The King`s Coat l-1

by Dewey Lambdin

  Lewrie was a little more direct. When Forrester was caught trying to sabotage Avery's chest one morning, Lewrie simply told him that if he caught him at it again he would kick him in the balls. And when he caught him trying to open his own chest the next day, Alan made good on his threat, which made Forrester crouch for a week.

  After the loss of the smuggler brig, Desperate made up for it… there were still dozens of islands engaged in illicit trade and hundreds of ships crossing the Atlantic on the Trades. Not a fortnight went by that they did not send a prize crew into port with the Red Ensign flying over the striped colors of the Rebels, the flag of Spain, or the golden lilies of France.

  Their prizes were small-brigs and snows, brigantines and schooners, luggers and cutters, but the value of the cargoes and bottoms lost to the American Rebellion mounted steadily. Powder, shot, carriage guns, stands of arms, crates of swords and uniforms, blankets and camp gear for Washington's armyrice, pitch, spars, indigo, molasses and rum, log-wood, and bales of cotton-it all piled up in Admiralty Prize Courts warehouses in British hands.

  To Lewrie it was as much like a legal form of piracy as any he had ever read about (with not the slightest idea that he would ever be involved), piracy with the right to have a bank account.

  And while Article Eight of the Articles of War specifically stated that all contents of a seized ship were property of the Admiralty, Desperate could continually feed herself on casks of salt-meat "condemned" as unfit, firewood, water, coffee and cabin stores from the officer's messes, "split" flour sacks, "ratinfested" bread bags, crates of wine that no one thought to list in the prize manifests, livestock that had "died," spare cordage and sailcloth and yards and spars… everything they needed to continue cruising. They ate well, they drank well and they maintained their ship in prime condition at their enemies' expense, and the prize money piled up for eventual payout.

  After two months Desperate was becoming seriously undermanned for fighting, much less for working the ship. One at a time she had been forced to part with quartermasters and mates, bosun's mates, both master's mates, half a dozen hands into this prize, ten into that one, until all the midshipmen, including Carey, had been called to stand a deck watch with no supervision.

  The turnover in an active frigate that spent so much time on the prowl, and had had such good luck with prizes, was nearly fifty percent a year, but it made grand chances for able men. Able seamen constantly rose to more demanding acting positions. And they could always hope that the man they replaced was not languishing ashore, waiting to be recalled, but had been appointed into another ship, leaving them the possession of their new berth and extra pay.

  The man sent off could not expect to return to his own ship, and stood a good chance of rising in the service in a new vessel, but perversely, they usually preferred to return. Desperate and her ways were a known quality, with a firm but fair captain and for the most part decent officers. Who knew what the next ship would be like? Finally, Desperate was forced to put about and head for Antigua, as miserly manned as the seediest merchantman with a skinflint for a master.

  There was more bustle in English Harbor when Desperate arrived. Admiral Hood and his flagship Barjleur, along with his fleet of larger ships of the line, filled the outer roads, and the port worked alive with rowing boats and supply ships.

  Treghues was rowed over to Glatton to report to Admiral Matthews, and then was taken to Barjleur to dine. Forrester accompanied him, to everyone's disgust, while Lewrie and Avery were handed the cutter and the pinnace and told to start heading for the inner harbor.

  It was promising to see that all their prizes had arrived safe, anchored in a huddle of shipping far out of the way. That meant that there should be a share out of prize money soon. Maybe not the whole sum due each man, but enough pounds and shillings to make his life a little interesting, buy him a woman, some liquid refreshment, new slop clothing, tobacco, shares in some fresh meat or imported delicacies, or payoff his outstanding account with the purser, who could loan money against future pay for slop purchases.

  Lewrie was also happy to note that at least half of Desperate's missing people were still ashore waiting her arrival; happy that her most capable mates and inferior petty officers and able seamen were available once more; the ship would not be deprived of their experience any longer.

  It was something of an embarrassing shock to see how happy their sojourners were to see him. He had thought they would be glad to be back aboard among their own mates, but here they were, making much of the sight of him. They sounded genuinely pleased to say hello to him and asked him joshing questions about those who had remained behind; how things stood with their acting replacements, was a certain ship's boy bearing up and behaving, had a piece of gear been overhauled in their absence, had the goat foaled yet, asking him bow be kept and had he and Mister Avery been looking after Carey, abusing Forrester… and bragging about what they bad done in tbeir free time ashore.

  I don't know these people that well, Lewrie thought, at a loss to explain the seeming affection from people in his subdivision, his watch. I know names and faces, who works and who hangs back. Maybe I've gotten some of them a rating and they think I'm due. I haven't tried to be popular. Don't tell me they have any real love for me…

  He tried to be cynical about it, but it was touching aU the same, running another delusion about the Navy squarely on the rocks. He had to admit that, for the most part, they were good men, able and well trained, but not the sort he'd have in for a joint and a bottle and a yam if he were back home in London. Pressed or volunteer, one could no longer tell. But then he wasn't back home, was he? Lewrie soon gave up wondering about it as Desperate restocked. While the dockyard supplied most of the labor, steady men were picked to help out for extra pay in ferrying out fresh food and replacements for their depleted stores of bread, spirits and consumables.

  Lewrie took Dr. Dome and Mr. Cbeatham ashore to select several bullocks for fresh meat while Desperate was in port, along with fresh flour, raisins, sugar and fixings for plenty of figgy-dowdys or duffs.

  Dome was also to make sure that Cheatham purchased cases of fresh hard-skinned acid fruit. Commander Treghues was of the opinion that the rob of lemons, limes and oranges had been the best anti-scorbutic the late Captain Cook had found against scurvy on his worldwide voyages. Dr. Dome clung to the theory that bad air from the bilges caused scurvy. Had the rate of the disease dropped once Hales' Patent Ventilators had been installed to air the spaces below the waterline? Yes, it had. But Dome was not about to question a commander's decision.

  Dr. Dome was an untidy man, though fussy about his appearance, and was one of the few men Lewrie had seen who wore a wig in the tropics as a matter of course. Perhaps because he was vain about going bald, he was never seen without his horsehair appliance. But he was considered a good surgeon. able to take off a limb in seconds, never causing unnecessary pain in the process, though he'd had little call for his skills so far. He could lance a boil, tend to rope burns, fit a truss, provide ointment for saltwater rashes and swore his fifteen-shilling mercury cure for the pox was devilish fine. He was also an easy touch for a late-night drink or a good book to read.

  Cheatham, the purser, was a real puzzle. First of all, why should someone leave the Kentish fruit trade for the uncertain life of the sea where the profit margins were so low on issued stores, where any cheating beyond the Victualing Board's fourteen ounces to the pound would be noticed by the men and complained about right smartly? Even slops at twelve percent profit could not sustain him, and Lewrie had yet to find him listing discharged men as big users of tobacco or sundry other items. Yet Cheatham always smiled, had no more complaints than most. and his books balanced nicely. He had a "lay" somewhere that was paying handsomely, or he had a wish to die poor. Only time would tell the truth.

  Lewrie came back aboard littered with chicken feathers after ferrying the last major items on the gun room's shopping lists, and was told to wash up and muster aft in the capta
in's cabins at the beginning of the First Dog Watch. He was welcomed in by the officers and senior warrants. Commander Treghues' servant was circulating with claret and pouring liberally. ’Gentlemen, I have summoned you aft to announce some good fortune that has come our way," Treghues began, glass in hand. "Good fortune for every hand, every man-jack.’

  Railsford sat nearby, already in on the secret and smiling at his ease for once now that the ship was anchored and nothing could go wrong to upset a first lieutenant's peace-for a while, at least. ’Admiral Sir Onsley Matthews has informed me that the Admiralty Prize Court has made a determination on some of our recent prizes. In their infinite wisdom they have found time for our tawdry little affairs instead of dealing exclusively with Admiral Rodney and St. Eustatius.’

  Bloody hell, quit being coy and get on with it! Lewrie had noticed that Treghues loved the sound of his own voice and wit. "Since April we have taken two brigs, a brigantine, two schooners and two local sloops in these waters. That does oot count our latest two prizes." Treghues went on to enumerate all the various war supplies denied the rebels, all the outwardbound products, until Lewrie was ready to scream. ’My agent informs me," Treghues said with the slightest glance to his right, which Lewrie spotted. It was Cheatham! He was the prize agent. There was five percent total in it for him. No wonder he smiled all the time. "We have amassed a total of Ј14,551,8 shillings 9 pence. And… we shall receive a partial payout tomorrow… in gold!" The tumult which resulted would have raised the hair of Mohawk Indians, and Lewrie was sure that the full news was already circulating on the lower deck barely before the words had drawled out ofTreghues' mouth.

  Sir Onsley would get an eighth. Two-eighths would go to Treghues. The officers-Railsford, Lieutenant Peck, Mr. Monk, Dr. Dome and Cheatham-split an eighth; the senior warrants, master's mates and Admiral Matthews' secretary split an eighth; the midshipmen, petty officers, quartermasters and their mates, the bosun's mate and a few others took an eighth; and the rest of the crew received the final two-eighths. Lewrie did some rapid calculations. He would get a little over seventy-two pounds, more than a lieutenant made in a 1st Rate ship of the line for a year's work! Naturally, he would not see ten pounds of it in real money, but it was welcome. ’Now there's going to be about three pounds per man paid out in coin and the rest in certificates. I want you all to warn your men in your watches and divisions to watch out for the sharks who'll try to buy them out for twenty percent in ready money," Treghues warned. "I believe there'll be some few who have allotment papers on the books who'll want it forwarded all, or in part, to their parents or families. We're anchored far enough out to prevent someone going out a gun port, and Antigua is an island, after all. Each of you pick out the men most likely to run, and let the rest go ashore for a two-day leave. Mister Lewrie, you have a good copperplate hand. See my clerk and begin writing out blank leave-tickets. Mind you, any man who runs, or overstays his leave, ruins it for the rest of his subdivision or watch, and I'll have him run the gauntlet when he's fetched back aboard. I want to see liberty lists tomorrow in the forenoon.’

  Another idea foundered, Lewrie thought, amazed at what he learned from Treghues, for all his coyness and preachifying. No one had talked to him of leave. He assumed the men stayed aboard from the beginning of the commission 'tit the ship paid off, without a chance to go ashore except in a supervised working party. But if the man was owed back pay and prize money, it made sense to let him have his fun ashore, especially on an island. How could he walk away from two years' wages, and enough in prize-certificates to set him up for life? And the crew had been together for a long while; they were used to each other, less eager to change their situation for something new. How much had poor Harrison sacrificed back there in Portsmouth when he took "leg-bail" and ran inland with his skinny little wife? "Admiral Matthews also informs me that whatever we lack in manpower shall be made good at his personal selection," Treghues told them after they had calmed down from the momentous news. "This is quite an honor for us to receive, possibly the last people personally spoken for by our squadron admiral before he hauls down his flag.’

  What? Lewrie thought, almost choking on Treghues' excellent claret Hauling down his flag? How soon? God, there goes my one source of interest in the West Indies. Now what the hell's going to happen to me? He had been in the fleet long enough to know that petticoat influence in London did not count for that much-civilians could not get into naval affairs. Petticoat influence was only good when the petticoats controJIed naval influence.

  Officers normally gathered to them in their ships, and in their squadrons and fleets and staffs, men they could count on, from able seamen to post-captains, and were judged by how wisely they chose proteges to sponsor and promote and aid throughout their careers. They also expected others of their close acquaintance to aid their followers, and were prepared to aid followers of others in a fair swap of "interest.’

  There was only one requirement that never varied-you could not advance a total fool, for the abiding needs of the Navy came first, last and always. And it took a certain political skill to play the game right. Admiral Rodney did not, had recommended poor choices and promoted unprepared people when in command of foreign stations beyond the immediate reach of Whitehall, abusing the system, angering friends. ’Do you need some water, Mister Lewrie?" Tregbues asked. "No, thankee, sir. I was already spending my share on a very tasty meal." Lewrie coughed. ’Got carried away, eh? Remember to swallow first, that's always the way. A midshipman's stomach controls his brains, and then there's all hell to pay." Treghues chuckled.

  Lewrie did not in the least feel like smiling, but it was a social occasion and he had to show a civil face, so he grinned sheepishly, which was what midshipmen were good at… was what Treghues expected from his young gentlemen. ’Do you know how soon Sir ansley will be going home, sir?" Alan had to enquire. "His replacement, Sir George Sinclair, is purported to be on his way already. ’

  ‘Sir ansley and Lady Maude have been most kind to me, sir. I shall miss him. Came as a shock." Alan sighed. Treghues nodded, remembering that Lewrie himself was one of Sir ansley's followers. "Then you shall be relieved to know that Sir ansley shall be appointed to the Admiralty Board upon his return to London," Treghues said, handing him the tacit reassurance that the admiral could still look out for him even thousands of miles away. ’There is also a scheme that Admiral Rodney wished to put into action regarding these so-called neutral islands," Treghues informed his gathering. "I cannot reveal any details as of yet, but you can be sure that Desperate shall playa part in it, and it may promise to be a most rewarding part, for the public good, and our private gain.’

  Once Desperate began to let her people ashore in manageable batches for shore leave, Mr. Monk and the bosun discovered a healthy crop of underwater growth on her bottom. She should have put to sea immediately once her people were back inboard, but it was thought a good opportunity to bream her.

  This involved everyone in nearly a week of heavy labor, hoisting out all her guns, powder and shot, beef and pork barrels, striking her masts down to maintops and gantlines, and warping her into the inner harbor where she was careened at low tide on a sand bank so the dock workers could bum and scour her bottom clean, then coat her with a mix of sulfur, tallow and pitch to retard future marine growth.

  While she was empty, the carpenter and his crew inspected her for rot in her bilges and below-water beams and keel members. She was pronounced healthy for at least another year in the tropics, where any proud ship could be eaten down to hollow kindling once the teredo worms got to her.

  With nearly a knot and a half restored to her best speed, they floated her upright and began to reload her. They had just begun to hoist topmasts once she was back at her moorings when the day's work was interrupted by the sound of a salute being fired.

  Lewrie went up the shrouds with a glass, eager for a chance to take a breather, and watched a handsome thirty-two-gun frigate ghosting into harbor, firing a salute to Hood and t
he forts. At her mizzen truck she flew a broad pendant, the sign of a commodore or rear admiral. ’So that's our new commodore," Lewrie said, half to himself. "We won't sail right away, not if Matthews will be hauling down his flag. We shall all want to get to know the new man.’

  It was a farewell ball for Sir ansley and Lady Maude, and the introductory social event for Commodore Sir George Sinclair. Tbe harbor gleamed in another of those splendid West Indies sunsets that Alan had come to enjoy so much, though there was not a breath of wind and the summer evening was close, hot and humid. By the time their party from Desperate had climbed the hill road on foot to Admiralty House, their shirts and waistcoats were glued to them by sweat. Fortunately there was, like a tops'l breeze, a cooling breath of the Trades once atop the hill, and servants offered towels so they could mop themselves down.

  Admiral Hood was present, standing tall and slim and beaky over the normal-sized guests, surrounded by a set of admirers. Sir ansley and Lady Maude were off in a comer with less of a coterie; he was now only a half-pay rear admiral of the red, and sycophants no longer had to be quite so attentive. The crowd had transferred their attention to the newest officer by the buffets, eager to get a first look at their new Commodore. That was where the Dockyard Superintendent, the Master Attendant and the Prize Court Agents lurked and simpered.