The old admiral's face
sagged. 'Mr Parker, my flag is struck, it is true, but, sir, consider my
feelings.'
Around the room there
were expressions of astonishment at this display of emotion from so senior a
personage.
'I have feelings too,
Admiral Buckner, and I do consider yours. I'm sorry to say it, but it's not in
my power to change things.'
There was an appalled
silence. Then a chair crashed to the floor as Captain Cunningham leaped to his
feet and drew his sword. Kydd lunged across and seized his arm, smashing his
wrist down on the chair back. The sword clattered to the floor.
'You bloody dog!' Cunningham
shouted. 'I'll run ye through, you base-born rogue! God rot your bones for a
vile mutineer an' blackguard!'
Parker looked at the captain with
contempt. 'Have a care, sir. The men are not delicate in the matter of
chastisement, should I put it to them.' He turned again to Buckner. 'Admiral,
we have not had an answer respecting the Board of Admiralty's attendance on us.
We will talk to no other, this is our solemn resolution.'
Buckner's reply was hastened aboard
Sandwich by early afternoon.
'Worthless, I knew it.' Parker
dropped the letter to the table. 'We can't waste time talking to that feeble
loon. We bring their lordships to account direcdy. A letter; be so good as to
agree its wording.. .'
To the Lords Commissioners for executing the Office
of Lord High Admiral of Great Britain and Ireland &c.
I am commanded by the
delegates of the whole fleet assembled in council, on board His Majesty's Ship Sandwich,
to inform your lordships, that they have received your letter at the hands of
Admiral Buckner, which informs them that it is not your intention of coming to
Sheerness, the same has been communicated to His Majesty's ships and vessels
lying here, and the determination of the whole is, that they will not come to
any accommodation until you appear at the Nore, and redress our grievances.
Richard
Parker, President
By
order of the Committee of Delegates of the Whole Fleet
'There, that should start
proceedings,' Parker said, with satisfaction.
Kydd went below to the starboard
bay as soon as he heard of the return of Hulme: rumour had it that it had been
quite an adventure to reach Lancaster.
'Damme, but they wuz
shyin' hot shot at us fr'm Tilbury fort, mates. Think on it! Two longboats an'
a pinnace, they thinks it's the Dutch comin' up the river agen.' Hulme was
grimed with powder smoke, looking tired but determined to tell his tale. 'We
touches at Gravesend fer a spell, but after th' guns, the folk ashore think
we're some kind o' pirates or somethin' and has at us wi' what they c'n find.
We offs ter Long Reach, but th' Admiralty has smoked what we're about an' sends
a rider ter warn off th' captain — Wells, 'is name. But, we're up th' side 'n'
on the quarterdeck in a brace o' shakes. Bit of a mill, then Cap'n Wells, he
legs it out o' the stern-lights an' is away.'
'Hey, now, did they
come across then?' Kydd wanted to know.
'That they did! An' ter
prove it, here's yer new cap'n of Lancaster, Cap'n James Wilson.'
'Well met, cuffin!'
Kydd was glad to shake his hand.
Hulme wiped at the
powder smoke on his face and finished his story: 'We gets balls aroun' our ears
goin' up, we entertains 'em wi' muskets goin' down — 's only fair dos.'
At this Kydd winced:
such would not endear them to the townsfolk. Still, the Bloody Flag was now
floating proudly high above, not much more than a dozen miles from White Hall
itself.
At
six bells came extraordinary news. At his endless work transcribing and
requisitioning, Kydd heard a sudden eruption of excitement on the decks above
that swelled and spread. He potted his quill, and collided with Davis at the
door. 'Tom, mate, better go topsides handy like, there's somethin' you better
hear.'
The whole ship's
company, animated and noisy, appeared to be on the upper deck. The focus was
Parker, who stood abreast the mainmast holding a paper. When he saw Kydd he
flourished it in the air vigorously. 'Tom!' His face was wreathed with a
seraphic smile. 'My dear friend! At last.' He drew Kydd aside. 'History,' he
said quietly but proudly. He passed across the paper and watched for reaction.
'Why, this is
tremendous! It's — well, tremendous!' Here was the final consequence of all
they had done, the pinnacle of their striving: a historic achievement. The
First Lord of the Admiralty had agreed to come to Sheerness, together with the
august Board of Admiralty, there no doubt to add plenary weight to decisions on
the eight articles. And with him he would be bringing a King's Pardon.
The news spread ashore.
One by one, the red flags and crimson banners disappeared, and the Union Flag
of Old England was welcomed back; people walked freely, shops reopened and Blue
Town took on all the old jollity of a fleet in port.
Kitty took the news
with huge relief, dabbing her eyes. 'Leave it t' us, m' dear — jus' make sure
y' have the main-deck rigged so.'
Thus it was that at
dusk the main deck of Sandwich was squared away fore and aft, lanthorns were
placed above each gun and every piece of bunting that could be found was hung
and draped in a brave display of colour.
Seamen, their women on
their arms, came aboard from every ship in the anchorage. The larboard side of
the main deck was draped with ensigns of all the friends of England, especially
at the centre, opposite the mainmast. There it was expected that President of
the Delegates Parker would speak.
Between the guns on the
starboard side of the deck, tables were tastefully laid with festive fare and
the main gratings were spread with jugs and baskets. An enthusiastic band
scraped away forward - 'Britons Strike Home!' and 'Rule Britannia' particular
favourites. These were interspersed with hornpipes and spontaneous dancing.
A storm of applause
greeted Parker as he moved forward to take his place. It went on and on, and
Kydd could see the emotion of the moment tugging at him.
He spoke fine words:
the triumph of right, true brotherhood, loyal hearts. When he finished, William
Davis, mutineer captain of Sandwich, stepped forward, and, in an unaffected,
manly voice, sang:
Old Neptune made haste, to the Nore he did come,
To waken his sons who had slept far too long.
They heard him, 'tis true, the lion boldly roused
Their brethren at Spithead their cause did espouse;
Each swore to the King for ever to be true
But one and all tyrants would strive to subdue . . .
But Kydd knew the best was to come.
From the fore hatchway tripped a line of women in gala array, dresses swirling,
ribbons whirling, to form a line of chorus.
The girl who took position in the
front was his Kitty.
She blew him a kiss, assumed a roguish
pout and, dancing bawdily, began the age-old ditty of the sailor's Poll:
Don't you see the ships a-coming?
Don't you see them in full sail?
Don't you see the ships a-coming
With the prices at their tail!
Oh! my little rolling sailor,
Oh! my little rolling he;
I do love a jolly sailor,
Blithe and merry might he be!
To general merriment and the
mortification of the soldiers who had accepted invitations, Kitty launched
into the second verse:
Sailors, they get all the money,
Soldiers they get none but brass;
I do love a jolly sailor,
Soldiers they may kiss my arse!
Oh! my little rolling sailor,
Oh! my little rolling he;
I do love a jolly sailor,
Soldiers may be damned for me!
A lump formed in Kydd's throat;
this was what it was to be among the fellowship of the sea, the precious warmth
of shared dangers and ocean mysteries, pride in fine sea skills and a handsome
ship - there was no other life conceivable.
With
this nightmare over and a Royal Pardon, he could take back his rank and place
in the navy — perhaps with Kitty...
'Lord Spencer, you know General
Grey.' In Pitt's cabinet rooms the First Lord of the Admiralty bowed politely
to the senior field officer commanding land forces in the south.
'Mr Pitt is
unavoidably delayed, I fear, First Lord.' Windham took Spencer's cloak and
ushered him to a seat next to Grey.
'Not surprised,'
murmured the Duke of Portland. 'Fox did promise that he would make this the
speech of his life against his government. An' I saw Sheridan in his cups as
usual — he'll be there to stir it along, you can be sure.'
The table buzzed with
desultory conversation until the door flew open and Pitt entered, his face even
paler than usual. 'My apologies, gentlemen.'
'Er, how went it,
William?' Dundas could be forgiven the familiarity.
'Crushed. Obliteration. We shall see
little of Fox and the opposition from now forward.'
'The
votes?'
'I didn't stay for the
division.' Pitt seemed energised by the recent clash, and picked up his papers.
'This mutiny. We must act. That is why I have called you to this place.
Developments. My lord?'
Spencer took up the
thread. 'Er, we received an impertinent demand from the chief mutineer that my
own good self — and my board! — should take carriage for Sheerness to wait on them,
for God's sake. They have ceased speaking through their admiral and say they
will not listen unless they hear it from us.'
'That's as may be, sir.
I would have thought it more to the point that not a great deal above a dozen
miles from this room we have anchored a ship-of-the-line of five dozen guns
flying the red flag with perfect impunity.' He glanced at Grey and went on
acidly, 'And how boatloads of armed mutineers were able to pull past the
hottest fire from Tilbury fort to get at these upstream ships without a scratch
escapes me. The noise of the guns alone caused panic and terror in east London,
last seen under De Ruyter.'
The general glowered.
Pitt ignored him and pressed on: 'No, gentlemen, these are desperate men.
They're also clever. They ensure their force is undiminished by deploying force
to prevent the loyalists regaining control. They show no desire for
reconciliation and are no doubt ready to do anything.'
Pitt broke off to cough wretchedly into
a handkerchief. The table waited watchfully while he gulped some port, then
resumed hoarsely, 'And we got ominous news this morning. Every available Thames
pilot has been rounded up and is being held prisoner by the mutineers! I need
not remind the landlubbers among us that the shoals of the estuary are among
the worst in the civilised world — the implications of this move are therefore
quite clear: the mutineers are holding their ships in readiness to deliver them
up across the Channel to the Netherlands perhaps, or even France.'
'They
wouldn't dare!' Spencer said, aghast.
Pitt spared him a
withering look and continued: 'I have summoned the House to an all-night
sitting this night — following our meeting,' he added significantly. 'I'm exercised
as to what I shall tell them . ..'