writers to Bridport's excessive caution (Chevalier, p. 211). English writers have laid the fault rather on the admiralty, who had not furnished him with pilots; but it must be remembered that Bridport, as a young man, had commanded a cruising frigate on the same coast for two years, and had seen how under somewhat similar circumstances, and in total ignorance of the pilotage, Hawke had dealt with an unwilling enemy. On the other hand Bridport had as yet no full knowledge of the disorganisation of the French navy, and his experiences of the last war, in 1778 and in 1782, had taught him to respect both French tactics and French gunnery. In England his victory was spoken of as a brilliant achievement. On 15 March 1796 he was appointed vice-admiral of England, and on 31 May his Irish peerage was converted into a peerage of Great Britain.
The fleet returned to Portsmouth at the end of September, and was to a great extent broken up into detached squadrons which cruised off Ushant or Cape Clear, with a powerful reserve at Spithead. Bridport, though nominally under Howe's orders, continued in the command, directing the movements, but without taking any active part in them, and residing principally in London. It was not till 18 Dec. 1796 that he hoisted his flag and prepared for sea on receiving news of the threatening attitude of the Brest fleet. The French fleet, as the expedition to Ireland, put to sea on the 16th [see Pellew, Edward, Viscount Exmouth]; but it was not till the 25th that Bridport had vague intelligence of the movement. He at once made the signal to weigh; but in obeying the order the Sans Pareil fouled the Prince, the Formidable fouled the Ville de Paris, and the Atlas got aground. With five of his ships thus temporarily disabled he felt compelled to anchor again; it was not till 3 Jan. 1797 that he was at last able to get to sea. Meantime the French expedition had miscarried, and was on its way back to Brest, where it arrived while Bridport was vainly looking for it in Bantry Bay or off Mizen Head. After cruising for a month off Ushant he returned to Spithead on 4 Feb. During March he was again off Ushant, and anchored at Spithead on the 30th.
Though the growing discontent among the seamen had been mentioned at the admiralty, it was not supposed to be of any immediate importance [see Howe, Richard, Earl Howe]. On 12 April information was received of the resolution of the men to mutiny, and accordingly on the 15th orders were sent to Bridport to put to sea without delay. At 1 p.m. he made the signal to prepare to sail, on which the men of the Queen Charlotte manned the rigging and gave three cheers. Their example was followed on board the other ships of the fleet. The Royal George's men were called on deck; they came, but refused to unmoor till their application for an increase of pay and provisions was answered (Log of the Royal George). On the afternoon of the 21st the mutineers hoisted the red flag at the Royal George's foretop masthead, on which Bridport's flag was struck by order of the captain (ib.) Against Bridport personally the men had no complaint; he was out of the ship at the time, but they wrote to him as their ‘father’ and their ‘friend,’ disclaiming any intention of offering him personal offence. On the 23rd he came on board, rehoisted his flag, and addressed the crew, saying that he brought with him the promise of the admiralty to concede all their demands and the king's pardon for all past offences. These assurances the men accepted and returned to their duty. The fleet dropped down to St. Helens, and the mutiny appeared to be at an end; but on 7 May, when Bridport again made the signal to prepare to sail, it broke out anew. The men stated that their demands had not been granted, their grievances had not been redressed, and that they believed the promises of the admiralty were a shuffling pretence. This second outbreak was more dangerous than the first; the men were exasperated by what they conceived to be an attempt to trick them; many of the flag-officers and captains were sent ashore, and at one moment it seemed that Sir John Colpoys [q. v.] would be hanged; for a week the fleet was in the possession of the mutineers. The crisis was ended on 15 May by the exertions and influence of Lord Howe, and on the 16th the fleet put to sea under the command of Bridport, who now became in name, as he had long been in reality, the commander-in-chief.
From this time the conduct of the war in the western seas assumed a new phase, and the blockade of Brest became more stringent. For the next three years the Channel fleet under Bridport's command kept the sea with a persistence till then unknown. Drawing back occasionally to Torbay, or refreshing by detachments in the Sound or at Spithead, by far the greater part of the time was spent off Ushant. For days and weeks together the entry in the Royal George's log appears each noon ‘Ushant. E. 3 or 4 leagues.’ Frequently in fine weather the ships were inside the Black Rock, and immediately off the entrance of the harbour. But, notwithstanding, the French fleet succeeded in putting to sea on the night of 25 April 1799. At noon of the 25th, the English fleet being in with the
