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ORIGIN OF THE MUTINIES 3*3
conjectured that the idea of a mutiny was introduced into
the fleet by men of a seditious character, who worked
deliberately to spread the disaffection among their fellowseamen.
Their motives will be discussed later: for the
present it is enough to say that for several months
persistent efforts had been made to bring about a general
mutiny. It was ascertained that a revolt had been
planned by United Irishmen, a year before the actual
outbreak. 1 In 1796 Wolfe Tone issued a proclamation
inviting the Irishmen in the fleet to rise in rebellion. 2
And Bridport was informed that a mutiny in his squadron
had been attempted in December. 3 But the agitation, in
so far as its object was political, only met with partial
success.* The fomenters of the mutiny were able to
arouse discontent among the seamen, but they did not
spread sedition. The effect which their arguments produced
in the minds of the seamen is suggested by the
events that led up to the Mutinies.
It seems that as early
as December 1796 there was a general desire in the
Channel fleet for a redress of grievances. But although
the idea of a mutiny must have been familiar at that time
to most of the members of the fleet,
they were unwilling
to adopt sjuch a violent measure until they had tried to
secure redress by means of petitions to the Admiralty.
It was only when two sets of petitions had been written,
and had been disregarded by the authorities, that the
^. Cooke to Greville, 21 June, A.S.I. 4172.
**2.
Memoirs, vol. ii, pp. 326-328. The proclamation is quoted below,
pp. 331—332. The date is not certain, but there is reason for believing
that it was 1796.
3. Bridport to Nepean, 17 April, A.S.I. 107, J 207.
4. Graham in his letter of 22 May (A.S.I. 4172) gave an interesting
commentary on this want of success :
" I am persuaded from the
conversation I have had with so many of the sailors that if any man
upon earth had dared openly to avow his intentions of using them as
instruments to distress the country, his life would have paid the
forfeit." Graham's visit to Portsmouth lasted about a fortnight.
During that time he had frequent interviews with the seamen, on shore
and in boats in the harbour. He made particular efforts to win the
confidence of Valentine Joyce. But the seamen were too loyal or too
cautious to afford him any evidence of a political intention in the
mutiny. Joyce could probably have done so if he had had the
inclination.