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Chapter 4 - There Go the
Ships -
From There Go the Ships by George Shirley
Page 65
well." But to see the watch is faithfully kept
on board, a guard boat goes round the harbour, sometimes with muffled
oars, to row without noise. And sometimes the officer in command
had on canvas shoes, so that he could come up the ladder quietly,
and see the watch was all right, if not, report him to the admiral.
Should any boat pass the ship, the duty of the officer on watch
would be to hail her, "Boat ahoy!" If nothing to do with
the ships of the fleet, the answer would be " Shore boat."
If the guard boat, the answer by the officer in command would be
"
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Guard boat."
A mast stood above the water at Spithead for some time. It was
the mast of the Royal George, one hundred and twenty guns, which
sunk there in a peculiar manner, August 29th, 1782. Two lighters
were alongside, laden with provisions and stores, and the crew
were mostly below stowing them away. They had heeled the ship
to do some repairs below the water-line on one side, therefore
had drawn the guns in and run them nearly to the centre of the
ship. Thus, being heavier weighted one side than the other, brought
that side when the guns were run in higher out of the water, and
so the repairs were proceeding. Soon after the wind freshened,
and the sea, washing against the portholes on the lower deck,
was nearly washing in on the low side. The boatswain told the
lieutenant, the officer of the watch, that he thought the position
of the ship was dangerous, but he took no notice. At length, when
spoken to again, he saw the danger, and all hands were piped to
quarters, to pull the guns in their places, to right
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© Peter Smith 2009
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