The Continental Risque (47 page)

After being taken prisoner by the Americans, Governor Browne was quick to see treachery on every hand. He wrote a lengthy report on the taking of New Providence to the American secretary, Lord George Germain, at the end of which he named a handful of men who he believed conspired with the Americans even before their arrival. President of His Majesty's Council John Brown was not mentioned.

Germain agreed with the governor that treachery was involved, and despite the governor's apparently believing John Brown innocent, Germain considered Pres. John Brown to have been an American sympathizer. In a reply to Governor Browne, Germain said, ‘The refusal of the President and Council to deliver the Ordnance and Stores to Genl Gage's order, was evidently in consequence of a Plan they had concerted with the Rebels for putting them into their hands.'

Germain went on to assure Browne that once the military situation on the American continent was stabilized, a small force would be sent to New Providence for ‘re-establishing of Legal Authority … [and] to discover the principal contrivers and abetters of this traitorous proceeding.' Despite Germain's optimism, things on the American continent got worse, not better, for the British army, and no force was ever dispatched to New Providence.

Governor Browne did return to New Providence late in 1778. That none of the Nassauvians seem to have protested his being carried off by Hopkins would suggest that he was not overly popular to begin with. On his subsequent return he did nothing to help that situation by accusing everyone in sight of collusion with the Americans, including, this time, John Gambier and Pres. John Brown. The Nassauvians in turn accused Browne of criminal negligence in surrendering to the Americans. Ultimately, Governor Browne's efforts resulted in his summary recall to London.

Despite the numerous errors made by Commo. Esek Hopkins, as well as the loss of the gunpowder, the raid on New Providence, the first ever by the American Navy and marine corps, was the most successful American fleet action of the American Revolution. The booty taken from the island was prodigious: 88 cannon from nine to thirty-six pounders, 15 mortars, 5,458 shells, 24 casks of powder, over 2,000 round shot, and much more.

But of greater significance was the threat that the fleet action presented. Suddenly the localized insurrection in the Colonies had become a hemispheric threat, and Hopkins's raid exposed the vulnerability of England's rich Caribbean possessions. Fear of further depredations struck at the heart of London. The Admiralty was forced to pull more of their vessels from home waters and send them to America. This in turn allowed the French fleet, in 1778, to sail unopposed out of the Mediterranean and ultimately to America. This same French fleet would eventually meet the British off the Virginia Capes in 1781 and prevent them from lifting a beleaguered Cornwallis off the beach at Yorktown.

Whether Commodore Hopkins and his captains ever realized it or not, their action at New Providence, with their converted merchant vessels and their sick and ill-trained crews, was one of the vital links in the chain of events that led to the British Colonial Possessions in North America becoming, by 1783, the United States of America.

Note: See diagram of brig (
here
) for names and illustrations of all sails and spars
.

aback:

said of a sail when the wind is striking it on the wrong side and, in the case of a square sail, pressing it back against the mast.

abaft:

nearer the back of the ship, farther aft, behind.

abeam:

at right angles to the ship's centerline.

aft:

toward the stern of the ship, as opposed to fore.

afterguard:

men stationed aft to work the aftermost sails.

backstay:

long ropes leading from the topmast and topgallant mastheads down to the channels. Backstays work with shrouds to support the masts from behind.

beakhead:

a small deck forward of the forecastle that overhangs the bow. The crew's latrine was located there, hence in current usage the term
head
for a marine toilet.

beam reach:

sailing with the wind abeam.

belay:

to make a rope fast to a belaying pin, cleat, or other such device. Also used as a general command to stop or cancel, e.g., ‘Belay that last order!'

belaying pin:

a wooden pin, later made of metal, generally about twenty inches in length to which lines were made fast, or ‘belayed.' They were arranged in pinrails along the inside of the bulwark and in fife rails around the masts.

bells:

method by which time was marked on shipboard. Each day was generally divided into five four-hour ‘watches' and two two-hour ‘dog watches.' After the first half hour of a watch, one bell was rung, then another for each additional half hour until eight bells and the change of watch, when the process was begun again.

binnacle:

A large wooden box, just forward of the helm, housing the compass, half-hour glass for timing the watches, and candles to light the compass at night.

bitts:

heavy timber frame near the bow to which the end of the anchor cable is made fast, hence the term
bitter end
.

block:

nautical term for a pulley.

boatswain (bosun):

warrant officer in charge of boats, sails, and rigging. Also responsible for relaying orders and seeing them carried out, not unlike a sergeant in the military.

boatswain's call:

a small, unusually shaped whistle with a high, piercing sound with which the boatswain relayed orders by playing any of a number of recognizable tunes. Also played as a salute.

boatswain's chair:

a wooden seat with a rope sling attached. Used for hoisting men aloft or over the side for work.

boom:

the spar to which the lower edge of a fore-and-aft sail is attached. Special studdingsail booms are used for those sails.

booms:

spare spars, generally stowed amidships on raised gallows upon which the boats were often stored.

bow:

the rounded, forwardmost part of a ship or boat.

bow chaser:

a cannon situated near the bow to fire as directly forward as possible.

bower:

one of two primary anchors stored near the bow, designated best bower and small bower.

bowline:

line attached to a bridle that is in turn attached to the perpendicular edge of a square sail. The bowline is hauled taut when sailing close-hauled to keep the edge of the sail tight and prevent shivering. Also, a common knot used to put a loop in the end of a rope.

brace:

line attached to the end of the yard, which, when hauled upon, turns the yards horizontally to present the sail at the most favorable angle to the wind. Also, to perform the action of bracing the yards.

brake:

the handle of a ship's pump.

break:

the edge of a raised deck closest to the center of the ship.

breast line:

a dock line running from the bow or stern to the dock at right angles to the centerline of the vessel.

breeching:

rope used to secure a cannon to the side of a ship and prevent it from recoiling too far.

brig:

a two-masted vessel, square-rigged on fore and main, with a large fore-and-aft mainsail supported by boom and gaff and made fast to the after side of the mainmast.

brow:

a substantial gangway used to board a ship when tied to a dock.

bulwark:

wall-like structure, generally of waist height or higher, built around the outer edge of the weather decks.

bumboat:

privately owned boat used to carry out to anchored vessels vegetables, liquor, and other items for sale.

buntlines:

lines running from the lower ledge of a square sail to the yard above and used to haul the bunt, or body of the sail, up to the yard, generally in preparation for furling.

cable:

a large, strong rope. As a unit of measure, 120 fathoms or 240 yards, generally the length of a cable.

cable tier:

a section of the lowest deck in a ship in which the cables are stored.

cant frame:

frames at the bow and stern of a vessel that are not set at right angles to the keel.

cap:

a heavy wooden block through which an upper mast passes, designed to hold the upper mast in place against the mast below it. Forms the upper part of the
DOUBLING
.

caprail:

wooden rail that is fastened to the top edge of the bulwark.

capstan:

a heavy wooden cylinder, pierced with holes to accept wooden bars. The capstan is turned by means of pushing on the bars and is thus used to raise the anchor or move other heavy objects.

cascabel:

the knob at the end of a cannon opposite the muzzle to which the breeching is fastened.

cathead:

short, strong wooden beam that projects out over the bow, one on either side of the ship, used to suspend the anchor clear of the ship when hauling it up or letting it go.

cat-o'-nine-tails (cat):

a whip with a rope handle around an inch in diameter and two feet in length to which was attached nine tails, also around two feet in length. ‘Flogging' with the cat was the most common punishment meted out in the navy.

ceiling:

the inside planking or ‘inner wall' of a ship.

chains:

strong links or iron plates used to fasten the deadeyes to the hull. The lower parts of the chains are bolted to the hull, the upper ends are fastened to the chainwale, or
CHANNEL
. They are generally referred to as forechains, mainchains, and mizzenchains for those respective masts.

channel:

corruption of
chainwale
. Broad, thick planks extending from both sides of the ship at the base of each mast to which the shrouds are attached.

clear for action:

to prepare a ship for an engagement. Also the order that is given to prepare the ship.

clew:

either of the two lower corners of a square sail or the lower aft corner of a fore-and-aft sail. To clew up is to haul the corners of the sail up to the yard by means of the clewlines.

clewlines:

(pronounced
clew-lin
) lines running from the clews of a square sail to the yard above and used to haul the clews up, generally in preparation for furling. On lower, or course, sails the clewlines are called clew garnets.

close-hauled:

said of a vessel that is sailing as nearly into the wind as she is able, her sails hauled as close to her centerline as they can go.

cockbill:

said of a yard that is adjusted so as not to be horizontal. Said of an anchor when it is hanging from the cathead by the ringstopper only.

conn:

to direct the helmsman in the steering of the ship.

course:

the largest sails; in the case of square sails, those hung from the lowest, or course, yards and loose footed. The foresail and mainsail are courses.

crosstrees:

horizontal wooden bars, situated at right angles to the ship's centerline and located at the junction of lower and upper masts. Between the lower and the topmasts they support the
TOP
, between the topmast and the topgallant mast they stand alone to spread the shrouds and provide a perch for the lookout.

deadeye:

a round, flattish wooden block pierced with three holes through which a
LANYARD
is rove. Deadeyes and lanyards are used to secure and adjust standing rigging, most commonly the
SHROUDS
.

dead reckoning:

from
deduced reckoning
. Calculating a vessel's position through an estimate of speed and drift.

dirk:

a small sword, more like a large dagger, worn by junior officers.

dogwatch:

two-hour watches from 4 to 6
P.M.
(first dogwatch) and 6 to 8
P.M.
(second dogwatch).

doubling:

the section where two masts overlap, such as the lower mast and the topmast just above the top.

driver:

a temporary sail, much like a studdingsail, hoisted to the gaff on the aftermost fore-and-aft sail.

elm tree pump:

an older-style pump, generally used as a bilge pump, consisting of a piston in a wooden cylinder that reached from the deck to the bilge.

fall:

the loose end of a system of blocks and tackle, the part upon which one pulls.

fathom:

six feet.

fife rail:

wooden rails, found generally at the base of the masts and pierced with holes to accept belaying pins.

first rate:

the largest class of naval ship, carryng one hundred or more guns. Ships were rated from first to sixth rates depending on the number of guns. Sloops, brigs, schooners, and other small vesels were not rated.

fish:

long sections of wood bound around a weak or broken
SPAR
to reinforce it, much like a splint on a broken limb. Also, the process of affixing fishes to the spar.

flemish:

to coil a rope neatly down in concentric circles with the end being in the middle of the coil.

fore and aft:

parallel to the centerline of the ship. In reference to sails, those that are set parallel to the centerline and are not attached to yards. Also used to mean the entire deck encompassed, e.g., ‘Silence, fore and aft!'

forecastle:

pronounced
fo'c'sle
. The forward part of the upper deck, forward of the foremast, in some vessels raised above the upper deck. Also, the space enclosed by this deck. In the merchant service the forecastle was the living quarters for the seamen.

forestay:

standing rigging primarily responsible for preventing the foremast from falling back when the foresails are
ABACK
. Runs from under the fore top to the bowsprit.

forward:

pronounced
for'ed
. Toward the bow, or front of the ship. To send an officer forward implied disrating, sending him from the officers' quarters aft to the sailors' quarters forward.

fother:

to attempt to stop a leak in a vessel by means of placing a sail or other material on the outside of the ship over the leaking area. The sail is held in place by the pressure of the incoming water.

frigate:

vessel of the fifth or sixth rate, generally fast and well armed for its size, carrying between twenty and thirty-six guns.

furl:

to bundle a sail tightly against the
YARD
, stay, or mast to which it is attached and lash it in place with
GASKETS
.

futtock shrouds:

short, heavy pieces of standing rigging connected on one end to the topmast shrouds at the outer edge of the
TOP
and on the other to the lower shrouds, designed to bear the pressure on the topmast shrouds. When fitted with
RATLINES
, they allow men going aloft to climb around the outside of the top, though doing so requires them to hang backward at as much as a forty-five-degree angle.

gammoning:

heavy lines used to lash the bowsprit down and counteract the pull of the
STAYS
.

gangway:

the part of the ship's side from which people come aboard or leave, provided with an opening in the bulwark and steps on the vessel's side.

gantline:

pronounced
gant-lin
. A line run from the deck to a block aloft and back to the deck, used for hauling articles such as rigging aloft. Thus, when the rig is ‘sent down to a gantline,' it has been entirely disassembled save for the gantline, which will be used to haul it up again.

garboard:

the first set of planks, next to the keel, on a ship's or boat's bottom.