The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin (24 page)

I had agreed with Captain Morris, of the paquet at New York,
for my passage, and my stores were put on board, when Lord Loudoun
arriv'd at Philadelphia, expressly, as he told me, to endeavor
an accommodation between the governor and Assembly, that his
majesty's service might not be obstructed by their dissensions.
Accordingly, he desir'd the governor and myself to meet him, that he
might hear what was to be said on both sides. We met and discuss'd
the business. In behalf of the Assembly, I urg'd all the various
arguments that may be found in the public papers of that time,
which were of my writing, and are printed with the minutes of
the Assembly; and the governor pleaded his instructions; the bond he
had given to observe them, and his ruin if he disobey'd, yet seemed
not unwilling to hazard himself if Lord Loudoun would advise it.
This his lordship did not chuse to do, though I once thought I
had nearly prevail'd with him to do it; but finally he rather chose
to urge the compliance of the Assembly; and he entreated me to use
my endeavours with them for that purpose, declaring that he would
spare none of the king's troops for the defense of our frontiers,
and that, if we did not continue to provide for that defense ourselves,
they must remain expos'd to the enemy.

I acquainted the House with what had pass'd, and, presenting them
with a set of resolutions I had drawn up, declaring our rights,
and that we did not relinquish our claim to those rights, but only
suspended the exercise of them on this occasion thro' force,
against which we protested, they at length agreed to drop that bill,
and frame another conformable to the proprietary instructions.
This of course the governor pass'd, and I was then at liberty
to proceed on my voyage. But, in the meantime, the paquet
had sailed with my sea-stores, which was some loss to me,
and my only recompense was his lordship's thanks for my service,
all the credit of obtaining the accommodation falling to his share.

He set out for New York before me; and, as the time for dispatching
the paquet-boats was at his disposition, and there were two then
remaining there, one of which, he said, was to sail very soon,
I requested to know the precise time, that I might not miss her
by any delay of mine. His answer was, "I have given out that she
is to sail on Saturday next; but I may let you know, entre nous,
that if you are there by Monday morning, you will be in time,
but do not delay longer." By some accidental hinderance at a ferry,
it was Monday noon before I arrived, and I was much afraid
she might have sailed, as the wind was fair; but I was soon
made easy by the information that she was still in the harbor,
and would not move till the next day. One would imagine that I
was now on the very point of departing for Europe. I thought so;
but I was not then so well acquainted with his lordship's character,
of which indecision was one of the strongest features. I shall
give some instances. It was about the beginning of April that I
came to New York, and I think it was near the end of June before
we sail'd. There were then two of the paquet-boats, which had
been long in port, but were detained for the general's letters,
which were always to be ready to-morrow. Another paquet arriv'd;
she too was detain'd; and, before we sail'd, a fourth was expected.
Ours was the first to be dispatch'd, as having been there longest.
Passengers were engag'd in all, and some extremely impatient
to be gone, and the merchants uneasy about their letters,
and the orders they had given for insurance (it being war time)
for fall goods! but their anxiety avail'd nothing; his lordship's
letters were not ready; and yet whoever waited on him found him
always at his desk, pen in hand, and concluded he must needs
write abundantly.

Going myself one morning to pay my respects, I found in his antechamber
one Innis, a messenger of Philadelphia, who had come from thence
express with a paquet from Governor Denny for the General.
He delivered to me some letters from my friends there, which occasion'd
my inquiring when he was to return, and where be lodg'd, that I
might send some letters by him. He told me he was order'd to call
to-morrow at nine for the general's answer to the governor, and should
set off immediately. I put my letters into his hands the same day.
A fortnight after I met him again in the same place. "So, you
are soon return'd, Innis?" "Returned! no, I am not gone yet."
"How so?" "I have called here by order every morning these two
weeks past for his lordship's letter, and it is not yet ready."
"Is it possible, when he is so great a writer? for I see him
constantly at his escritoire." "Yes," says Innis, "but he is like
St. George on the signs, always on horseback, and never rides on!"
This observation of the messenger was, it seems, well founded; for,
when in England, I understood that Mr. Pitt gave it as one reason
for removing this general, and sending Generals Amherst and Wolfe,
that the minister never heard from him, and could not know what he
was doing.

This daily expectation of sailing, and all the three paquets going
down to Sandy Hook, to join the fleet there, the passengers thought
it best to be on board, lest by a sudden order the ships should sail,
and they be left behind. There, if I remember right, we were about
six weeks, consuming our sea-stores, and oblig'd to procure more.
At length the fleet sail'd, the General and all his army on board,
bound to Louisburg, with intent to besiege and take that fortress;
all the paquet-boats in company ordered to attend the General's ship,
ready to receive his dispatches when they should be ready.
We were out five days before we got a letter with leave to part,
and then our ship quitted the fleet and steered for England. The other
two paquets he still detained, carried them with him to Halifax,
where he stayed some time to exercise the men in sham attacks
upon sham forts, then alter'd his mind as to besieging Louisburg,
and return'd to New York, with all his troops, together with the two
paquets above mentioned, and all their passengers! During his
absence the French and savages had taken Fort George, on the frontier
of that province, and the savages had massacred many of the garrison
after capitulation.

I saw afterwards in London Captain Bonnell, who commanded one
of those paquets. He told me that, when he had been detain'd
a month, he acquainted his lordship that his ship was grown foul,
to a degree that must necessarily hinder her fast sailing, a point
of consequence for a paquet-boat, and requested an allowance
of time to heave her down and clean her bottom. He was asked
how long time that would require. He answer'd, three days.
The general replied, "If you can do it in one day, I give leave;
otherwise not; for you must certainly sail the day after to-morrow."
So he never obtain'd leave, though detained afterwards from day
to day during full three months.

I saw also in London one of Bonnell's passengers, who was so enrag'd
against his lordship for deceiving and detaining him so long
at New York, and then carrying him to Halifax and back again,
that he swore he would sue for damages. Whether he did or not,
I never heard; but, as he represented the injury to his affairs,
it was very considerable.

On the whole, I wonder'd much how such a man came to be intrusted
with so important a business as the conduct of a great army;
but, having since seen more of the great world, and the means
of obtaining, and motives for giving places, my wonder is diminished.
General Shirley, on whom the command of the army devolved upon
the death of Braddock, would, in my opinion, if continued in place,
have made a much better campaign than that of Loudoun in 1757,
which was frivolous, expensive, and disgraceful to our nation
beyond conception; for, tho' Shirley was not a bred soldier, he was
sensible and sagacious in himself, and attentive to good advice
from others, capable of forming judicious plans, and quick and active
in carrying them into execution. Loudoun, instead of defending
the colonies with his great army, left them totally expos'd while
he paraded idly at Halifax, by which means Fort George was lost,
besides, he derang'd all our mercantile operations, and distress'd
our trade, by a long embargo on the exportation of provisions,
on pretence of keeping supplies from being obtain'd by the enemy,
but in reality for beating down their price in favor of the contractors,
in whose profits, it was said, perhaps from suspicion only, he had
a share. And, when at length the embargo was taken off, by neglecting
to send notice of it to Charlestown, the Carolina fleet was detain'd
near three months longer, whereby their bottoms were so much damaged
by the worm that a great part of them foundered in their passage home.

Shirley was, I believe, sincerely glad of being relieved from
so burdensome a charge as the conduct of an army must be to a man
unacquainted with military business. I was at the entertainment
given by the city of New York to Lord Loudoun, on his taking upon him
the command. Shirley, tho' thereby superseded, was present also.
There was a great company of officers, citizens, and strangers, and,
some chairs having been borrowed in the neighborhood, there was one among
them very low, which fell to the lot of Mr. Shirley. Perceiving it
as I sat by him, I said, "They have given you, sir, too low a seat."
"No matter," says he, "Mr. Franklin, I find a low seat the easiest."

While I was, as afore mention'd, detain'd at New York, I receiv'd
all the accounts of the provisions, etc., that I had furnish'd
to Braddock, some of which accounts could not sooner be obtain'd
from the different persons I had employ'd to assist in the business.
I presented them to Lord Loudoun, desiring to be paid the ballance.
He caus'd them to be regularly examined by the proper officer, who,
after comparing every article with its voucher, certified them
to be right; and the balance due for which his lordship promis'd
to give me an order on the paymaster. This was, however, put off
from time to time; and, tho' I call'd often for it by appointment,
I did not get it. At length, just before my departure, he told me
he had, on better consideration, concluded not to mix his accounts
with those of his predecessors. "And you," says he, "when in England,
have only to exhibit your accounts at the treasury, and you will be
paid immediately."

I mention'd, but without effect, the great and unexpected expense I
had been put to by being detain'd so long at New York, as a reason
for my desiring to be presently paid; and on my observing that it was
not right I should be put to any further trouble or delay in obtaining
the money I had advanc'd, as I charged no commission for my service,
"O, sir," says he, "you must not think of persuading us that you are
no gainer; we understand better those affairs, and know that every
one concerned in supplying the army finds means, in the doing it,
to fill his own pockets." I assur'd him that was not my case,
and that I had not pocketed a farthing; but he appear'd clearly
not to believe me; and, indeed, I have since learnt that immense
fortunes are often made in such employments. As to my ballance,
I am not paid it to this day, of which more hereafter.

Our captain of the paquet had boasted much, before we sailed,
of the swiftness of his ship; unfortunately, when we came to sea,
she proved the dullest of ninety-six sail, to his no small mortification.
After many conjectures respecting the cause, when we were near
another ship almost as dull as ours, which, however, gain'd upon us,
the captain ordered all hands to come aft, and stand as near the ensign
staff as possible. We were, passengers included, about forty persons.
While we stood there, the ship mended her pace, and soon left her
neighbour far behind, which prov'd clearly what our captain suspected,
that she was loaded too much by the head. The casks of water,
it seems, had been all plac'd forward; these he therefore order'd
to be mov'd further aft, on which the ship recover'd her character,
and proved the sailer in the fleet.

The captain said she had once gone at the rate of thirteen knots,
which is accounted thirteen miles per hour. We had on board,
as a passenger, Captain Kennedy, of the Navy, who contended that it
was impossible, and that no ship ever sailed so fast, and that
there must have been some error in the division of the log-line,
or some mistake in heaving the log. A wager ensu'd between the
two captains, to be decided when there should be sufficient wind.
Kennedy thereupon examin'd rigorously the log-line, and,
being satisfi'd with that, he determin'd to throw the log himself.
Accordingly some days after, when the wind blew very fair and fresh,
and the captain of the paquet, Lutwidge, said he believ'd she then
went at the rate of thirteen knots, Kennedy made the experiment,
and own'd his wager lost.

The above fact I give for the sake of the following observation.
It has been remark'd, as an imperfection in the art of ship-building,
that it can never be known, till she is tried, whether a new ship will
or will not be a good sailer; for that the model of a good-sailing
ship has been exactly follow'd in a new one, which has prov'd, on
the contrary, remarkably dull. I apprehend that this may partly be
occasion'd by the different opinions of seamen respecting the modes
of lading, rigging, and sailing of a ship; each has his system;
and the same vessel, laden by the judgment and orders of one captain,
shall sail better or worse than when by the orders of another.
Besides, it scarce ever happens that a ship is form'd, fitted for
the sea, and sail'd by the same person. One man builds the hull,
another rigs her, a third lades and sails her. No one of these has
the advantage of knowing all the ideas and experience of the others,
and, therefore, can not draw just conclusions from a combination
of the whole.

Even in the simple operation of sailing when at sea, I have
often observ'd different judgments in the officers who commanded
the successive watches, the wind being the same. One would have
the sails trimm'd sharper or flatter than another, so that they
seem'd to have no certain rule to govern by. Yet I think a set
of experiments might be instituted, first, to determine the most
proper form of the hull for swift sailing; next, the best dimensions
and properest place for the masts: then the form and quantity
of sails, and their position, as the wind may be; and, lastly,
the disposition of the lading. This is an age of experiments,
and I think a set accurately made and combin'd would be of great use.
I am persuaded, therefore, that ere long some ingenious philosopher
will undertake it, to whom I wish success.