour, and set sail again for Plymouth, in company with six 

 packets. On first reaching Plymouth, the packets lay in 

 Hamoaze, while a temporary office was secured for the Agent 

 and his staff at the " Fountain Inn." 



It was not long before agent, officers, and men, wished 

 themselves heartily back at Falmouth. "Writing to the Secretary 

 of the Post Office on the 13th Nov., Mr. Saverland says, "I hope 

 the packets will not remain here, as a fixed station. If they do 

 the establishment must be greatly increased, and the correspond- 

 ence delayed. Both the West India and the American mails 

 were ready yesterday, by about noon ; but, what with the 

 passengers in different and distant inns, the packets in different 



