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Sir Clowdisley in Command - Poem
By Todd Stephens Todd Stevens on 13 October 2008
In 1707 four ships of a British naval fleet were lost among the western rocks of Scilly. Local legend states that aboard the flagship, Association, a local of Scilly attempted to advise the Admiral of the fleet, Sir Cloudisley Shovel, that his calculated position based on dead reckoning was wrong. The ordinary seaman is said to have been hanged for his insolence, a legend that can be traced back into the early 18th century. Experts have since stated that the Admiral was a Christian man who would not have done such a thing. However, it is a fact that he actually hanged no less than three men prior to the wrecking.
Sailors of the time had no way of gauging an accurate longitude at sea. Dead reckoning was one of the only ways and this was arrived at by employing a number various exercises; depth of water using a sounding lead; and sea bed samples found in tallow placed in a hole in the bottom of that same lead being just two.
Another method used in the dead reckoning calculation was by the use of a log. A log was a knotted rope which gauged the speed of a vessel moving through the water. The rope was attached to a drag that was trailed behind the ship; a reel full of knotted rope was run out as it went. The more knots that passed through the seaman’s fingers over a given period of time, then the faster the vessel was travelling. All the above helped to contribute to the disaster. Along with 1500 souls and four ships, a fortune in specie was lost at sea.
an original poem by
Todd Stevens
A fleet upon the Ocean,
-Sir Clowdisley Shovell in command.
“Press on – press on” his orders are,
-his death doth fate demand.
By dead reckoning he finds his way,
and blindly blunders on.
“Beware”called out the sounding lead,
”else rocks you’ll come upon”.
“Press on I say, I know my way
to England’s green and pleasant land”
“Heave to” called out the knotted rope,
“else there you’ll meet your end”
“But I am here”
Sir Cloudisley taps his finger firmly on the chart,
“but your confidence could kill us all”
-replied the map with heavy heart.
“You know me not” -whispered longitude,
“so call your men around.
Consult with them – lest you find
your ship has gone aground.”
“Press on I say, there are no rocks”
to his men the Admiral sternly said.
“Disagree with me and you’ll hang
from the yardarm overhead”.
“Lord preserve us” sighed one Jack tar
with Scilly before his eyes,
“I know these waters well you see
my home doth lie close by”
“Who doubts me there
you shall not fill my ship with your despair
Raise him aloft his feet will dance
on naught but clean fresh air”
“Old England lies before us men
of this you can be sure.
Would I risk the ship to cast these bones-
and treasure upon the shore”
“Come hither then “ spoke the Gilstone,
“fate with arrogance be joined.
All souls be damned – come garnish me
in Gold and silver coin”.
Copyright Todd Stevens.
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Author: Todd Stephens
Todd Stevens
Email: info@travel-dive.com
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