Admiral Watson

“ Still imagining the coast of Paria to be an island, the admiral left this lovely spot and again set sail, coasting to the westward in search for an outlet to the north. He found the water, however, growing shallower and fresher, so that he could not venture to proceed any further with his own ship. He therefore came to anchor, and sent forward a caravel to ascertain whether there was an outlet to the ocean. On the following day he learned, on its return, that there was an inner gulf beyond, which contained the mouths of four great rivers, the waters of which sweetened the neighbouring sea. ”

“ Sure you see before you the victim of a series of the cruellest misfortunes that ever baulked a man of his most reasonable desires. You’ll be already aware, questionless, that in February the King despatched Admiral Watson to the East Indies with the Kent and Salisbury and others of his Majesty’s ships, in the anticipation that when war next breaks out with France, much will hang upon the situation in the Decan, where our nation and the French have been so continually at strife of late years. ”

“ Admiral Watson in his dispatch states the enemy’s force thus: “They had in the fort 1200 men, of which 500 were Europeans and 700 Blacks; 183 pieces of cannon, from 24-pounders and downwards; three small mortars, and a considerable quantity of ammunition. Besides the ships and vessels sunk below, to stop up the channel, they sank and ran ashore five large ships above the fort, and we have taken four sloops and a snow.”
Dealing with the casualties on the British side, Admiral Watson proceeds in these words: “The [120] Kent had 19 men killed and 49 wounded, the Tyger 13 killed and 50 wounded. ”

“ Nor could I understand how a man who had the privilege of being born a British subject, though liable to the proper severities of the penal code against Papists, could traitorously desert his allegiance and take service with our natural enemies.
However, I learned nothing further of our destination till we reached the Nore, which we did about the end of the third day. Here we found the rest of the squadron awaiting us, and, the Talisman being the biggest ship in company, Admiral Watson immediately hauled down his pennant off the Victory, of fifty guns, and came aboard of us. ”

“ Nassau, however, had time to prepare, and the opposing forces met at sea on the 12th of January 1639 near Itamaraca, when the Dutch admiral fell. Three more naval actions ensued,—the last off the Potengi, so far had the Portuguese been driven by the winds and currents beyond their destination. Thus by superior manœuvering and by the advantages of weather, was a very inferior force enabled to baffle a fleet consisting of no less than eighty-seven vessels, and carrying two thousand four hundred pieces of cannon. Once beyond Recife at that season, that place was perfectly secure for the meantime ”

“ Admiral Cradock is always the same delightful friend and companion. I played bridge till a late hour, with the admiral, Hohler, and Captain Watson. [231] Watson has just come from Berlin, where for three years he was naval attaché. I saw many photographs of old friends—the Granvilles, Sir Edward Goschen, the Grews, the Kaiser. After a rather uncertain trip back to the shore, Hohler, Nelson, and myself threaded our way along the dark interstices of the Vera Cruz wharves and terminal tracks to the car—I, in long dress and thin slippers, bowed to the norte. ”

“ Watson’s fleet at the Nore, and a man with a healthier stomach for such work never hoisted pennant on a three-decker.”
“I am glad, at all events, that we shall sail under a fighting admiral,” I responded saucily, “for, as for our captain——”
He stopped me at this point in a manner which terrified me, hurling a string of curses at my head sufficient to have sunk me through the deck.
“Hold your impertinent tongue!” he said in conclusion. “I would have you know better than to pass remarks on your officers in my hearing. I have had men put in irons for less. ”

“ In the midst of this undecided situation it seems strange indeed that the invaders should have been so confident as to admit of Willekens sailing for Holland with eleven vessels. A few days after his departure, his next in command, Admiral Heyne, sailed in turn with the remaining vessels for Angola, his object being to secure a supply of negroes for the Dutch colony in Brazil. The admiral was, however, baffled in this object; and, returning to South America, he met with no more good fortune in an attempt upon Espirito Santo. ”

“ Long years were to elapse before Sir Walter Raleigh again hoisted his flag on the Atlantic. When he did so, a new order of things had arisen in England, since thirteen years before he had been committed to the Tower, from which he emerged on the 19th of March 1616. The destination of the squadron which he now organized was again Guyana. A hundred noblemen and gentlemen hastened to join the standard of the renowned commander, whilst there was no lack of mariners eager to serve under an admiral whose capacity has never been exceeded by any one in the long list of our naval heroes. ”

“ Nassau was not slow in pursuing the work of retaliation for the havoc committed by the Portuguese. Two thousand Tapuyas, in alliance with the Dutch, were let loose upon Bahia, their families being meanwhile kept as hostages in the island of Itamaraca. Admiral Jol was next sent to the Reconcave to lay it waste with fire and sword. The whole of the sugar-works in that extensive bay were destroyed. But ere long both parties saw the folly of this desolating warfare, and the new Viceroy, the Marquis of Monte Alvam, entered into negotiations with the Dutch for suppressing it ”

“ He entered the navy in 1738 on board the Berwick, of which his father was master, but was shortly afterwards moved into the Dragon, then commanded by his uncle, whom he accompanied to the Mediterranean and to the East Indies, where he was promoted to be lieutenant, 1 Feb. 1745–6. In 1754 he again went to the East Indies as lieutenant of the Tiger, from which he was moved into the flagship by the commander-in-chief, Rear-admiral Charles Watson [q. v.] ”

“ Daily meetings of Warwick's supporters took place till 13 Oct., when Somerset was sent to the Tower, and all power passed into the hands of his rival. On 28 Oct. Warwick became one of the six lords attendant on the king, and for a second time great admiral. On 2 Feb. following he was appointed lord great master of the household and president of the council. On 8 April he became lord warden-general of the north, but deemed it wiser to stay at home for the present than take up an office which demanded his presence away from the court. On 20 Dec. he was allowed a train of a hundred horsemen. ”

“ In 1854 she was sent up the Baltic in advance of the fleet, Watson being senior officer of the squadron of small vessels appointed to watch the breaking up of the ice, and to see that no Russian ships of war got to sea. It was an arduous service well performed. The Impérieuse continued with the flying squadron in the Baltic during the campaigns of 1854 and 1855. After the peace she was sent to the North American station, and returned to England and was paid off early in 1857. In June 1859 Watson was appointed captain-superintendent of Sheerness dockyard, where he died on 5 July 1860. ”

“ I trust no Englishman, let him be ever so bad, is base enough to do so. I beg leave to recommend in the strongest terms, the able and gallant support I received from my first Lieutenant, Mr. Robert Adams Wadham, whose services at different times in carrying despatches to Barbadoes, relating to the enemy, merit my warmest acknowledgments. I am also much indebted to Lieutenant Watson of the marines, for his active and able support. ”

“ Mr. Watson was promoted to the rank of lieutenant June 10, 1807; and we next find him serving under Captain Patrick Campbell, in l’Unité frigate, on the Mediterranean station. On the 2d May, 1808, he assisted at the capture of El Ronco, Italian brig of war, of 16 thirty-two-pounder brass carronades (pierced for 18) and 100 men. ”

“ In 1871 he found employment with A. and J. Inglis, shipbuilders, of Pointhouse, near Glasgow, making with a member of the firm experiments in yacht-designing, and in 1872 he started business in Glasgow as a naval architect. Exact methods of yacht-modelling were only then being introduced, and Watson was the first to apply to the designing of yachts the laws governing the resistance of bodies moving in water which William John Macquorn Rankine [q. v.] ”

“ The sails were lowered, so that the ship should not be so noticeable to any passing vessel, and Watson paced his deck eating his head off with impatience, expecting every minute to see a cruiser on the horizon. At two o’clock he saw a ship which he knew spelt danger. Instantly he made up his mind what to do. In the Brazos River they had picked up a couple of sweeps, and these were brought into use, together with boat oars. Then all the men available bent their backs to the task of rowing the schooner! ”

“ In 1882 he was elected a member of the Institute of Naval Architects, before which he read a paper on a new form of steering-gear. He was also for nearly twenty years consulting naval architect to the National Lifeboat Institution. He died at Glasgow on 12 Nov. 1904. Watson married in 1903 Marie, the daughter of Edward Lovibond of Greenwich. He had no issue.
[Trans, of Inst, of Nav. Architects, 1905; Who's Who, 1905 The Times, 14 Nov. 1904; Yachting, 1895; art. on Yachting in Encyc. Brit., 11th ed.; A. E. T. Watson, King Edward VII as a Sportsman, 1911; Yacht Racing Calendar and Rev. 1904.] ”

“ We have four swivels, three muskets, and one cutlass, beside a broad axe. How many men have you? We have three souls and a boy.—And where does your vessel belong, Captain, when you are at home? Updike's Newtown. And where is that, Sir? Does not Admiral Holmes know where Updike's Newtown is? says Jonathan, with a look of surprize. I do not at this moment recollect, Sir. Why Updike's Newtown is half way betwixt Pautuxet and Connanicut. The British admiral did not choose to risk his reputation with this fearless waterfowl, by asking him any more geographical questions. ”

“ The Northumberland was cut to pieces. Captain Watson received [120] first one wound and then a second. He staggered to the accommodation ladder, and stood holding to the railing and bleeding to death. The master, it was sworn, came on the quarter-deck “with his hands in his breeches and his hat on, seemingly in a surly mood.” He declared that there were no men to fight the ship, and indeed the crew were running from the guns, while all the marines on the poop who were not shot had escaped below. ”

“ Captain Watts was ordered by Rear-Admiral Cockburn to use his best endeavours to discover a navigable passage through Tangier straits, and to procure fresh provisions for the use of the squadron in Chesapeake bay. He succeeded in establishing himself 15 miles higher than any square-rigged vessel had ever before been, and annoyed the enemy to the utmost of his power. On one occasion, he gave chase to a vessel in person, in his own boat, penetrated 12 or 14 miles up the river Wicomico, and not only destroyed her, but captured and burnt nine others. ”

“ MR. WATSON'S PROCEEDINGS AT TIMOR LAUT.
Mr. Watson had not been off the island long before his vessel, the schooner Essington, was surrounded by eleven armed canoes, for the purpose of attack. The chief wished Mr. Watson to go in and anchor, which he refused, but showed him that he was ready for defence in case of any outrage on their part. The chief, thinking he could entrap him, made signs of friendship, and Mr. Watson allowed him and his crew to come on board. The chief then said that a white man was on shore, and wished the master to go and fetch him off, which was refused. Mr. ”

“ He said that I had better do some light work, and it would probably wear off. I then busied myself about the ship, endeavoring to make myself as useful as I could. We had a pleasant passage of twenty-nine days, and arrived in Boston without anything special happening. I have taken care to suppress the captain's name, and the name of his ship, knowing that should it be known it would cause him difficulty; and I never have given either since I have been a free man. The money which the steward paid for my passage I was able to refund to him in about a year afterwards. ”

“ One of the 64-gun ships, the Content, was about a mile to windward of her consort, the Mars; and if Watson had engaged her, he might possibly have disabled her before the Mars could come to her support. It was clearly the only sane thing to do, if he refused to accept the advice offered by the master and endeavour to lead the Frenchmen back to Hardy's fleet. ”

“ I always think to myself and hope that the co-operation of our fleets, of our navies, is the harbinger of what is to come in the future when the war is over, of that which will still continue then. Magnificent is their work, and I glory always in the thought that an American admiral has taken charge of the British Fleet and the British policy, and that when the plans are formed for an attack that American admiral is given the place of honor in our fleet, because we feel that it is his due at this moment. ”

“ A rifle-shot rang out across the waters, then others, and the bullets whistled across the deck, narrowly missing the men. The warship now made after her boats, to pick them up, and this gave the Rob Roy a better chance of escape. Then the wind freshened so much that Watson became nervous; too much wind was not good for the overladen Rob Roy, and the sea was getting very boisterous. To make matters worse, the [101] schooner was leaking very badly, and some of the men had to be told off to work the pumps for all they were worth. ”