*Chapter Four - The Admiralty's Intent*
'If you have, in the exercise of your profession, acquired a right which is wrongfully withheld - demand it, stick to it with unshaken pertinacity - none but a corrupt body can possibly think the worse of you for it; ... you are doing your country good service by exposing favouritism, which is only another term for corruption.'
Thomas Cochrane, 'Autobiography of a Seaman'
*******
"May I have a word, Captain?"
"Of course, sir," Hornblower replied, surprised and wary. Vice-Admiral Sir John Duckworth should not have been *asking* a mere captain for a word.
"You will have received your summons to testify at the court martial, of course," Duckworth said. "I am sure that a captain of your record has no doubts about the right course to be taken?"
That was a tricky question to answer. And Duckworth, second-in-command of the Channel Fleet, brutal disciplinarian, supremely sycophantic towards those in power, was a man it paid to watch one's words around. "I am glad of your confidence, sir," he said, carefully.
"I was certain we could rely on you, Hornblower," Duckworth said forcefully, "It is a thousand pities that it ever came to this, but we cannot allow an Admiral's reputation to be smirched. We are at war, and it is vital to maintain the public confidence in the armed services; nor must there be any publicity likely to give 'aid and comfort to the enemy'. I am sure you understand that."
Give the enemy a good laugh would probably be more accurate under the circumstances, Hornblower thought dryly. Still the point remained. "I certainly do not intend to give any cause for dissatisfaction, sir," he said. Duckworth might really have saved himself the breath, Hornblower did not need lecturing on what was best for the service, or the country. He had known the answers for many years. "I am only surprised, sir, that the matter has actually come to court martial."
"It was at Lord Gambier's own request," Duckworth told him. "He wished to see his name cleared. You know, perhaps, that Cochrane intended to oppose the parliamentary vote of thanks the government proposed to make to his Lordship?"
"No," Hornblower replied, "I did not know that." In fact he had not even known a parliamentary vote of thanks had been proposed. Such votes were normally awarded only for the greatest of victories, Nelson after the Nile, Howe after the Glorious First.... But of course Gambier was supremely well connected. And the government would want a great victory to ensure its own continuing grip on power.
"It is entirely necessary," Duckworth said, "that Cochrane and his revolutionary friends should have the ground cut from beneath them before the vote is brought to Parliament And a court martial will give his Lordship full opportunity to make his defence."
Yes, of course Gambier would have full opportunity to defend himself. The principles that were supposed to underlie Naval court martials might not always be kept so strictly... but that was unimportant here. Every rule intended to ensure the accused could make a full and fair defence would be observed at this trial. Gambier would have counsel, full-right of cross- examination, right to call witnesses and make free testimony in his own defence. In fact he would have everything in his favour except for the trivial fact that the charge was true. He *had* permitted the bulk of the fleet to escape. But in such a case as this, truth was not a virtue. He knew that.
*
"Captain Cochrane brought the charge, sir?" Bush repeated.
"No," Hornblower said. It was technically possible, although very rare, for officers to bring court martial charges against their superiors, but it had not happened in this case. "He merely announced his intention of creating a scandal. Gambier asked for the charge."
"But he could be executed!"
"You know better than that, Mr Bush." Technically, yes, Gambier could be executed. Practically, that was never going to happen.
"Of course," Bush said bitterly, "And he won't be expelled from the service either." Rear-Admiral Harvey had been dismissed from the Navy at his own court martial, which had already taken place. "It's not a man's past service that counts, it's -"
"That's quite enough!" Hornblower snapped. Bush drew in his breath, with evident assertion of self-control. Then something seemed to occur to him, and he said,
"Sir, is it generally known that the court martial was brought about by Captain Cochrane's accusations?"
"I don't know," Hornblower said slowly. "Probably. Admiral Duckworth was quite frank about it." And when he came to think, that was really rather odd. Duckworth had had no need to explain about the parliamentary vote. He could simply have said that Gambier wished to clear himself; for there *had* been questions, quite independent of Cochrane. Gambier (with quite typical ineptitude) had included every one of Cochrane's signals in his dispatches. And there were people - and newspapers - quite intelligent enough to ask why, when all but two of the fleet had run aground, only four had been destroyed, and why, when those signals were sent early in the morning, the fleet had not gone in until afternoon.
"So the public will see it as a duel between them," Bush said.
A duel, yes. And the loser inevitably discredited in the public mind, even if not charged with anything....
Suddenly Hornblower knew the answer to the question which had troubled him when Cochrane's appointment was first announced.
"Mr Bush. Order a boat. I am paying a visit to the Imperieuse."
*
"Don't you understand?" Hornblower exclaimed. "Take a stand on this and you'll be ruined, and for what? If the Admiral is acquitted - and he will be - your own reputation will be in the mud."
"Thank you, Captain," Cochrane said, "that has already been explained to me by Lord Mulgrave. Along with dire threats of government displeasure."
So the First Lord of the Admiralty had tried to dissuade Cochrane from his course. Nonetheless Hornblower persisted. "But that must be what they've wanted all along. I don't mean the court martial, they couldn't have expected, or wanted, something like that. But didn't you ever think it odd they gave you the command? If there's one thing the Admiralty is sensitive to, it's precedence. They *must* have known the fleet wouldn't like it. And it was a tricky task enough they'd set you without resentment from the men you'd have to work with. They expected you to fail! They were hoping you'd fall on your face, one way or another."
"And they could discredit the thorn in the side," Cochrane completed. "Yes, I know. I've always known. I tried to refuse the command, but Mulgrave wouldn't have it." For a few moments he looked extremely tired.
"Then why give them what they want now?"
"Because there's a principle at stake. And they didn't want it *this* way. I'll get the truth on record, no matter how loud they try to shout me down."
"What principle?" Hornblower asked, in exasperation. "You're just doing the job of the French for them. You are spreading disorder in the fleet, undermining public confidence, *why*? You've done well enough, I know Gambier slighted you in his dispatch," in fact the Admiral had gone out of his way to make it appear Cochrane had had nothing to do with such success as had been achieved. Foolish perhaps, but he'd been under strong pressure from his bitterly resentful captains. "Still, that made no difference. You got recognition enough. You got a knighthood for heavens sake! Why go out of your way to hold a grudge?"
"Grudges have nothing to do with it. If acclaim is what I wanted - did you know Mulgrave offered to include me in the vote of thanks? I will *not* see a lie palmed off upon the country. It is wrong."
*It's an injustice, Horatio.*
*No,* he told his memory, *It's discipline.*
"It is *necessary,*" he told Cochrane, "And it *will* happen, whatever you do."
"But my conscience will be clear."
"Damn your conscience!" Hornblower snarled. "There are more important things at stake."
"If you were ordered to make this visit, Captain, you can go back to your superiors, and tell them you've done as much as you could." It took a moment for his meaning to sink in.
"I was *not* ordered. I came here to help you, but I can see I waste my breath. Good day, Captain!"
*
"There's no bearing with the man!" Captain John Poer Beresford of the Theseus was singing the same tune Hornblower had been hearing all week. "The arrogance of it, challenging his betters after being given far more honour for the attack than his seniority deserved!"
"And for the Admiral's part.." Hornblower said.
"Exactly! Between you and me, Gambier's a long way from the best Admiral the Navy's had, but he was remarkably forbearing to that young wretch. Not a word of impoliteness, though it must have been a hard pill to swallow. He may be an old psalm-singer, but that's better than being a money-chasing Scotchman, out for what he can get." Hornblower shrugged, he didn't think Cochrane more mercenary than most captains, but that was by the way. "No," Beresford declared, "Lord Gambier did nothing to warrant this. And even if he had, we can't possibly let that young revolutionary get any more puffed up in his own esteem. He's long overdue for a lesson."
'If you have, in the exercise of your profession, acquired a right which is wrongfully withheld - demand it, stick to it with unshaken pertinacity - none but a corrupt body can possibly think the worse of you for it; ... you are doing your country good service by exposing favouritism, which is only another term for corruption.'
Thomas Cochrane, 'Autobiography of a Seaman'
*******
"May I have a word, Captain?"
"Of course, sir," Hornblower replied, surprised and wary. Vice-Admiral Sir John Duckworth should not have been *asking* a mere captain for a word.
"You will have received your summons to testify at the court martial, of course," Duckworth said. "I am sure that a captain of your record has no doubts about the right course to be taken?"
That was a tricky question to answer. And Duckworth, second-in-command of the Channel Fleet, brutal disciplinarian, supremely sycophantic towards those in power, was a man it paid to watch one's words around. "I am glad of your confidence, sir," he said, carefully.
"I was certain we could rely on you, Hornblower," Duckworth said forcefully, "It is a thousand pities that it ever came to this, but we cannot allow an Admiral's reputation to be smirched. We are at war, and it is vital to maintain the public confidence in the armed services; nor must there be any publicity likely to give 'aid and comfort to the enemy'. I am sure you understand that."
Give the enemy a good laugh would probably be more accurate under the circumstances, Hornblower thought dryly. Still the point remained. "I certainly do not intend to give any cause for dissatisfaction, sir," he said. Duckworth might really have saved himself the breath, Hornblower did not need lecturing on what was best for the service, or the country. He had known the answers for many years. "I am only surprised, sir, that the matter has actually come to court martial."
"It was at Lord Gambier's own request," Duckworth told him. "He wished to see his name cleared. You know, perhaps, that Cochrane intended to oppose the parliamentary vote of thanks the government proposed to make to his Lordship?"
"No," Hornblower replied, "I did not know that." In fact he had not even known a parliamentary vote of thanks had been proposed. Such votes were normally awarded only for the greatest of victories, Nelson after the Nile, Howe after the Glorious First.... But of course Gambier was supremely well connected. And the government would want a great victory to ensure its own continuing grip on power.
"It is entirely necessary," Duckworth said, "that Cochrane and his revolutionary friends should have the ground cut from beneath them before the vote is brought to Parliament And a court martial will give his Lordship full opportunity to make his defence."
Yes, of course Gambier would have full opportunity to defend himself. The principles that were supposed to underlie Naval court martials might not always be kept so strictly... but that was unimportant here. Every rule intended to ensure the accused could make a full and fair defence would be observed at this trial. Gambier would have counsel, full-right of cross- examination, right to call witnesses and make free testimony in his own defence. In fact he would have everything in his favour except for the trivial fact that the charge was true. He *had* permitted the bulk of the fleet to escape. But in such a case as this, truth was not a virtue. He knew that.
*
"Captain Cochrane brought the charge, sir?" Bush repeated.
"No," Hornblower said. It was technically possible, although very rare, for officers to bring court martial charges against their superiors, but it had not happened in this case. "He merely announced his intention of creating a scandal. Gambier asked for the charge."
"But he could be executed!"
"You know better than that, Mr Bush." Technically, yes, Gambier could be executed. Practically, that was never going to happen.
"Of course," Bush said bitterly, "And he won't be expelled from the service either." Rear-Admiral Harvey had been dismissed from the Navy at his own court martial, which had already taken place. "It's not a man's past service that counts, it's -"
"That's quite enough!" Hornblower snapped. Bush drew in his breath, with evident assertion of self-control. Then something seemed to occur to him, and he said,
"Sir, is it generally known that the court martial was brought about by Captain Cochrane's accusations?"
"I don't know," Hornblower said slowly. "Probably. Admiral Duckworth was quite frank about it." And when he came to think, that was really rather odd. Duckworth had had no need to explain about the parliamentary vote. He could simply have said that Gambier wished to clear himself; for there *had* been questions, quite independent of Cochrane. Gambier (with quite typical ineptitude) had included every one of Cochrane's signals in his dispatches. And there were people - and newspapers - quite intelligent enough to ask why, when all but two of the fleet had run aground, only four had been destroyed, and why, when those signals were sent early in the morning, the fleet had not gone in until afternoon.
"So the public will see it as a duel between them," Bush said.
A duel, yes. And the loser inevitably discredited in the public mind, even if not charged with anything....
Suddenly Hornblower knew the answer to the question which had troubled him when Cochrane's appointment was first announced.
"Mr Bush. Order a boat. I am paying a visit to the Imperieuse."
*
"Don't you understand?" Hornblower exclaimed. "Take a stand on this and you'll be ruined, and for what? If the Admiral is acquitted - and he will be - your own reputation will be in the mud."
"Thank you, Captain," Cochrane said, "that has already been explained to me by Lord Mulgrave. Along with dire threats of government displeasure."
So the First Lord of the Admiralty had tried to dissuade Cochrane from his course. Nonetheless Hornblower persisted. "But that must be what they've wanted all along. I don't mean the court martial, they couldn't have expected, or wanted, something like that. But didn't you ever think it odd they gave you the command? If there's one thing the Admiralty is sensitive to, it's precedence. They *must* have known the fleet wouldn't like it. And it was a tricky task enough they'd set you without resentment from the men you'd have to work with. They expected you to fail! They were hoping you'd fall on your face, one way or another."
"And they could discredit the thorn in the side," Cochrane completed. "Yes, I know. I've always known. I tried to refuse the command, but Mulgrave wouldn't have it." For a few moments he looked extremely tired.
"Then why give them what they want now?"
"Because there's a principle at stake. And they didn't want it *this* way. I'll get the truth on record, no matter how loud they try to shout me down."
"What principle?" Hornblower asked, in exasperation. "You're just doing the job of the French for them. You are spreading disorder in the fleet, undermining public confidence, *why*? You've done well enough, I know Gambier slighted you in his dispatch," in fact the Admiral had gone out of his way to make it appear Cochrane had had nothing to do with such success as had been achieved. Foolish perhaps, but he'd been under strong pressure from his bitterly resentful captains. "Still, that made no difference. You got recognition enough. You got a knighthood for heavens sake! Why go out of your way to hold a grudge?"
"Grudges have nothing to do with it. If acclaim is what I wanted - did you know Mulgrave offered to include me in the vote of thanks? I will *not* see a lie palmed off upon the country. It is wrong."
*It's an injustice, Horatio.*
*No,* he told his memory, *It's discipline.*
"It is *necessary,*" he told Cochrane, "And it *will* happen, whatever you do."
"But my conscience will be clear."
"Damn your conscience!" Hornblower snarled. "There are more important things at stake."
"If you were ordered to make this visit, Captain, you can go back to your superiors, and tell them you've done as much as you could." It took a moment for his meaning to sink in.
"I was *not* ordered. I came here to help you, but I can see I waste my breath. Good day, Captain!"
*
"There's no bearing with the man!" Captain John Poer Beresford of the Theseus was singing the same tune Hornblower had been hearing all week. "The arrogance of it, challenging his betters after being given far more honour for the attack than his seniority deserved!"
"And for the Admiral's part.." Hornblower said.
"Exactly! Between you and me, Gambier's a long way from the best Admiral the Navy's had, but he was remarkably forbearing to that young wretch. Not a word of impoliteness, though it must have been a hard pill to swallow. He may be an old psalm-singer, but that's better than being a money-chasing Scotchman, out for what he can get." Hornblower shrugged, he didn't think Cochrane more mercenary than most captains, but that was by the way. "No," Beresford declared, "Lord Gambier did nothing to warrant this. And even if he had, we can't possibly let that young revolutionary get any more puffed up in his own esteem. He's long overdue for a lesson."