Oct 09 2024 28 mins 2
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The 1797 mutinies went hand in hand with financial crisis. This was the most dangerous period for Britain and the miracle during the French Revolutionary Wars.
The Royal Navy spent most of 1797 convulsed and unable to sail. Fortunately, the French were in no shape to come out after the events we covered in the last few episodes.
The Dutch were a different story.. They had a fleet at Texel, 16 ships of the line ready to set sail. But the British squadron, based at Great Yarmouth, that was supposed to blockade Texel, joined the mutiny at the Nore instead! Only the heroism and clever actions of Admiral Duncan kept the Dutch in port during the most dangerous period in June of 1797. When the Dutch finally came out in October, the result was the Battle of Camperdown.
The mutinies were very different from one another. Spithead more like a labor action. And everyone, from the Admiralty to the public and the government of Pitt, felt the sailors had a point. They hadn't had a pay increase since 1658! And they had other valid grievances. They would give the sailors what they wanted, only the slow workings of Parliament created the danger.
The Nore mutiny though, was a revolutionary beast. It was a gift to those in power. It could be used to utterly crush the Nore mutiny and discredit the idea of mutiny.
