Mutiny

_{'Do be seated. A muzzier, Henry? I heard you were accosted by the mob.'}

_{'If you please, Prime Minister.'}

_{'Good. Now, this is the essence.' Pitt's pale, noble face was slashed with lines of strain.}

_{Windham wondered how any single person could take the whole weight of this utterly new kind of war, let alone keep aloof from the fierce political brawling in the Commons every day.}

_{'The situation abroad is critical.' Taking up his port Pitt gestured to Grenville to continue.}

_{'Indeed. Since Rivoli the Austrians have lost heart. I now find they are dickering secretly with General Buonaparte for peace, their price Venice - which, of course, is now in his gift. We've been thrown out of the Mediterranean, not a ship further in than Gib, and we find that the French by autumn will be in occupation of the left bank of the Rhine. This is something that last happened a thousand years ago.' Grenville stopped, and looked grimly about the table. 'In short, we've not a single friend left. The coalition is finished.'}

_{Pitt put down his glass with extreme care. 'The whole business of war has put an intolerable stress on our resources. The National Debt frightens me, and I won't hide it from you, gentlemen, that unless a miracle occurs or we can think of a radical new way of taxing, we shall be bankrupted.'}

_{The Home Secretary muttered indistinctly; the others stared grimly.}

_{'You will ask what more can happen — then I shall tell you. If our standing abroad is so sadly diminished, our domestic is worse. Those bad harvests leave us with precious litde to show for four years of war, we are balanced on a knife edge of economics, but our precious trade, the life-blood of our islands, this is to be guarded with all we have. And we nearly lost it all to those mutinous wretches at Spithead. Fortunately they've been appeased, and Dundas tells me the Channel fleet is now back at sea again. A damn near thing, gentlemen, for a run on 'Change would ruin us in every chancellory in Europe.'}

_{His eyes glazed, and he made a visible effort to recruit his strength. 'Now, it seems, we have a new mutiny, this time at the Nore. I was assured — the Admiralty were confident — this would blow over just as soon as we'd acceded in the Spithead case. But now, far from returning to duty, they're making new demands and saying our general pardon doesn't cover them. The admiral in those parts — that useless ninny — says that guns have been fired at a king's ship, and the Sheerness fort has been bombarded.}

_{'My friends, this is a far more serious matter altogether. Grenville has unimpeachable intelligence that the Dutch are preparing a major fleet challenge from the Texel at the goading of the French. If they succeed by our ships useless at their moorings, then they can within hours secure the Channel for a massed landing. If they get wind of this mutiny it will be all up with us, I fear.'}

_{He finished his port in one and set down his glass. 'I — we cannot withstand a second mutiny and consequent concessions. This administration would certainly fall. Added to which, each hour the mutineers are free to strut about is encouragement to every crackpot radical in the land. As we talk, Sheerness is en fete for their mutinous heroes, and the garrison is now considered unreliable. What we are faced with must be accounted the worst crisis I have ever encountered.}

_{'So, I want suggestions, plans, strategies, anything, but this rising must be stopped - now! Charmed or crushed, it has to be over speedily and the ringleaders punished, visibly. I trust I'll have your strongest recommendation for action.}

_{'Oh, and quite incidentally, I have the Lord Chancellor's ruling on the applicability of the King's Pardon to the Nore. It is that the mutineers were right in the essentials, their offences are indeed not within the purview of the Spithead pardon.'}

 

_{'Th' poxy, slivey, cuntbitten shicers!' Hulme would not be consoled.}

_{'An' so say we all,' Kydd agreed, with feeling. 'Dick,}

_{I owns y' was right. I'd never have thought 'em shabs enough f'r that grass-combin' move. If we'd accepted th' pardon we could all be— Well, we didn't.' It was a low blow, a cold-blooded act of policy. 'We stands fast,' Kydd said sturdily.}

_{'Yes, Tom, the only thing we can do.' Parker seemed to find strength in Kydd's words, and raised his voice: 'Do you all listen! We know where we stand now. There's no going back, lads. We either win or die.}

_{'The ancient Romans carried a bundle of sticks to show to all that one stick might be taken and easily broken, yet all taken together you may not break them. And when Benjamin Franklin put pen to the Declaration of Independence, he swore that "Now, indeed, we must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."}

_{'Now, there are some — we may hazard who - are, as one might say, lacking in zeal. There are some who would let others risk all to win for them while they keep in with the authority. Still more are thinking to desert their shipmates. These are a danger and peril to all of us. We have to take steps to prevent them loosening our unity — by any means. If necessary, by compulsion!}

_{'Joe, I want you and your mate to spend your hours visiting each ship. See yard-ropes are rove and the Bloody Flag flies high and free! All hands to wear a red ribbon in his hat in token of our struggle.}

_{'Cap'n Davis, every morning at sunrise, the men of Sandwich are to clear lower deck and give three rousing cheers. And you entertain on board every Thames pilot you can find - they shall not remain at large and free to navigate any foolish expedition the government thinks to send against us.}

_{'There is a special service awaiting Brother Hulme. Word has been passed to us that in the Thames beyond Tilbury, at Long Reach, lies Lancaster sixty-four and others. We mean to set them free to drop down-river to join our company. You may use any measures to secure the ships against those who would wish to maintain their tyranny.}

_{'And to all you brave hearts, it is now time to take courage. Let none doubt that we are resolved — at the cannon's mouth, if need be — to stay true to our cause.'}

_{There was a breathless silence in the Great Cabin, then Blake scrambled to his feet. 'An' it's three times three fer our Pres-i-dent Parker! Let's hear it, y' shabs!' The cheers echoed deafeningly while Parker sat, red with pleasure, eyes sparkling.}

_{'An' then we toasted like good 'uns damnation to their lordships 'n' Pitt 'n' his scurvy crew!' Kydd laughed.}

_{Kitty did not join in. 'Thomas — please! Ye have to know, people are afraid. They know y’ don' have the pardon an' they're worried f'r what ye'll do now. An' some of y' sailors are takin' boats 'n' landin' in Whitstable 'n' Faversham t' kick up a bobbery. Honest folks  now takin' agin you, m' love.'}

_{Kydd's heart softened at the genuine worry in Kitty's face. 'M' dear Kitty,' he said sofdy, holding her tight, 'it'll all be over soon - we're united, see, and they has t' treat wi' us. An' the first thing we asks afore we talks is a right full pardon fr'm the King.'}

_{She dropped her eyes and, in a muffled voice, said, 'I know you, Thomas. You'll be true t' the end, th' last one t' yield, an' then they'll take y' up as a ringleader, an' then — an' then .. .' She turned away and wept.}

_{A cold wave stole over Kydd: women often had a second sight denied to men. 'Come, now, Kitty, that's a fine carry-on f'r a man t' take away. Mark my words, lass, I'll wager their lordships '11 be down here, and a-treatin' with us, like they did in Spithead, in only a day or so,' he said strongly. But the chill feeling stayed.}