The real danger came from the many more anonymous writers and printers of penny tracts, of a true rebellious, blood-thirsty nature, who called for real radicalism-even if everything had to go up in flames!
And as industry grew by leaps-and-bounds, so did the first tentative workers' guilds (not owners guilds) and trade unions, although the government had outlawed them. Many a tavern, pub, music hall, coffee house, and printing shop was a forum for dissent and a fertile Petri dish for revolutionary fervour.
In the spring of 1797, therefore, England had never been closer to massive uprisings of the Mob, the Have- Nots, the Voiceless. And the war had just resulted in the introduction of the first-ever income tax! Even middle- class shopowners and tenant farmers could be disaffected!
Which is why books like James Dugan's, The Great Mutiny, and Mr. Johnathon Neale's, The Cutlass And The Lash, which cover the Spithead and Nore mutinies, are not catalogued under Naval History, but can be found under Industrial Relations!
The first mutiny in Channel Fleet at Spithead and later down the coast at Plymouth scared the Be-Jesus out of everybody, though it was, as I wrote of it, a rather respectful and dignified 'jack-up,' a strike without smashed machinery, punishment for scabs (for the simple reason that no one in his right mind would trade places with sailors, in those days!), or threats against the nation. No one was hanged when it was over, and the principal organiser, speaker, and representative-Valentine Joyce-went on to participate in many battles. There was no talk of revolution. The Duke of Portland's agents sifted and probed all over Portsmouth and could find no sign that it had been sponsored by anyone ashore, or from overseas either.
The Spithead Mutiny was well-organised; the ships involved were united by prior service and contact because they had been based together, sailed together, and worked and fought together for several years.
Admiral Lord Howe-'Black Dick, the Seaman's Friend'-met a respectful, pleasant reception when he went down, at long last, to sit with the delegates and settle things. Whatever sentiments among those (for the most part) worthless Quota Men or the infiltrators from the United Irishmen never arose. It was strictly over conditions, money, shore leave, and such that they'd mutinied, and they were intelligent enough to keep it that way.
By the way, the pay rise wasn't much, a few more shillings per month for all. The Victualling Board still tried to foist off their flour for fresh meat, but the weights and measures were altered, and they got rid of the worst officers-Lord Bridport among them. All officers had been sent ashore at Spithead and Plymouth, and Admiral Howe and the delegates listed officers and mates to be denied a return by the posts they held, not their names. Without formal courts-martial and lower-class common seamen as witnesses against the Quality, their reputations remained intact. And, as I related, it only applied down at Channel Fleet, a thing only to be abided by HM government once!
This caused problems later. If Lieutenant Algy Whiphand was the First Officer of HMS Flagellant and got turned out because he was born a brutal, wall-eyed bastard, he's still free and in good odour with Admiralty when assigned to another ship, since his name was not put on paper, only his position. And, years later, if he runs into some mutineers from Flagellant aboard HMS Pederasty, and he has a long memory, then God help the former mutineers!
There were also some senior officers who got 'yellow squadroned' as unfit for future sea commissions; the Spithead Mutiny at least weeded out a fair number of 'gummers' and overaged ninnies who weren't worth a pinch o' pig-shit already, and action was taken about the real bastards who delighted in abusing their crews. But it didn't cull many of the middle and lower-ranks who'd go on to command ships later-those who were of the 'off-with-their-heads' persuasion to start with, and were utterly convinced, after the mutinies, that their sailors were the scum of the earth forevermore.
Lewrie met quite a few real people in this book, such as Commissioner Proby at Chatham, who really did christen HMS Bellerophon on a night of winter gales, after she'd launched herself! Whether Proby really believed the sentiments I gave him (for dramatic effect) I do not know, and I'll thank his family to keep a cool head and lose the phone number of their solicitors if I portrayed him as more romantic or mystic than he really was. Evan Nepean's descendants too.
Vice-Admiral Buckner and Commissioner Captain Hartwell at the Nore were real people too. Poor Buckner, he really did command all, and nothing, no matter his vaunting title. Admiralty lost patience with him 'round the beginning of June 1797, and shipped Admiral Lord Keith down to dictate in their name, whilst still signing orders in Buckner's name; but the old fellow was relieved soon after it ended. Thomas McCann and Richard Parker…
In Dugan's The Great Mutiny (the year-long loan of which I am most heartily grateful for from Bob Enrione's personal collection!) Thomas McCann was limned as a loose cannon. He'd been in HMS Sandwich but had been sent ashore to the naval hospital for skin ulcers, where he railed against almost everything, though his main complaint was the quality of the beer, and hoisted a red flag from the hospital's roof! McCann was such an irritating and fiery rabble-rouser that, towards the end of the mutiny, he was kicked off his own ship, and none other would accept him aboard, sure every man-jack would be hanged if found within a mile of him. And he was the irksome sort who could turn missionaries into mass-murderers! That incident when McCann demanded the arms-chest keys-that really occurred, but aboard Captain William 'Breadfruit' Bligh's HMS Director (3rd Rate, 64-gun). Bligh told him rather calmly (given his allergic reaction to mutiny by then!) that he couldn't have them, and McCann went bug- eyed, 'snot-slingin' ' nuts, howling, 'By God, was I in Director I'd have the arms-chest keys!' Though he was, at the moment, aboard that ship and armed to the teeth to boot!
Richard Parker was a more enigmatic character, because no one I could find for research knew much about him. Richard Parker had entered the Navy young, had been a Master's Mate, perhaps a Midshipman, and was reputed to have gained a Lieutenant's commission, before challenging his captain, Edward Riou, to a duel! Dismissed from the service, Parker tried his hand as a private tutor, teacher, and schoolmaster, essayed a few commercial pursuits, but failed at each. He last enlisted under his own name in Scotland, was now married, and deep in debt. He wangled a Ј30 Joining Bounty to support his wife while he was at sea-a main-well job of negotiating, that-and was in HMS Sandwich.
There is no record that Parker ever called himself the President of the ' Floating Republic ' or Admiral of the Nore Fleet; he must have had some sense, after all! He did sign himself as the President of the Fleet Delegates though, which was enough to get him hung in the end.
After being tossed out of the Royal Navy, Richard Parker simply must have been infected with radical (small R) republican grievances. As a failed 'gentleman' who could not make a decent living, his grudge against Society must have been stoked by London Corresponding Society newspapers and tracts, to a certain extent-though not, perhaps, as red-hot as Bales's/ Rolston's grudges. In fact, compared to the majority of the Fleet Delegates, Parker might have been considered a moderate! He was educated and literate, more so than the rest, able to pen a telling letter, and the perfect choice of the wild-eyed radicals who appointed him spokesman and president. Later, for trying to quell the greater foolishnesses of his fellow delegates, he was punished by the end of his presidency every night at eight bells, re-elected every morning at eight bells, so they could keep him
under their thumbs!
It was Parker, though, whose limited knowledge of legislation and his misperceptions, (from what I could gather) who led the mutineers into thinking the Acts of Parliament settling the Spithead Mutiny were mere Orders- in-Council or, even if a real Act or Acts, good but for a year-and-a-day. Poor, misguided fellow-he even failed when acting as his own attorney at his court martial; victim of his belief that he was capable. And a man who did not lead, quite as much as he was pushed from below!
'A British naval historian told the author (James Dugan) in 1963, '… Ah, the Nore! Nobody will ever understand the Nore!' '
Compared to Spithead, the Nore Mutiny was a disorganised mess and a lot more violent. None of the mutineers were as familiar with each other as the Channel Fleet and Spithead ships had been. The comment has been made that Spithead was 'leaders looking for supporters'… whilst the Nore was a disgruntled 'herd' looking for leaders; and they found people like McCann and Parker and other firebrands-to their great loss.
