Naval courts martial . hanthe corresponding military sin of cutting harness. Ifit had had its effect the guns would have broken lives of men and the ship herself would have beenendangered—perhaps destroyed. That Nelson riskedhis own life with others shows the utter recklessness ofhis type. But the statement of Lieutenant Richardson,who appears to have been by far the most clear headedman concerned in the whole transaction, and who wasnot contradicted, proves that the Belliqueux was aregular built privateer, and that two years after themutinies of 1797 the leaven of mutinous disorder
Naval courts martial . hanthe corresponding military sin of cutting harness. Ifit had had its effect the guns would have broken lives of men and the ship herself would have beenendangered—perhaps destroyed. That Nelson riskedhis own life with others shows the utter recklessness ofhis type. But the statement of Lieutenant Richardson,who appears to have been by far the most clear headedman concerned in the whole transaction, and who wasnot contradicted, proves that the Belliqueux was aregular built privateer, and that two years after themutinies of 1797 the leaven of mutinous disorder wasstill working in the fleet in the North Sea. No doubther crew had fought finely at Camperdown, and Nelsonmay well have done his duty among the best. The factis that he and his like delighted in a fight. Theyrejoiced in a set to with the Dutch every whit as gailyas they did in collaring and beating a petty officer. * Spencer Percival, Solicitor-General, Prime Minister in 1809, whowas murdered by Bellingham in The Execution of Richard Parker IV] MUTINY 141 When the occasion fitted the virtue they served theircountry in a way congenial to themselves. When,suadente diaholo, they broke out against discipline,they beat officers, ran away piratically with theships boats, cut the breechings and tackles of great gunson the main-deck in gales, or, rising to altitudes of dis-order, mutinied in the Hermione, the Marie Antoinette,and the Danae, with or without murder. Traditiondies hard among sailors. The old tendency to mutinydid not disappear till the beginning of the presentgeneration. CHAPTER V MURDER When we find that, between 1755 and 1778, morethan fifty Courts Martial were held in the Navy on menaccused of murder, at the rate, that is to say, of justover two a year, it is but natural that we should beshocked. Nevertheless it is the fact that The Indexand Compilation of Courts Martial from 1755 to 1805register that number of murder trials in those 1778, the ca
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