On the last day of June the squadron put into L'Orient again to repair
damages. During the cruise it is interesting to note that Jones
dispatched thirty pounds, in the shape of a draft, through a friend in
Dublin, to Scotland for the use of his family. He frequently made them
remittances from his scanty supplies of money, and, in fact, he never
forgot them, however busy with great undertakings he may have been.
Instructions were received at L'Orient from Franklin intended to
govern the future movements of the squadron. They had, of course, been
prepared after consultation with De Sartine. Jones was directed to
cruise off the west coast of Ireland to intercept the West Indian
ships and then to proceed to the northward, passing the Orkneys, and
range down the coast of Scotland and endeavor to capture the Baltic
fleet--which, by the way, had been one of his original projects. After
carrying out these orders he was instructed to proceed to the Texel
about August 15th, where he would find further directions awaiting
him. Prizes were to be sent to Dunkirk or Ostend in France, or Bergen
in Norway, consigned to such agents as De Chaumont should designate.
Jones was very much disappointed, naturally, with the Richard, and in
acknowledging the receipt of these instructions he made a last effort
to get the Indien. It was intimated that such might be the result of
his cruise when he arrived at the Texel, if it were successful, but
that no change could be made in his orders at present. Franklin
refused to attempt to have them modified by consulting with the
ministry, and, in a way gentle but sufficiently decided, he directed
Jones to finish repairing the ships with all speed and proceed to
carry out the orders he had received. The commodore, swallowing his
disappointment and dissatisfaction with a rather ill grace, it must be
confessed, hastened to get his ships in shape for the proposed
expedition.
During the cruise in the Bay of Biscay a mutinous spirit had broken
out among the English seamen, with whom in part Jones had been forced
to man his ship in default of other men, which had become sufficiently
developed to result in an organized conspiracy to take the Richard.
The plot was discovered and the ringleaders were put in irons. When
the Richard arrived at L'Orient, these men, two quartermasters, were
court-martialed; but, instead of being sentenced to death, as they
deserved, they were severely flogged with the cat-o'-nine-tails.
Jones, who, if he erred, leaned to the side of mercy, seems to have
been greatly relieved at this termination of the affair. At this time
the lieutenant of the Richard, who had been in charge of the watch
during the collision, was also court-martialed and dismissed the
service.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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