1797 - British and Dutch Fleets


 
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Naval History of Great Britain - Vol II
1797 British and Dutch Fleets 66

punishes one man that he may not have to punish 20, and shares with the delinquent the pain which, for example sake, he is obliged to inflict. When he goes into battle, his men fight like lions ; and, should they at any time be drawn aside from their duty, they, looking up to him as a father, listen attentively to his admonitions, and, knowing both his benignity and his firmness, can neither controvert the justice, nor doubt the fulfilment, of his threats.

The British North-sea fleet had been so thinned by the secession of the disaffected ships, that Admiral Duncan, towards the end of May, found himself at sea with only the Venerable 74, and the Adamant 50. He nevertheless proceeded to his station off the Texel ; in which harbour lay at anchor the Dutch fleet of 15 sail of the line (56s included), under the command of Vice-admiral de Winter. In order to detain the latter in port until a reinforcement should arrive, Admiral Duncan caused repeated signals to be made, as if to the main body of his fleet in the offing. This stratagem, it was supposed, had the desired effect. At length, about the middle of June, several line-of-battle ships, in detached portions, joined the British admiral, and the two fleets were again placed on an equal footing.

The Venerable, having been upwards of 18 weeks at sea, and during a part of the time exposed to very boisterous weather, was in want of almost every description of stores. Others of the ships had also suffered by the recent gales of wind, and were short of provisions. Thus circumstanced, the admiral, on the 3d of October, put into Yarmouth roads, to refit and revictual ; leaving off the Dutch coast a small squadron of observation, under the orders of Captain Trollope, consisting of his own ship the Russel, the Adamant 50, Beaulieu and Circe frigates, and Martin sloop.

On the 9th, early in the morning, the Black-Joke hired armed lugger showed herself at the back of Yarmouth sands, with the signal flying, for an enemy. Immediately all was bustle and preparation ; and, by a little before noon, Admiral Duncan, with 11 sail of the line, weighed and put to sea, directing his course, with a fair wind, straight across to his old station. His fleet, including the ships that joined him in the course of the next two days, consisted of the

Gun-ship  
74 Venerable Admiral (b.) Adam Duncan.
Captain William George Fairfax.
Monarch Vice-admiral (r.) Richard Onslow.
Captain Edward O'Brien.
Russel Captain Henry Trollope.
Montagu Captain John Knight.
Bedford Captain Sir Thomas Byard.
Powerful Captain O'Brien Drury.
Triumph Captain William Essington.

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