Saluting Days



HMS Surprise, San Diego Maritime Museum. Author's collection.
"Killick, an extra ration of rum for these men."

"Which I was saving for Salutin' Day."


This obscure reference in the movie Master and Commander is not a reference to a single day, but a calendar of days observed by the Royal Navy. The list below has the occasions, the dates and the number of guns fired in salute.


Sailmaking - A Few Notes on Sail-cloth or Canvas



What can we know about the materials used in making sails during the wars with France? I didn't think I would find much, so I was pleasantly surprised  when interesting bits began to appear. Here are a few of the interesting things I've found to date.

LAWS REGULATING MANUFACTURE
According to an Act of Parliament: 
British sailcloth shall be 24 inches in breadth and 38 yards in length, shall weigh according to the numbers here mentioned, 
FIBER CONTENT
...  Of the first four numbers (the 4 heaviest weights) of such sail-cloth, shall be made of long flax, without any mixture of short or bar flax, or of long flax, or Italian hemp, Braak hemp; and all the flax and hemp used in making the warp and shoot yarn of such sail-cloth, of the aforesaid four numbers, shall be of a strong staple, fresh, sound, and good in its kind...

In a letter appearing in "The Tradesman", an anonymous writer (I suspect Lord Cochrane) describes the methods of manufacturing sail-cloth and notes that Government canvas is made of a warp or chain of flax yarn, weighing about 20 lbs. laid double, the woof or shute (weft) is of hemp yarn drove on single, weighing about 24 lbs for number 1 canvas. In addition, the weavers apply a wheaten flour dressing, to glue together the double threads of the warp.

It should be noted that writer felt British Navy Canvas was the worse in Europe and had conducted extensive research in the various weaves of cloth. Universally Dutch canvas was considered the best. 

The inferiority of the British Navy Canvas lay chiefly with the use of flour to glue the double warp together and the inherent problems it caused -- namely mildew. 

In a parting shot aimed at the Navy Board the writer contends it was their inflexibility to change the regulations regarding the manufacture of sail-cloth. The inferiority of government canvas cannot be attributed to the manufacturers, for they make it according to their [the Navy Board's] instructions. (Anon. 297)

MARKINGS
All sail-cloth was required to be stamped to identify if it was domestic or foreign manufactured as laid down in the Customs and Excise Laws:
And for the better ascertaining and distinguishing the sail-cloth of British manufacture from foreign sail-cloth, every manufacturer of sail-cloth in Great Britain shall  affix or impress, or cause to be fixed or impressed, on every piece of sail-cloth by and manufactured, a stamp, containing the name and place of abode of such manufacturer, in plain distinct letters, and words at length...

There is sailmaker's stamp from London dating between 1794-1823 in the Mariner's Museum, Norfolk, VA measures 14 cm (height) x 21 cm (length) x 2.5 cm (depth).


Foreign made sailcloth was required to have a stameight inches diameter, and officers of customs on stamping sail-cloth, &c. are to cause the stamps to be dipped in red lead mixed with linseed oil: the stamp or impression thereof shall denote the place of entry.(Pope 454-5)


In addition, the stamps needed to be affixed to the finished product as stated in the law. "Every person who shall make up into sails any foreign made sail-cloth or canvas made into sails, shall place the stamps affixed or impressed thereon on the after side of the sails, and in such a manner, that the number of stamps in every sail may appear proportionably to the number of bolts or pieces contained in the sail..."(Pope 455)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anon.

1809 The Tradesman, Volume 3. Sherwood, Neely & Jones. London


Pope, Charles
1814 A practical Abridgement of the Custom and Excise Law. Robert Baldwin. London.


Boatswain Pipes



Below are the links to audio files of common calls heard aboard ship.

Belay

The Side

All Hands

Pass the Word

Mess Call


These calls conform to the Crown Forces North America Naval Establishment's Boatswain's Pipe Whistle Calls Training Guide. These are the most common calls used by the Establishment.


More (mis)adventures with Billy Culver


This most eccentric being prided himself on being the oldest midshipman in the Royal Navy, which he thought preferable, by great odds, to the youngest lieutenant. He was well connected, and a nephew of Lord Hood’s, who once undertook the liquidation of his debts.
‘I am amazed, Mr. Culver, really lost in astonishment, at the extreme length’ — unfolding a bill equal to the proctor’s displayed by Lord Cochrane in the House of Commons — ‘and at the items of this extraordinary bill; to grog, one shilling; to ditto, ditto, ditto: there seems nothing but suction; not a meal mentioned.’
‘Why, my lord, some people like eating, and often kill themselves by gluttony; I prefer drinking, and avoid such a catastrophe.’ Lord Hood smiled, and paid the bill.
During his lordship’s presiding over the Admiralty, Mr. Culver made his appearance, in obedience to an order of their lordships, issued a calendar month back.
‘Before Sir Evan Nepean can see you, sir, he desires to know, through me, why you have so long delayed complying with their lordship’s order?’
This interrogatory from the Admiralty messenger threw a thoughtful shade over Billy’s open brow; and, after a slight consideration, he replied: ‘I got under weigh the very instant I could command a clean shirt to appear before their lordships in, and cruised in a lubberly leathern convenience, drawn by four half-starved horses. I kept the quarter-deck, with a good look-out ahead, and at times conned the consarn by desiring coachee to starboard or port, as occasion required. At the half-way house, he shortened sail, and hove-to, and ordered a glass of grog; this made me call for two, or perhaps three, and I remained in the same house till the day previous to yesterday; when, finding the tide ebbing fast out of my money-locker, at nearly low water I again got under weigh, and made all sail I could carry for the Admiralty, and here I am.’
‘You are a rum one’ said the messenger, ‘but a shorter yarn must be given to Sir Evan.’
‘Why, then, if it must be concise, say I was drunk.’
‘If I do, your commission as lieutenant will be cancelled. Be advised by me, and say you were taken ill on the road and we must cook up a sick certificate.’
‘What!’ said Billy, looking sternly at him; ‘Tell a lie, a cowardly lie, at my time of life? Look you, sir! As man or boy, I never willfully told a lie, and at the age of fifty it is too late to begin. Tell him I was drunk.’ And Billy returned to the Royal William at Spithead, still the oldest midshipman in His Majesty’s service. (Parson 133-4)

Parsons, George S. 
1905    Nelsonian Reminiscences. Gibbings & Co. London.

Sailmaking Tools - Part One




NEEDLES
Needles for sewing canvas are three sides towards the point and come in nine sizes. The following names are from largest to smallest  in size: Large marline(No. 9), small marline(No. 10), double bolt-rope(No. 11), large bolt-rope(No. 12), small bolt-rope(No.13), store(No. 14), old work(No. 15), tabling, and flat seam(No.16) needles.  The needles should be no longer than is necessary to carry that one, and the edges should be taken off, that the canvas not be cut. The needle sizes in orange are in the author's collection, the remaining sizes are surmised on my best, but limited research. 



TWINE
Twine is of two sorts, extra and ordinary; the extra is for seaming and runs 360 fathoms to the pound; the ordinary is used to sew on the bolt-rope and runs 200 fathoms to the pound.  Twine for the navy is of three threads.

PALM
A flat round piece of iron, used instead of a thimble, and checkered in the middle, to hinder the head of the needle from slipping.  It is sewed on a piece of leather or canvas, having a hole for the thumb to go through, which encircles the hand so that the iron when used, is against the palm.



WAX
Twine for large sails, in the Royal Navy, is waxed by hand, with genuine beeswax, mixed with one-sixth part of clear turpentine; and, for small sails, in a mixture made with beeswax, 4 lb; hog lard 5lb; and clear turpentine 1 lb. (Encyclopedia Britannica    pg. 432)


TOOLS
HEAVING MALLET
Heaving mallet, a mallet with a small cylindrical head, used as lever to strain tight the cross stitches and beat them close when sewing on the bolt-rope
Stitch Heaver or Mallet

HORN
The horn was packed with grease and used by the sailmaker to store the needles, to prevent them from rusting.

FID
A round, tapering pin, made of hardwood, to thrust between the strands of a rope, and to make a hole to admit the strand of another rope, in splicing.

Three fids, a palm, a reel of twine, needles of various sizes, a grease horn and a clasp knife.

MARLINESPIKE
A tapered iron pin, either with or without a short wooden handle, bent towards the point.  It is used to open the strands of a rope for splicing, and to strain tight the seizing all of the clues, &c.

SEAM RUBBER
A small wooden instrument used to rub down or flattened the seams.

SAIL-HOOK OR BENCH HOOK The sailmaker's third hand. 
A small iron hook, with an eye at one end, to which the cord is spliced: it is used to confine the work, while sewing, by hooking on the canvas, the cord being fastened to some convenient place.


BIBLIOGRAPHY
Falconer, William
1790 Dictionary of the Marine. T Cadwell. London.

Wilson, Charles & Norie, J.  W.
1843 The Art of Sail-making. Charles Wilson. London.

Various
1797 Encyclopedia Britannica. London.

Dress for Sunday Muster




National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/128136.html


The Sabbath came, and it brought with it a stiff breeze. We usually made a sort of holiday of this sacred day. After breakfast it was common to muster the entire crew on the spar deck, dressed as the fancy of the captain might dictate; in blue jackets and white trowsers, or blue jackets and blue trowsers; at other times in blue jackets, scarlet vests, and blue or white trowsers; with our bright anchor buttons glancing in the sun, and our black, glossy hats, ornamented with black ribbons, and with the name of our ship painted on them (Leech 71).


Leech, Samuel

1999 A Voice from the Main Deck. Chatham. London.

Landsman Hay - The Memoirs of Robert Hay

Landsman Hay - The Memoirs of Robert Hay provides not only a rare view into the lower decks, but an entertaining one as well. Hay served in the Royal Navy from 1803 – 1811. A short glimpse into this volume reveals the gem that it is. Early in his career he is assigned to learn the ropes from AB Jack Gillies and described the beginning of his experience thus:

It was my lot to fall into the hands of Jack Gillies than whom a handier fellow never left the Emerald Isle.

"Let us have the necessaries first, Robert," said he, "and we will attend to other matters afterwards." Accordingly the cutting out and making of jackets, shirts and trousers, the washing of them when soiled, and the mending of them neatly when they began to fail, took precedence. The making of straw hats and canvas pumps came next in order. Then followed various operations in seamanship, according as opportunities occurred for displaying them, or according to the importance they bore in Jack's eye. Jack had been at sea ever since he was the height of a marlinspike, and a better practical sailor was not to be found from stem to stern. From the knotting of a rope yarn to the steering of a ship under bare poles in a tiffoon, Jack excelled in all. No one could surpass him at the manoeuvring of a thirty-two pounder, and he could hit a mark with it as well as any fellow that ever took a match or the lanyard of a lock in hand. He was an excellent sail-maker too, and there was not a sail aboard, from the windsail to the spanker, but what he could shape and make. He had in his youth been taken by a privateer and was two years in a French prison. There he had learned a great many ingenious things; and from the making of a minor three-decker, with all her sails and rigging complete, to the pricking of a mermaid on the arm of his messmate, or carving a dolphin on the handle of his knife, nothing came amiss to him. He had learned, besides, to play on the German flute and to talk French with a tolerable degree of volubility. All these acquisitions and more than these were at my service; and if I did not hoist them aboard the fault lay, not with Jack, but with myself. Jack, more­over, could play at all-fours, at whist, at loo, at cribbage and at least a dozen of other games on the cards; he could play at fox and goose, at chequers, at backgammon, and I know not what all besides; but as we knew well that the Admiral's anticipated examination would not touch on these topics, we agreed to postpone them sine die. What may seem strange, Jack, with all his acquirements, did not know the alphabet! "I have frequently begun," said he, "with that fellow at the stem head (meaning A.) but 1 never could get so far aft as that crooked gentleman (Z) that is at the helm." I cheerfully volunteered my service to help him along in this matter, but he could never muster up the courage to make a determined effort. "I have reached the latitude of two score and ten," said he, "and have had no aid from them hitherto;-Green­wich, you know, is only a degree and a half more, and I think I will reach my anchorage there without any of their assistance. (Hay 71-72)

The book is readily available and is a recommended read.


Hay, M. D.

1953    Landsman Hay.  Rupert Hart-Davis. London.

Western Lakes Station: Skylarking with the Midshipmen

Western Lakes Station: Skylarking with the Midshipmen: The second day after quitting Portsmouth brought us to Torbay, where the channel fleet of thirty-six sail of the line, under Lord Bridpo...

Skylarking with the Midshipmen

The second day after quitting Portsmouth brought us to Torbay, where the channel fleet of thirty-six sail of the line, under Lord Bridport, was lying at anchor. I was soon transferred to my own ship and introduced to my new messmates.

We lived in the gun-room on the lower deck, and in fine weather had daylight, which was better in many respects than the old midshipmen's berths in the cockpit. Amongst the youngsters were some within a year or two as young as myself; nice boys, full of fun and mischief, who soon initiated me in the sea pranks of " sawing your bed-posts," — cutting you down head and foot ; " reefing your bed-clothes," — making them up into hard balls which, if properly done, will take one unpractised in the art a good half-hour or more to undo. It used to be a great annoyance to come off deck after a first or middle watch (from eight at night to twelve, or from twelve to four in the morning), perhaps quite wet through, thinking, on being relieved, what a nice sleep you would have, to find, on going to your hammock, all your sheets and blankets made up into hard balls, and a good half-hour's work in the dark to undo them, particularly when tired and sleepy. During your labour to effect this, you had the pleasure of hearing the mischievous fellows that had a hand in doing it, laughing in their hammocks, and offering their condolences by saying what a shame it was to play such tricks when you sent on deck, keeping your watch, and recommending you to lick them all round, if you were able, or at all events to retaliate the first opportunity.

Blowing the grampus (sluicing you with water), and many other tricks used to be resorted to occasionally. Taking it all in good part, from the persuasion that it was the customary initiation to a sea life, my torments were few, for when the art of tormenting ceases to irritate, it loses the effect intended, and it generally ends by your shipmates saying, "Well, you are a good-natured fellow, and shall not be annoyed anymore."

1879 Stanhope Lovell, William
Personal Narrative of events, From 1799 to 1815, with Anecdotes. Withbary and Co. London.

Regulations & Instructions for the Sailmaker

For the Sail-maker.

Article I
No person is to be rated as sail-maker, who is not appointed by a warrant from the commissioners of the navy.
II.
The Sailmaker is very careful to examine the sails when they're received on board, and is to inform the boatswain if he discovers any defects in them, or any mistake in their number or dimensions.  He is also to examine very carefully whether they be perfectly dry when they are put into the sail room, and if any part of them be damp, the first to a proper opportunity may be taken to dry them.
III.
He is to be attentive to see all the sails correctly tallied, and so disposed of in the sail rooms, as to enabled him to find immediately any that may be wanted.
IV.
He is to inspect frequently the condition of the sails in the sail-rooms, to see that they are not injured by leaks or vermin, and he is to report to the boatswain whenever it shall be necessary to have them taken upon the deck to be dried: he is to repair them whenever they require it, and to use his best endeavors to keep them always fit for service.
V.
Before he shall be allowed to receive his wages, he will be required to produce a certificate signed by the captain of his sobriety, obedience and attention to his duty.

 1808       Regulations and Instructions Relating to His Majesty's Service at Sea.  W. Winchester & Son.                 London.



Straw Hats


A list of things you'll need for this project:

  • 9/16th" straw plait available from Frank's Cane & Rush Supply
  • Linen thread
  • Beeswax, for waxing the thread to keep it from becoming at tangled mess. 
  • A needle of your choice.  The smaller the diameter a less damage you will do to the plait.

To start, you will want to soak the plait. Straw is best worked wet, or at least damp. Otherwise, it remains brittle and you may shatter the straw.

To start, you will make what I call a button. It is basically the plait slightly folded back upon itself to make the first spiral in a long series of spirals. This is the very top of the hat.

Think of the button as the top of a hill -- it is the highest point and any step forward is a step downward. Each piece of plait that you add will be under the proceeding piece.

It's good for drainage -- otherwise you'll have a catch basin for rain.

Details of stitches
The illustration above shows the basic stitch you'll need to sew a fine straw hat. The thread (shown in red) should come from underneath at the intersection of the woven straw (blue circle/point 1) and follow the lay of the straw and re-enter at the intersection of the woven straw (green circle/point 2). This will hide and protect your thread from wear & tear. 

Continue sewing round and round until you come to the first turn. You will need coax the straw to begin the downward corner. As you add plait it will stiffen the shape of the turn.





Joining two pieces of plait
Sometimes you will run out of plait and you need to start a new roll. This is accomplished by folding the ends and stitching them down fairly tight. In the photo above you can see the ends cause a slight bump, but with practice and care this can be reduced.

Continue sewing round and round until you come to the second turn. This corner outward is the start the brim. 

Continue sewing round and round until you have the brim of the size you desire. To finish the brim, you will fold over the final row of plait. This will firm up the brim and give it a little bit of protect from injury. 


You're now ready to venture forth on the deep blue sea or head to the pub with your mates.





Striped Trousers

 © Trustees of the British Museum 
I have been collecting electronic images of Royal Navy Sailors (officers & ratings) from the "Late Wars with France"(1793-1815). Many of these images are from public collections, but a few are held privately. 

After looking at a great many of these images it became apparent that the dominant color choice for the Royal Navy sailor should not be the overabundance of white/off-white/cream colored trousers that we see at events, but our first choice should be striped. Here is how the preliminary data on trouser colors breaks down: 

Red Striped                                26%
Blue                                             26%
white/off white/cream            21%
Tan                                              13%
Blue Striped                                9%
Striped (b&w image)                 1%
Brown                                           1%
Green Striped                              1%
                                                     98%

In roughly 36% of the images, I examined sailors were wearing striped trousers. More significant than I had previously thought. 

Now I knew there was a pair of trousers at the Royal Maritime Museum Greenwich dating from ca. 1810.


Rantings Trousers ca. 1810. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. 
Object ID# UNI0092
http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/71306.html

But finding a good striped, trouser-weight fabric is right up there with finding a good checked fabric for shirts. Its out there, but requires a bit of a hunt.

A friend had offered me some striped fabric (for $4) which I nearly turned it down, because I didn't think it looked right. But for $4 I could make hat bags or something, right?

The authors reproductions. Hemming cuffs is right up there with button holes. Or maybe one of my legs is short then the other?
It was laid aside and quickly forgotten...until I needed a project. I frequently host "Make & Mend" weekends at my home and friends arrive Friday evening and depart Sunday morning. On one such weekend, I was casting about for something to work on when I spotted the fabric and I reluctantly thought "Welllll, I guess I ought to try and make those striped trousers." 

I already had on-hand and intended to use the Man's Trousers High-Waisted c. 1790-1810  pattern from Kannik's Korner. 

In addition I got out various reference works, including my copy of "Dressed to Kill", which I knew had a pair of sailor's trousers and I was interested to see any details on their construction. To my surprised the fabric turns out to be a near match of the originals. So much for the trained eye. Maybe the Hollywood eye? 

So it just goes to show that an old sea dog can still learn a thing or two.  It is always good to review what you think you know...

The author wearing his reproductions on the shores of Georgian Bay, ONT





British Prisoners of War at Verdun - Part 2



In the summer of 1806, Messrs. Boyce, Devonshire, and Matthias, naval officers, went out in company with a Mr. Meller, one of the detenus, to catch larks, near Thierville, when the village guard, accusing them of having occasioned damage in a field of corn, conducted them before the Mayor. They gave in their names and habitations, and were about to return to Verdun, when a woman ran to inform them, that three gendarmes and a horse soldier were in pursuit of some English. Upon this they divided into two parties, and went to meet them, to inquire if it were them they were seeking. Mr. Meller and Mr. Boyce were proceeding leisurely homeward, when they perceived two horsemen galloping towards them. One of them nearly rode over Mr. Meller, - he then dismounted, knocked him down, used the most opprobrious epithets, bade him rise, and then put a rope round his neck, holding it so tight he almost strangled him with it whilst he exclaimed - "Villain! I will strangle thee, — I am going to kill thee! Thou cur! I'll run my sword through thee. If I were the General, I'd have all the English shot on the parade." It was in vain Mr. Meller affirmed his innocence to this ruffian, or demanded the cause of such treatment. "Point de questions B-, ou bien je tu tue." The cord was made fast around the naked neck of Mr. Meller; - it was short, and as he rode along, he jerked and pulled him violently along, accompanying his actions with the bitterest execrations. Mr. Boyce was treated less cruelly; - when they arrived at the village, they found Messrs. Devonshire and Matthias, with their hands bound with ropes, — and all this violence was totally unprovoked. — none of the parties having been beyond their limits. It was in vain Mr. Meller complained of the atrocious indignity he had suffered; nor was Captain Woodriffe, who was the then senior naval captain at Verdun, able to obtain any redress. The General (Wirion) falsely pretended the ruffians had been sent away on a distant mission, and should be severely punished WHEN they returned- which, of course, did not happen.

Such were the excesses committed under the eye of General Wirion, during the height of Buonaparte's power in France! This Wirion seemed a perfect courtier! Whilst he was thus dishonouring the reign of Napoleon, and undermining his throne, no one was louder in professing of almost an idolatrous attachment. It is not improbable but this officer was dismissed as soon as his delinquencies were know to the Emperor; and the care taken to supply his place with officers of the most refined honour, and gentle manners, looks as though he were sensible what injury the vile conduct of General Wirion was calculated to effect.

During the years of captivity passed by the detenus and prisoners of war at Verdun, the principal persons gave a number of costly entertainments; but even those amusements were not suffered to pass unalloyed by the vile despotism of General Wirion and his lady, who either obtruded their detested presence, or maliciously contrived, if uninvited, to render miserable those who gave or attended at these fetes ; and, as might be expected from the long confinement of such an heterogeneous assemblage of persons who resided at Verdun, (exclusive of the prisoners of war, there are lawyers, artists, tradesmen and adventurers of all kinds, and a considerable number of domestic servants, without masters or occupation) the passions of hatred, envy, and jealousy were carried to great lengths;- and many British subjects were accused of acting as spies upon their own countrymen, and betraying them to the malice of this worthless commandant. Lieutenant W.C.C. Dalyell, and his friend Mr. Innes, also of the navy, gave, during the winter of 1807, what the Chevalier Lewis terms, a most elegant ball and supper, which lasted all night: the absence of Madame Wirion, says Mr. Lewis, contributed not a little to the gaiety and good humour of the entertainment, and enabled some of the most distinguished families to accept the invitation. Several of the male visitors, as if loath to quit the festive scene, stole off to the morning appel at nine o'clock, and then returned to breakfast with the ladies. After supper, a Mr. Temple, probably one of thc detenus, sung " the detenu's" song, written for the purpose by Mr. Lewis. Now, as this fete was given by naval officers, and no doubt a great proportion of the auditors were likely to be naval gentlemen, we are of opinion the poet should have introduced more naval traits into his song; it could then with propriety have been given a place in the Naval Chronicle.

We shall select another instance of the brutality and insolence exercised upon the naval prisoners of war, not by the French military alone, but by the Bourgeoise, who benefited so greatly by the British being confined in their city. On the 8th May, 1806, Lieut. Hawkey, of the R.N. and Lieut. Alexander Eckford, of the marines (both of whom were still confined in December last, 1813), were returning in the evening with some ladies from a dinner in the country, when a paltry fellow, named LAMELLE, an apothecary of Verdun, accompanied by another shopkeeper, rode along in so mad a style, that they had nearly galloped over the ladies. Lieutenant Hawkey called out, begging them to mind how they rode. Exasperated at this admonition, the apothecary, who was a remarkably stout man, sprung from his horse, and rushing on Mr. Hawkey, suddenly knocked him down, - stamped with his heavy boots on his face, and broke out one of his fore teeth. This cowardly and ruffian-like assault happened close to the Paris gate, and the gendarmes, roused by the cries of the females, released Mr. Hawkey, covered with blood, from the power of this ruffian. Although the outrage was seen by many witnesses, the apothecary, LAMELLE, was suffered to mount his horse and ride off in triumph; nor was any legal address ever procured by the sufferers.
No retreat was sufficiently obscure to protect a British prisoner from the malice or the power of General Wirion ; and if he chanced not to have any peculiar desire of tormenting the individual, - yet, if he happened to lodge in the house of an inhabitant who was disliked by the despot, the prisoner was sure to suffer, in order to punish the landlord. One of the many hard mandates of Wirion decreed that no one, without his permission, should change his lodgings. Thus, if the landlord happened to be a creature of Wirion's, the British lodger was liable to the most infamous treatment, without hope of release or redress. And if he chanced to be agreeably lodged, the genera], if he disliked the landlord, would issue his mandate for the prisoner to remove! - These tacts are almost incredible,--but they have been for years openly affirmed.

A Mr. Halford, a naval officer, lodged at the house of a man named Varennes, whose house, overlooking the Bishop's garden and the adjoining country, afforded one of the finest views in Verdun; they were in other respects very agreeably lodged; when, most unexpectedly, an order arrived from the malignant Commandant, Wirion, ordering them to remove! Exposition or entreaty was alike in vain- they were forced to quit their lodgings. Now, the fact was, that Monsieur Varennes belonged to the police, and received twelve livres a day for acting as a spy over the English; he was paid this honourable stipend by General Wirion; but, M. Varennes gave information at Paris against the proceedings of his paymaster. The general having, by means of a friend at Paris, learned this fact, he sent for M. Varennes, and informed him, that some secret enemy had been calumniating him to the Emperor! M. Varennes affected the utmost surprise, - commended the public conduct of Wirion, and loaded with execrations the vile denunciator! - On this the general, without farther comment, opens a drawer, and puts into the hand of his astonished visitant the identical letter in which he had denounced him!- Varennes retired, covered with confusion,-and the two British officers were commanded to quit his house!
Although the picture may be generally true, there are many honourable exceptions; and even of the midshipmen, exposed as they were for so many years to all the perils of seducing vice and yielding youth, - no one became a public spectacle, and many applied themselves assiduously to useful and honourable tasks.

From the Naval Chronicle Vol XXXII, July- December 1814.

Additional readings: