The King`s Coat

abusing Forrester… and bragging about what they bad done in tbeir free time ashore.

I don't know these people that well, Lewrie thought, at a loss to explain the seeming affection from people in his subdivision, his watch. I know names and faces, who works and who hangs back. Maybe I've gotten some of them a rating and they think I'm due. I haven't tried to be popular. Don't tell me they have any real love for me…

He tried to be cynical about it, but it was touching aU the same, running another delusion about the Navy squarely on the rocks. He had to admit that, for the most part, they were good men, able and well trained, but not the sort he'd have in for a joint and a bottle and a yam if he were back home in London. Pressed or volunteer, one could no longer tell. But then he wasn't back home, was he? Lewrie soon gave up wondering about it as Desperate restocked. While the dockyard supplied most of the labor, steady men were picked to help out for extra pay in ferrying out fresh food and replacements for their depleted stores of bread, spirits and consumables.

Lewrie took Dr. Dome and Mr. Cbeatham ashore to select several bullocks for fresh meat while Desperate was in port, along with fresh flour, raisins, sugar and fixings for plenty of figgy-dowdys or duffs.

Dome was also to make sure that Cheatham purchased cases of fresh hard-skinned acid fruit. Commander Treghues was of the opinion that the rob of lemons, limes and oranges had been the best anti-scorbutic the late Captain Cook had found against scurvy on his worldwide voyages. Dr. Dome clung to the theory that bad air from the bilges caused scurvy. Had the rate of the disease dropped once Hales' Patent Ventilators had been installed to air the spaces below the waterline? Yes, it had. But Dome was not about to question a commander's decision.

Dr. Dome was an untidy man, though fussy about his appearance, and was one of the few men Lewrie had seen who wore a wig in the tropics as a matter of course. Perhaps because he was vain about going bald, he was never seen without his horsehair appliance. But he was considered a good surgeon. able to take off a limb in seconds, never causing unnecessary pain in the process, though he'd had little call for his skills so far. He could lance a boil, tend to rope burns, fit a truss, provide ointment for saltwater rashes and swore his fifteen-shilling mercury cure for the pox was devilish fine. He was also an easy touch for a late-night drink or a good book to read.

Cheatham, the purser, was a real puzzle. First of all, why should someone leave the Kentish fruit trade for the uncertain life of the sea where the profit margins were so low on issued stores, where any cheating beyond the Victualing Board's fourteen ounces to the pound would be noticed by the men and complained about right smartly? Even slops at twelve percent profit could not sustain him, and Lewrie had yet to find him listing discharged men as big users of tobacco or sundry other items. Yet Cheatham always smiled, had no more complaints than most. and his books balanced nicely. He had a 'lay' somewhere that was paying handsomely, or he had a wish to die poor. Only time would tell the truth.

Lewrie came back aboard littered with chicken feathers after ferrying the last major items on the gun room's shopping lists, and was told to wash up and muster aft in the captain's cabins at the beginning of the First Dog Watch. He was welcomed in by the officers and senior warrants. Commander Treghues' servant was circulating with claret and pouring liberally. ’Gentlemen, I have summoned you aft to announce some good fortune that has come our way,' Treghues began, glass in hand. 'Good fortune for every hand, every man-jack.’

Railsford sat nearby, already in on the secret and smiling at his ease for once now that the ship was anchored and nothing could go wrong to upset a first lieutenant's peace-for a while, at least. ’Admiral Sir Onsley Matthews has informed me that the Admiralty Prize Court has made a determination on some of our recent prizes. In their infinite wisdom they have found time for our tawdry little affairs instead of dealing exclusively with Admiral Rodney and St. Eustatius.’

Bloody hell, quit being coy and get on with it! Lewrie had noticed that Treghues loved the sound of his own voice and wit. 'Since April we have taken two brigs, a brigantine, two schooners and two local sloops in these waters. That does oot count our latest two prizes.' Treghues went on to enumerate all the various war supplies denied the rebels, all the outwardbound products, until Lewrie was ready to scream. ’My agent informs me,' Treghues said with the slightest glance to his right, which Lewrie spotted. It was Cheatham! He was the prize agent. There was five percent total in it for him. No wonder he smiled all the time. 'We have amassed a total of Ј14,551,8 shillings 9 pence. And… we shall receive a partial payout tomorrow… in gold!' The tumult which resulted would have raised the hair of Mohawk Indians, and Lewrie was sure that the full news was already circulating on the lower deck barely before the words had drawled out ofTreghues' mouth.

Sir Onsley would get an eighth. Two-eighths would go to Treghues. The officers-Railsford, Lieutenant Peck, Mr. Monk, Dr. Dome and Cheatham-split an eighth; the senior warrants, master's mates and Admiral Matthews' secretary split an eighth; the midshipmen, petty officers, quartermasters and their mates, the bosun's mate and a few others took an eighth; and the rest of the crew received the final two-eighths. Lewrie did some rapid calculations. He would get a little over seventy-two pounds, more than a lieutenant made in a 1st Rate ship of the line for a year's work! Naturally, he would not see ten pounds of it in real money, but it was welcome. ’Now there's going to be about three pounds per man paid out in coin and the rest in certificates. I want you all to warn your men in your watches and divisions to watch out for the sharks who'll try to buy them out for twenty percent in ready money,' Treghues warned. 'I believe there'll be some few who have allotment papers on the books who'll want it forwarded all, or in part, to their parents or families. We're anchored far enough out to prevent someone going out a gun port, and Antigua is an island, after all. Each of you pick out the men most likely to run, and let the rest go ashore for a two-day leave. Mister Lewrie, you have a good copperplate hand. See my clerk and begin writing out blank leave-tickets. Mind you, any man who runs, or overstays his leave, ruins it for the rest of his subdivision or watch, and I'll have him run the gauntlet when he's fetched back aboard. I want to see liberty lists tomorrow in the forenoon.’

Another idea foundered, Lewrie thought, amazed at what he learned from Treghues, for all his coyness and preachifying. No one had talked to him of leave. He assumed the men stayed aboard from the beginning of the commission 'tit the ship paid off, without a chance to go ashore except in a supervised working party. But if the man was owed back pay and prize money, it made sense to let him have his fun ashore, especially on an island. How could he walk away from two years' wages, and enough in prize-certificates to set him up for life? And the crew had been together for a long while; they were used to each other, less eager to change their situation for something new. How much had poor Harrison sacrificed back there in Portsmouth when he took 'leg-bail' and ran inland with his skinny little wife? 'Admiral Matthews also informs me that whatever we lack in manpower shall be made good at his personal selection,' Treghues told them after they had calmed down from the momentous news. 'This is quite an honor for us to receive, possibly the last people personally spoken for by our squadron admiral before he hauls down his flag.’

What? Lewrie thought, almost choking on Treghues' excellent claret Hauling down his flag? How soon? God, there goes my one source of interest in the West Indies. Now what the hell's going to happen to me? He had been in the fleet long enough to know that petticoat influence in London did not count for that much-civilians could not get into naval affairs. Petticoat influence was only good when the petticoats controJIed naval influence.

Officers normally gathered to them in their ships, and in their squadrons and fleets and staffs, men they could count on, from able seamen to post-captains, and were judged by how wisely they chose proteges to sponsor and promote and aid throughout their careers. They also expected others of their close acquaintance to aid their followers, and were prepared to aid followers of others in a fair swap of 'interest.’

There was only one requirement that never varied-you could not advance a total fool, for the abiding needs of the Navy came first, last and always. And it took a certain political skill to play the game right. Admiral Rodney did not, had recommended poor choices and promoted unprepared people when in command of foreign stations beyond the immediate reach of Whitehall, abusing the system, angering friends. ’Do you need some water, Mister Lewrie?' Tregbues asked. 'No, thankee, sir. I was already spending my share on a very tasty meal.' Lewrie coughed. ’Got carried away, eh? Remember to swallow first, that's always the way. A midshipman's stomach controls his brains, and then there's all hell to pay.' Treghues chuckled.

Lewrie did not in the least feel like smiling, but it was a social occasion and he had to show a civil face, so he grinned sheepishly, which was what midshipmen were good at… was what Treghues expected from his young