Wharton by George Edwardson

Author:George Edwardson [Edwardson, George]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kindle
Published: 2022-12-25T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Within a week of HMS Monarch arriving back in Portsmouth from the West Indies, orders arrived from the Admiralty that she was to join Vice Admiral Sir George Elphinstone’s fleet bound for Cape Town.

She was anchored, with many other ships, out in Spithead. There was no chance of liberty for the crew out there and both officers and men looked hungrily at the low green hills of the Isle of Wight and the distant view of the previously anticipated delights of Portsmouth. Word of the imminent departure for South Africa had gone around the ship almost before the order had arrived from London. There now seemed no chance for a run ashore before the long, slow cruise south and spirits started to dip.

More orders arrived aboard a brisk cutter on the morning of the eighth day at anchor. Midshipmen Wharton and Hardy were called to the captain’s cabin shortly before the evening meal. The boys checked each other’s uniforms and decided they were as correctly dressed as their salt-stained coats and hats would allow and presented themselves to the Marine at the door.

Captain Sotherton seemed almost cadaverous sitting behind his desk. Lieutenant Lincoln ushered them into the cabin and pointed to two chairs inviting them to sit. Wharton and Hardy were not in trouble, they realised.

‘You two young gentlemen have done well in your time with me,’ Sotherton said leaning across his desk. ‘That time is coming to an end. I have here a request from Captain Walter Locke of HMS Ville de Paris for your transfer to his ship at my earliest convenience.’

Wharton shifted in his chair and glanced at Hardy. ‘Both of us, sir? Does this have anything to do with the Shannon affair in Jamaica?’ he asked.

Sotherton looked up from his papers and gave a wintery smile. ‘Yes, it is both of you and, no, nothing to do with Port Royal. It could have happened to any of us. I decided not to amend your record of service on this ship.’ Johnnie Wharton had to restrain himself from slumping in his seat with relief.

‘Now, Ville de Paris is new and only off the slipway at Chatham last summer. She is a First Rate, 110 guns, and Locke must find a crew of more than 700 officers and men before he joins the Channel Fleet. It seems that you will not be going to Cape Town after all. Neither will I.

George Hardy forgot himself for a moment and enquired why the captain was not now going to South Africa with Monarch.

‘Captain Elphinston takes over command of this ship in a week and I am to shift my berth from here to London. I am posted to the Admiralty itself. So, new opportunities for all of us, except Mr Lincoln. He stays with Monarch and Captain Elphinston is lucky to have him.’

‘Every ship out here at Spithead or those alongside in Portsmouth has been asked to contribute men to Paris. Finding enough petty officers and crew to man such a large ship from scratch will be a challenge for Captain Locke.

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