John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent

“ The enemy’s fresh ships, on approaching, opened a fire on the covering vessels; but though superior in number, and fresh for action, they contented themselves with a few irregular broadsides, and left the British Admiral to sail off triumphantly with his prizes. The judicious close of this glorious action evinces the judgment of Sir John Jervis to have been equal to his valour; for had the signal to bring to been delayed even five minutes longer, the prizes must not only have remained very insecure, but possibly, with Commodore Nelson’s ship, might have fallen into the hands of the enemy. ”

“ He then mentions a contingency, "in which case I shall write for Spicer to be first lieutenant of the Foudroyant, with intention to nurse him, and keep him clear of all expense." Shortly after the Foudroyant was paid off, Sir John Jervis was united to a lady to whom he had long been attached, the daughter of Sir Thomas Parker, Chief Baron of the Exchequer. Every man in England, as he rises into distinction, necessarily becomes a politician. It was the misfortune of Sir John Jervis, and it was his only misfortune, that he was a politician before he had risen into distinction. ”

“ Sir John Jervis was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral, Sept. 24, 1787; and in the armament of 1790, had his flag flying on board the Prince, of 98 guns. His quarter-deck was full of young gentlemen, cadets of some of the first families in the kingdom, who made the greatest interest to place them as midshipmen with so distinguished a commander. On the reduction of the armament, each flag-officer then employed was indulged by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, with the permission to recommend a Lieutenant and Midshipman for promotion. ”

“ I named you for the Lieutenant I was allowed to promote, because you had merited the good opinion of your superiors, and that you were the son of an old officer and worthy man, in no great affluence; a steady perseverance in that conduct which has caused you to be thus distinguished, is the most likely means to carry you forward in the profession; for I trust other officers of my rank will observe the maxim I do – to prefer the sons of brother officers, when deserving, before any others. ”

“ In the course of the ensuing summer, he detached the same gallant officer with a squadron to make an attack upon the town of Santa Cruz, in the island of Teneriffe, which he had reason to believe was an assailable object. Of this expedition, the failure of which was occasioned by a variety of unlooked-for circumstances, an account will be found in our memoir of Sir Thomas B. Thompson [25] . ”

“ Sir John Jervis having thus fortunately obtained his first object, now directed his whole attention to the enemy’s main body to windward; which was reduced at this time, by the separation of the ships to leeward, to eighteen sail of the line. At a little after twelve o’clock, the signal was made for the British fleet to tack in succession; and soon after, the signal for again passing the enemy’s line; while the Spanish Admiral’s design appeared to be, to join his ships to leeward, by wearing round the rear of the British squadron. ”

“ The loss of the British in this engagement, in killed and wounded, according to the official returns, was exactly 300 men [20] ; that of the Spaniards, in the captured ships alone, amounted to 603; and those which escaped must also have suffered considerably.
The day after the action, whilst the British ships were close under Cape St. Vincent, refitting and getting the prizes in a condition to carry sail, tweny-two sail of the Spanish fleet hove in sight and bore down in a regular line of battle, as if determined to engage the British, and endeavour to rescue their unfortunate companions ”

“ On board the Pégase, 80 men were killed and wounded; the hull, masts, and yards of the French ship, were materially injured; and the damage she sustained was beyond any thing that could have been supposed, considering the short time she was engaged; while the Foudroyant received but little injury; not a man was killed; none mortally, and her commander the most seriously wounded [6] . At this time the sea was so rough, that it was with great difficulty Captain Jervis, with the loss of two boats, could put an officer and eighty men on board the prize. ”

“ Independent of that superiority which the enemy possessed in respect to numbers, they had the additional advantage of being so near to their own ports, that even in case of discomfiture, they could retire without dreading the consequences of pursuit, and moor in safety under the cannon of their own fortresses, in a less space of time than would be required to refit the rigging of a frigate, after an hour’s contest with a vessel of equal force. ”

“ Though the state of the Toulon squadron was insufficient to create any disquiet in Sir John’s mind; yet the Spanish ships at Carthagena alone, were numerically far superior to those under his orders. The political situation of his country, at that time, rendered the greatest exertions necessary. A formidable combination was raised against her; and the fleets of France, Holland [14] , and Spain, had they all been permitted to unite, would have composed an immense armament, consisting of nearly one hundred sail of the line. ”

“ On this occasion Captain Jervis was selected by Admiral Keppel to be one of his seconds; and the Foudroyant was as closely engaged and as much disabled as any ship in the fleet. She had five men killed and eighteen wounded.
We now come to detail the particulars of one of the most brilliant actions which had occurred during the American war; namely, the capture of the Pégase, of 74 guns and 700 men, commanded by the Chevalier de Cillart. In the month of April, 1782, Admiral Barrington sailed for the Bay of Biscay with twelve sail of the line ”

“ A few days afterwards it experienced the tail of a gale of wind, that had it blown home, might have proved fatal to many; as from the badness of the ground, several of the ships, if not the whole squadron, would have been forced ashore [21] . On the 23rd, the squadron sailed from Lagos Bay, and arrived on the 28th at Lisbon, where 3,200 prisoners were landed from the four prizes, amidst the cheering shouts of the populace.
So important a victory, with so decisive a disparity of force, is perhaps unparalleled in our naval annals. ”

“ In 1837, having refused the offer of a silk gown, he was granted a patent of precedence. In May 1839 he voted with Grote, Hume, and Sir William Molesworth against the Melbourne ministry on the Jamaica government bill (Parl. Debates, 3rd ser. xlvii. 970–2) . On the formation of Lord John Russell's first administration in 1846, Jervis was appointed solicitor-general (4 July) , and three days after succeeded to the post of attorney-general, in the place of Sir Thomas Wilde, who had been made chief justice of the common pleas. Jervis was knighted on 1 Aug. ”

“ Nothing of importance occurred until May llth, 1762, when the Gosport, in company with the Superb, of 74 guns, Danäe frigate, and a fleet of merchantmen bound to the colonies, fell in with a French squadron of superior force, under M. de Ternay, having on board 1500 troops, destined for the attack of Newfoundland. The English Commodore, Rowley, for the better protection of his charge, dropped into the rear, formed his line of battle, and brought to; but the enemy not choosing to risk an action, hauled his wind, and made off. ”

“ The evidence he gave was spirited, clear, consistent, and decidedly in favour of the accused. ↑ Captain Jervis was wounded by a splinter, which struck him on the temple. The engagement between the Foudroyant and the Pégase was admirably depicted by Serres, who devoted two pictures to the subject. ↑ May 29, 1782. ↑ The preliminary articles of peace between Great Britain, France, Spain, and America, were signed at Versailles, Jan. 20, 1783. ↑ On the execution of the unfortunate Louis XVI, the English ambassador was recalled, an embargo was laid on all corn vessels freighted for France ”

“ You ought to be thankful you've got Jervis. There is something awfully certain about a man like him. The longer I live, the surer I am that character is the only thing that counts. But how on earth can you ever tell? ”

“ It is difficult to believe that he is the uncle of the aristocratic young fellow who has just entered and cast himself into a deep armchair. What the French call “the look of race,” is the principal thing that strikes one about Mark Jervis. ”

“ Mark now remembered having heard of their fame in far Shirani.
“Let us sit down here and talk,” continued Major Jervis. “For once I will forego my walk; it is not every day that I have my son to listen to me. ”

“ There’s room to turn round in Canada without hitting up against a notice board and trespassing on the preserves of some landed proprietor. I’d never have come home if it hadn’t been for the old people. They thought chauffering for Mr. Jervaise would be a chance for me! Anyhow my father did. He’s got the feeling of being dependent. It’s in his bones like it is with, all of ’em—on the estate. It’s a tradition. Lord, the old man would be horrified, if he knew! The Jervaises are a sort of superior creation to him. We’ve been their tenants for God knows how many hundred years. ”

“ Being a Roman Catholic he enjoyed a position of influence with James II., who on his accession raised Jermyn to the peerage as Baron Dover in 1685, and appointed him lieutenant-general of the royal guard in 1686. At the Revolution, Dover adhered to James, whom he followed abroad, and in July 1689 the deposed sovereign created him Baron Jermyn of Royston, Baron Ipswich, Viscount Cheveley and earl of Dover ”

“ If all tales be true—tales whispered even in this empty land—you have forsaken many delights to give your days to the [Pg 183] old man, your father? Is it not so?” She looked up with a quick gesture, and her saree fell back.
As Jervis gazed down into the dark eyes turned towards him, he agreed with his father; here was undoubtedly a woman with a past—and a tragic past! ”

“ When Lord Denman's intention to retire was announced, Jervis asserted his claim as attorney-general to the office of lord chief justice of England. A correspondence ensued between Jervis and Lord John Russell on the subject, and ultimately Lord John, having on Lord Cottenham's authority declared that the only chiefship which the attorney-general for the time being could claim by usage was that of the court of common pleas, gave the appointment to Lord Campbell. ”

“ He has a genius for catching a true likeness, a natural attitude, a characteristic expression, and he does it all so easily and so quickly. A few rapid dashes, and the canvas seems to live. It is a pity he does not take to our profession seriously and study; but his uncle abhors ‘painting chaps,’ as he calls them; and his uncle, whose heir he is, is a millionaire.”
“How nice! And what is the name of this fortunate young man?”
“Mark Jervis.” ”

“ The world is full of women—over-run with them. A man can have fifty sweethearts, but he has only one father!”
“There is only one sweetheart in the world for me,” returned his son proudly.
Major Jervis drew himself up with an air of formidable dignity, and deliberately surveyed the speaker in sarcastic silence. Suddenly his expression changed, and became charged with fury; he made a frantic gesture, as if he would sweep both son and his sweetheart off the face of the earth. ”

“ I said, as my companion paused, “the Jervaises aren’t anything particular as a family. They haven’t done anything, even in the usual way, to earn ennoblement or fame.”
“They’ve squatted,” Banks said, “that’s what they’ve done. Set themselves down here in the reign of Henry II., and sat tight ever since—grabbing commons and so on, now and again, in the usual way, of course. The village is called after them, Thorp-Jervaise, and the woods and the hills, and half the labourers in the neighbourhood have got names like Jarvey and Jarvis. ”

“ Two days after the trial Vincent was advanced to post rank by a commission dated 8 April, and on 3 July the committee of the Patriotic Fund awarded him a sword of the value of 100l., and also a piece of plate of the same value. Four years later the merchants of Malta presented him with a handsome service of plate. In May 1806 Vincent was appointed to the Brilliant on the Cork station, but in October he was obliged by ill-health to resign the command, nor was he able to accept any further employment till March 1808, when he was appointed to the Cambrian in the Mediterranean. ”

“ I exclaimed indignantly, contrasting Jervis's hideous presentment with the comely original. "She is an exceedingly good-looking girl, and her manners all that a lady's should be. A little stiff, perhaps, but then I am only an acquaintance—almost a stranger." ”

“ I returned as huffily as I could.
“You see, this chap, Banks,” he began, “isn’t quite the ordinary chauffeur Johnnie. He’s the son of one of our farmers. Decent enough old fellow, too, in his way—the father, I mean. Family’s been tenants of the Home Farm for centuries. And this chap, Banks, the son, has knocked about the world, no end. Been in Canada and the States and all kinds of weird places. He’s hard as nails; and keen. His mother was a Frenchwoman; been a governess.”
“Is she dead?” I asked.
“Lord, no. Why should she be?” Jervaise replied peevishly. ”

“ After the queen's death (1694) he was in 1695 sent as envoy-extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the States-General; in 1697 he became one of the lords justices of Ireland, a plenipotentiary for the treaty of Ryswick, and ambassador-extraordinary at The Hague. On 13 Oct. of the same year he was created Earl of Jersey, and in 1698 he went to Paris as ambassador-extraordinary. Returning to England in 1699, he became secretary of state for the southern department on 14 May, and was one of the lords justices of England successively in 1699, 1700, and 1701. ”