Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 2 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of EnglandWraxall, Lascelles, Sir
History
Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 2 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of England
Wraxall, Lascelles, Sir
Caroline Mathilde, Queen, consort of Christian VII, King of Denmark, 1751-1775; Denmark -- History -- Christian VII, 1766-1808
Struensee gave way; the sailors on their arrival in Copenhagen were
treated with spirits, and temporarily appeased by a payment on account,
while the whole arrears were paid up a few days later. The chief of the
naval division, however, to which they belonged, Herr von Rumohr, was
dismissed the service, on the charge of not having attempted to quell
the tumult.
The bad example which the Norwegian sailors had given, and the fact
that they were not punished for it, soon induced other men to bring
forward less just claims in a similar way. A fortnight later, some one
hundred and twenty silk weavers proceeded from Copenhagen to Hirschholm
to complain that they were starving, because the royal silk factories
had been closed. This request was also taken into consideration by
the alarmed court, and an order was issued to continue the work
in the factories till the men obtained other employment. As these
demonstrations, however, raised apprehension of others, from this
time guards were posted round the palace, the manège, and the palace
gardens, by Falckenskjold's advice, which naturally led to many bitter
comments.
But the greatest fear was entertained at court about the dockyard-men,
who were known to be still angry at their exclusion from the king's
birthday rejoicings, and the loss of their perquisites. In addition
to the sailors obtained expressly from Norway, there were generally
five thousand more in Copenhagen, divided into five detachments,
of ten companies each; some were intended to man the ships, while
others were employed as carpenters, caulkers, and labourers of every
description in the navy dockyards. These men were also dissatisfied
with the new regulations introduced in the yards, as in every other
department, and it was consequently resolved to give them a "festival
of reconciliation," for which September 29 was selected. When the day
arrived, all the dockyard-men went in procession, with their wives and
children, to the riding-school of Frederiksberg Palace, where they
were to be regaled in the open air. Of course a roast ox again formed
the staple dish; but as it was not sufficient to fill all the empty
stomachs, six sheep, twelve pigs, and an infinity of geese, ducks,
and fowls, were also roasted and distributed. To wash this food down,
upwards of thirty tuns of beer, and a quart of rum per man, were
distributed. Any one who liked to smoke received a charged pipe, and
all were paid their wages as for an ordinary working-day. Dancing and
music concluded the festival.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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