David Hannay

Naval Courts Martial David Hannay

PREFACE THE purpose of this book is to make, from the reports of Courts Martial, some picture of what the old Navy was down to the end of the Napoleonic wars. Those reports are preserved in the Admiralty papers, Secretarys In-Letters beginning with volume 5253 and the year 1680, on to volume 5452 and the year 1815 inclusive. The series does not stop at volume 5452, and there was of course no sudden change in the Navy at the beginning of 1816. Yet the signing of the second Peace of Paris marks the end of an epoch, and from it is to be dated the beginning of a new world. Earlier statements of the mere fact that trials had been held and sentences given are to be found in State Papers, and such journals of officers of the time as have been preserved. But these notices are of no value for our purpose. We need the testimony of the witnesses given in what at least professes to be their own words. For years after the Court was established no care was taken to preserve the records of its proceedings. That this was the case is shown not only by the absence of documents, but from the terms of an order in Council of the 6th February, 167t. The Duke of York had then been driven from office by the Test Act of 1673, and the King was making an effort to govern his Navy with the help of a Council. A Captain Stout had accused his Lieutenant, Butler, of disrespect, and the case was referred to the King. An order was given that in future the minutes of the evidence were to be transmitted with the sentence.