o_199m9vaui14ib1cnu10di10pocoj4h.pdf

22 THE NAVAL MUTINIES OF 1797
when scarcely half the petitions were finished, and before
the plans of the seamen were properly arranged.
The men from the Queen Charlotte and the Royal
George, in their tour round the fleet, boarded each ship
and addressed the crew. They had very wisely decided
that the officers should still be allowed to command the
ships, and that their orders should be obeyed as usual,
except in the matter of putting to sea. Each ship's
company was instructed to choose two x men to represent
the ship on a central committee, and to send these men
in the evening to the Queen Charlotte. For the present
the whole fleet was to remain passive, waiting until the
petitions were answered by the Admiralty. When the
boats came to the London, Admiral Colpoys, who was
in command of the ship, refused to let the men come on
board, and called out the marines. There might have
been a struggle, but the danger was averted by a message
from Bridport, that Colpoys should not resist the intruders.
They mounted the quarter-deck, and addressed
the crew in moderate terms. Then they withdrew to the
forecastle where (according to Colpoys's nephew, who
was captain of the London) "it is reasonable to suppose
a very different language was held." It is very probable
that the language held in the forecastle was only to
the effect that delegates should be chosen. Possibly,
also, the crew were asked whether they had any particular
grievances of their own.
1. It is an indication of Neale's inaccuracy that he was not sure
whether two or four delegates were sent from each ship. Towards the
end of the second mutiny at Spithead, Bridport and Captain Bedford
received letters from trie Royal Sovereign asking them to persuade
Gardner to return to the ship (J 293). The letters were signed by the
" Committee of the Royal Sovereign " : in two cases there were nine
names, in the third there were eleven. It appears, therefore, that this
ship had a committee of its own, distinct from the central committee of
delegates, and presumably there were similar committees on the other
ships. But these committees, in all probability, were only appointed in
the second mutiny, when a large number of officers were sent ashore.
During the first mutiny the officers were still in command, and there
could be very little use for committees on the separate ships. At the
Nore the officers were deprived of their authority, and each ship was
controlled by a committee, with a president who acted as the captain.