[50-gun Battleship]
William was transferred as Master's Assistant to H.M.S. Barham, commanded by Captain Hugh Pigot. The First Lieutenant, afterwards Admiral Sir Baldwin Walker, was considered 'the smartest First Lieutenant in the Service'. He took a fancy to William, and became his lifelong friend and benefactor.
NORTH AEGEAN
August 6th
In consequence of calms we did not arrive at Besika Bay till the 9th. Felt very miserable to-day and repented my having left the Rapid. If it were not for my friend Bingham I should certainly leave and join some vessel going home.
MALTA
September 13th.
Found foremast sprung under the rigging, it being a treble-reefed topsail breeze. The next day we found our bowsprit and spritsail yard sprung, the ship being considerably over-masted.
September 24th
Went under the sheers and took out foremast and bowsprit. Found the bowsprit very badly sprung in two places, and there being no spar large enough in Malta to make one singly, shall have one made of several pieces.
IONEAN SEA
October 21st
Very squally weather. A squall came which carried away the main yard in the slings and split the main topsails. The rain and lightning were very heavy. We were under double-reefed topsails and courses at the time. The jib and spanker were luckily taken in a few minutes before the men were also furling the top-gallant sails. The fore tack carried away, which saved the fore yard from going; the ship heeling at the time 17 degrees the water came in at the main deck ports. The most beautiful thing, if any can form the idea, was that the wind, as if satisfied with the injury it had done, died away to a complete calm, and remained so for a quarter of an hour; raining and lightning very heavy. When it commenced blowing very hard the main yard carried away about ½ past 10. The yard was placed across the gunwale a few minutes after 12; we commenced fishing it in the usual manner at 2 p.m. The yard was up at 6, the mainsail set at 10, which was not very long, the people having their dinner and supper out of that time and there being a slight sea on. Owing to that accident, we were not able to make Cape Matapan, and, after some very severe squalls, it came on to blow a gale from the N.E. and the foremast being worse than ever (as they only strengthened it at Malta), the main mast wrung, the mainyard fished and bowsprit working very much, we on Thursday got to leeward of Candia in shelter, standing occasionally outside to try the weather, and finding we could not do anything, returned to the place we came from.
On Saturday the gale moderated, when we made sail, but all that night and Sunday we were carrying on a press of sail without gaining any ground, working between Candia and Cerigotto without weathering either, till Monday at 2 p.m. when we weathered Cape Spada in Candia, but were unable to weather Cerigotto. A sea is rising very fast and blowing hard, the ship working very much. She is considerably overmasted, and in an Atlantic gale would certainly lose her masts. Captain Pigot applied, upon his being appointed to her, to have her masts reduced, but Admiral Fleeming, who had his Flag in her in the West Indies, said she did not want them reduced. The carpenter told the Admiralty before she came out that he thought six feet ought to be cut off.
[LETTER FROM JAMES]
Andromache,
Devonport.
December 27th 1833.
My dear William,
A few days since I had the happiness to receive your letters dated at Malta, November 26th.
My dear William, your letters have given us all, I assure you, sorrow. Mr. Stilwell, I fear, will begin to doubt your prudence, as he perceives you are discontented in your Station - he desires you not to allow false notions of comfort and rank to mar your own prospects in your profession for he says very truly, 'a rolling stone gathers no Moss' and my dear William, I am a proof of this truth. For your sake with that of your Sister, I am now serving at sea, but at an age, near 50 when a man ought to seek rest, after passing so many active and toilsome years at Sea, as I have done.
I have already promised you, that whenever I can, I will get you a Midshipman's vacancy, but in the meantime you must be patient in the situation you are now in. Look round and see how much better provided you are than many; and let it never be for a moment forgotten by you, that all your hopes depend on my existence and employment on full pay. When you have the good fortune to pass and get appointed 2nd Master, you will be independent of casualties. And your passing and getting that step will not prevent your obtaining a Midshipman's situation in the event of War, and should no war take place, your situation as Master would be infinitely better than an Admiralty Mate without interest. What would you do were you now rated Midshipman, if it should please God to deprive you of your father?
Stilwell would instantly stop paying your bills. No person would supply you. Your Mother would only have her pensions: you say you could keep yourself on your pay, alas! you have given me much pain by informing me you are in debt at Malta ; and that you were near being turned out of the ship, I cannot permit you to draw an extra 1£10, again, my dear William, remember you are a poor man's son; strive not to vie with other youths who are rich, or imprudent; neither envy the Midshipmen. Your line is a certain one in peace, theirs is not.
We are going to take Lord Napier's family and suite to Canton, and quite unexpected, I shall probably go to Bombay and see your dear brother.
Questions for you to learn well to answer - and which you must learn.
What are the Marks &c of the Fork Buoy
Answer: The Buoy is chequered Black and White, lies in 4 fathoms - Marks for it are Waldenham Monument on South Deal Castle, West, a little northerly St. Lawrence Mill, just open to the Eastward of Ramsgate Pier lighthouse, bearing North.
2.South Brake Buoy.
North do. do?
4.Gull light?
5.North Sandhead light?
6.What are the anchoring marks in the Downs ? etc.
Dated December 30th.
To my great astonishment I have this moment received a letter from you dated December 7th this makes 9 shillings for Postage you have cost me in one week. I am excessively angry at your restlessness and desire to leave. If you cannot be steady, content and economical, no more can be done; the fact is, you must instantly decide on doing as I wish - more money you cannot have. Stilwell will not pay any other than regular bills of £10 quarterly, - nor will I, for I cannot - you must remain out - if you quit the Service you will be ruined. You must pass for 2nd Master, and get an appointment.
In hopes of your doing as I wish.
I remain,
My dear William,
Your affectionate Father,
JAMES HALL.
James Hall who was Surgeon of the Andromache sailed for China on February 6th 1834 and William did not receive any more letters from him for a while.
ALICANTE
March 1834
The Spanish ladies are beautiful and very kind.
[16-gun Brig]
William returned to England in the Barham and left the ship in Portsmouth on the 1st May. Three weeks later he joined the Childers. While on leave he took a remarkable step. Free of the control of his cautious father who was in Simonstown he wrote a letter direct to the First Secretary of the Admiralty asking to be appointed as a Midshipman to the Portland. This was the opening shot in his campaign to become a Commissioned Officer in the Royal Navy. For full details see From Master's Assistant to Midshipman. [PAGE3030]
In July Childers sailed for the Mediterranean.
September
Wrote a letter to my dear father. Received two Collegians named Leonard Gibbard and William Partridge on board, who came out in the Malabar. They have come out with the intention of revenging the death of Nelson, - but are like young bears with all their sorrows to come.
Had a scrimmage with Stapleton, our clerk, and gave him a black eye. The Captain sent for me and called me a d.....d troublesome character and said I would eventually be hung.
The twenty-one-year-old Captain afterwards became Admiral of the Fleet Sir Harry Keppel, and in 1874 was Commander-in-Chief Plymouth. The unruly Master's Assistant was then one of his greatest friends and the Admiral Superintendent of Devonport Dockyard.
[72-gun battleship]
In November 1834, William was transferred to H.M.S. Talavera as a midshipman in the regular line. James was pessimistic, but William wrote triumphantly 'Mounted my white patch.'
November
Littleton, the clerk, threw up the caterership. We are in the devil of a mess. They are the most snobbish set, with one or two exceptions, I have ever heard of, and so different from all my former messmates. I will begin by stating how they spend their time.
If you are not down exactly at 8 in the morning, you get no breakfast. If you are there, it is every man for himself, taking no notice of me, although I am a stranger. Grabbing right and left during breakfast, 10 or 12 conjurors are at work, boiling coffee and roasting meat, which is generally fat pork skin, or old broken potatoes. When that is over, they all leave for a few minutes to get their music, when 7 of them who are learning the flute begin striking up, some Jack's the Lad others Alice Grey. Three or four the zamut, and so on. What with the incessant din of flute playing and hissing of butter as they fry meat, smell of the spirits of wine, it is enough to kill one. About 10. in comes the ship's piper who rattles away till 6 Bells. They then clear the table, put grapes and wine on and talk the most absurd language till 7 bells, when they set up a hue and cry, "Grog ho!", some whistling through their fingers, "Now, steward, bear a hand and pass the bottle when you have done with it."
Cries another, "You will leave none for this end." So they go on, taking a stiffener till the cloth's laid. They have just struck up Robin Adair together, so I cannot finish this now. They are called Musicians!! Dinner comes, when the same system of grabbing goes on, some growling, others rattling dice for a bottle of 4d. wine. So they go on from morn to night. How very different from all my other messmates.
Sunday
Went on board and saw my friend Crawford, who, to my astonishment, was turned out of the Service and is to go home in Britannia. Thus after 5 years servitude all his hopes are blasted, through the artfulness of that d----d Jellicoe, who leads Captain Percy by the nose.