quigonejinn

More for the fun Edward Pellew files (and also for the HOW THE FUCK DID BUSH END UP A MIDSHIPMAN???? ones, too). All of the below are from Michael Arthur Lewis's "A Social History of the Navy: 1793-1815," which for the record, is pretty much badassly awesome.

But instances of unadulterated bribery are very hard to find, and of successful ones even harder. The most barefaced attempt that has come to the author's knowledge was that perpetrated by a certain Lieutenant John Heally, an Irishman, who, in 1810, actually approached the Hon. Charles Yorke, then First Lord, and offered him 2000 pounds to make him a Commander. Yorke was not playing. The Lieutenant was supponed to the Admiralty, but evidently sensed danger before he arrived. Anyone, once there, he grovelled, expressing deep contrition for having made so monstrous a suggestion. His punihment perhaps gives us a clue as to how seriously the offence was regarded. He was ordered, curtly enough, to rejoin his ship and report to his C.-in-C., Edward Pellew. What the Admiral aid to him is nto recorded, but Dillon who tells the tale, states that Sir Edward 'did not mince the matter with him. He received a jobation that must have stung the coldest heart in existence' That was all, and Heally survived it, plodding on, a Lieutenant, for another 29 years until he was solaced with a promotion which was not really one at all -- he was made a retired Commander.

Be that as it may, however, one thing is sure. Somehow or other, as the war grew older there appeared upon the quarter-decks of His Majesty's ships an appreciable group of men whose social qualifications were some way blow those required in the earlier days, and far below those desired by the older sort of officer. The thing was something of a snowball. Once men who were 'not quite' began to command ships, they naturally began to surround themselves with other 'not quites' who, in due course, became qualified to admit more. Thus some ship came to be officered almost entirely by this new element. A man like Dillon, who to the twentieth century must appear to be the very quintessence of snobbery, often complains of this falling-off in gentility, both in individuals and in whole wardrooms: even in whole gunrooms, where the coming gneeration was maturing. It would perhaps be comforting to think that Dillon and his friends were on the way out, and that a more democratic officer-entry was on its way in. But History does not bear this out. There is abundant evidence that, when peace came, it was these -- to Dillon -- undesireables who, being given no appointments at all, and practically no promotion, were all frozen out of the Service. By the 1840's and the 1850's, when Dillon wrote, he informs us with no small glee that the Navy is nearly purged of them. By then, indeed, the Navy was, if anything, even more the preserve of the 'upper' and 'upper middle' clases than it was before the war began.

There's also a delightful discussion of Nelson's first lieutenant on the Victory, John Quilliam, who was not only Lower Deck but also a presed man, and lgkjdfh.

[James Bowen] was one of the success-stories of the war. He had begun, like his father, in the Merchant Service. Then, having earnt his navigation he entere dhte Navy in that Branch, and roe in due coure to be a Master. As such he served for twelve years, and proved such a good and steady one that, on 1st June, 1794, he found himelf Master of the Queen Charlotte, flagship of Admiral Lord Howe and right under the great man's eye. The traditional story of what happened next is worth retelling. As the flagship neared the enemy line the Admiral crie,d "Starboard!" Bowen, plain, blunt and middle-aged, retorted, "My Lord, you'll be foul of the French ship if you don't take care!" Howe, a saturnine-looking man -- known indeed behind his back as 'Black Dick,' though, in fact, he had a heart of gold -- glared at him and snapped out, "What's that to you, sir? Starboard!" At that Bowen gave the necessary order, adding in a loud whisper, "Damned if I care, if you don't. I'll take you near enough to singe your black whiskers!" And so he did. He brought the great three-decker so close under the Frenchman's stern that the tricolour at her ensign staff actually brushed the Charlotte's shrouds. 'Black Dick' was delighted, and, falling (metaphorically) upon Bowen's neck, promised him anything within reaons that he liked to ask. Bowen uggested a commission, and the Admiral (who at that moment could do pretty nearly anything where Interest was concerned) not only procured it for him, but go thim promoted to Commander in 1795 and Captain two years later. Thereafter he never looked back. He was given jobs of the first importance and responsibility and later made a Commissioner of the Navy, a very lucrative post, becoming a Rear-Admiral in 1825. Here was indeed a very unique career, for when he became a Lieutenant he was 43 year old, and in his wildest dreams could not have hoped to become a Captain at all, let alone a Flag-Officer."