[140]. Castlereagh was at this time lieutenant-colonel of the Londonderry militia and acting chief secretary for Ireland. The reference would seem to be to the discreditable conduct of the militia in ‘the race of Castlebar,’ in the previous year. Castlereagh, of course, had nothing directly to do with it.
[141]. Gardner’s memory is here in fault. The court martial on Brice (for ‘having at different times uttered words of sedition and mutiny ... and for behaving in a scandalous manner unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman’) was held on board the Blonde on 12, 13 June 1798; that on Tripp, on 6–11 Dec. 1799, was held on board the Pallas.
[142]. October 14, 1799.
[143]. Sir John Fielding, brother of the better-known Henry Fielding the novelist, was blind from his birth. It was said that he knew 3,000 thieves by their voice.
[144]. Nag.
[145]. Milk-pails.
[146]. The word is ‘piseachbuidhe,’ porridge made of Indian meal. A hundred years ago, possibly peas pudding.
[147]. Potatoes stewed in butter, with cabbage or onions.
[148]. Are we to understand that Huish also was well up in his Virgil, if only in Dryden’s version? Perhaps rather the writer thought this was what he ought to have said.
[149]. Attention is called by Ralfe (Naval Biography, ii. 286) to the remarkable fact that a fleet of 28 ships of the line should be under the command of a rear-admiral.