THE COMMAND OF THE OCEAN by Rodger N A M

Author:Rodger, N A M [Rodger, N A M]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ePenguin
Published: 2006-09-06T16:00:00+00:00

Not everyone was so pleased, for St Vincent brought with him the ‘discipline of the Mediterranean Fleet’. Perceptive observers like Spencer and Colling-wood were concerned that ‘there are a great many ships where the reins of discipline are held very loosely, the effect of a long war, and an overgrown navy’.34 St Vincent meant to change things. He had long believed that ‘the officers in general, with very few exceptions, are so licentious, malingering and abominable that their conduct must bring about another mutiny’,35 and he took an unmistakable pleasure in imposing the most arduous and dangerous possible form of blockade, as much for its effect on them as on the enemy. In easterly winds he kept the whole fleet off the Black Rocks (‘New Siberia’) at the head of the Iroise by day, off Ushant by night, with an inshore squadron yet further in, just off the Goulet, and another off the Penmarks. In westerlies and in winter the cruising station was only a little further out. This was extremely hazardous; casualty rates rose rapidly, and many captains and admirals could not stand the strain for long. St Vincent filled his letters to the Admiralty with dismissive remarks about the feeble nerves of his subordinates, always contrasted with the unflinching rigour of the Navy’s greatest admiral. He required the fleet to tack and wear in close order, close inshore, at least once every night with the captain and every officer on deck. He required two lieutenants to be on watch at all times. Himself needing little sleep, he rose with a telescope at three in the morning to see which of his captains was not on deck at first light. When officers were summoned to the flagship he refused to shorten sail for the boats, but watched them with amusement struggling for hours in his wake. Only the absolute minimum time was allowed ships in turns to visit Torbay for fresh food and water, not including any leisure on shore. When St Vincent fell ill in October 1800 and continued his command from the shore, he took up residence at Tor Abbey overlooking Torbay, which left even less scope for lingering at anchor. The Channel Fleet’s sea-time, especially sea-time close off Brest, sharply increased. The Boadicea was twenty-three weeks on the blockade station in 1800, and several others twenty weeks or more.36

The human and material cost of St Vincent’s blockade was high, but it was effective in restricting coastal trade, and perhaps also in psychological terms. Service under him was ‘a fine school of humility’, as Collingwood put it,37 and many officers were worn out and dispirited. The best of them, however, responded to his injunction to ‘rub out can’t and put in try’,38 and were exhilarated by a powerful sense of professional superiority over an enemy who no longer controlled even his inshore waters. A British chart was prepared of the approaches to Brest. In June 1800 the Mars painted ship at anchor just off the Goulet as though she had been at Spithead.

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