rador. We may recall here
the observations of Chief Justice Reeves on the fishing-admirals:
"They are ever the servants of the merchants. Justice was not to be
expected from them; and a poor planter or inhabitant, who was
considered little better than a law-breaker in being such, had but a
small chance of justice in opposition to any great west-country
merchant. They considered that Newfoundland was theirs, and that all
the planters were to be spoiled and devoured at their pleasure." It
must be recorded that this most just and necessary reform in judicial
administration was vainly but bitterly opposed by the merchants at
home.

In 1793 came the war with revolutionary France, and Newfoundland was
once again in a bustle of defensive preparation. The Governor,
Vice-Admiral King, took possession of St. Pierre. The French, under
Admiral Richery, threatened St. John's, but desisted in face of the
vigour of the new Governor, Admiral Sir Richard Wallace (1796), who
raised volunteers, strengthened the forts, and prepared new batteries.
In 1797 the mutiny at the Nore broke out, provoked by real grievances.
As far off as Newfoundland the spirit of disaffection spread, and an
outbreak occurred on H.M.S. _Latona_, then lying in the harbour of St.
John's. It was quelled by the resolution of Captain Sothern; and
Governor Waldegrave (1797-1800), afterwards Lord Radstock, summoned
the mutineers before him and addressed them in the presence of the
Royal Newfoundland Regiment, whom they had tried to affect with
sedition. "I may venture to say," the Governor writes home, "my speech
was of much service." It was certainly of much vigour. "If I am to
judge from your conduct," he said, "I must think that the majority of
you are either villains or cowards. If the greater number of you are
against your officers, ... I have a right to say that you are
traitors.... If there are only a few bad men among you, which you
pretend to be the case, I maintain that you are a set of dastardly
cowards, for suffering yourselves to be bullied by a few villains, who
wish for nothing better than to see us become the slaves of France....
You were all eager for news and newspapers to see how your great
delegate, Parker"--the ringleader at the Nore--"was going on. I thank
God I have the satisfaction to inform you that he is hanged.... You
looked up to him as an example whilst he was in his glory. I recommend
you to look to his end as an example also.... I have now