Nelson & His World

In the Nicolas edition, volume 5 I found this letter from Nelson.

To the respective captains and commanders of his majesty’s ships and vessels on the Mediterranean station.

Victory, Madalena Islands, 7th November 1803

Memorandum
Lord nelson is very sorry to find that notwithstanding his forgiveness of the men who deserted in Spain, it has failed to have its proper effect, and that there are still men who so far forget their duty to their King and Country, as to dessert the Service, at a time when every men in England is in arms to defend it against the French. Therefore Lord nelson desires that it may be perfectly understood, that if any man be so infamous as to desert from the Service in future, he will not only be brought to a Court-Martial, but that if the sentence should be Death, it will be most assuredly carried into execution.

What were the consequences to men who deserted, besides not being paid for not doing their work? If they were never arrested for deserting, could they ever return to England, to start a new life there?

If they decided to work as a sailor on a Spanish or French ship for whatever reason, and they were taken with that ship by the English, where they considered being Prisoners of War, or were they hanged for treason?

Could some one please explain to me what the difference is between a ship and a vessel?
Sylvia

Desertion was a common occurence - literally thousands of men left their ship during the 18th/early 19th centuries. The historian NAM Rodger has stated that desertion and its prevention was "..a sort of game..in which the recruits object was to regain their liberty, and the Navy's was to keep them..."

Seamen deserted for a variety of reasons - some to go ashore, but many simply because they had the opportunity for a better paid or more comfortable 'berth' in a different ship.

Despite the regular dire warnings issued, Rodger goes on to say that the Navy actually moved slowly and reluctantly to punish invdividuals. The penalties for a captured deserter were usually financial; it was actually uncommon to be court martialled for it. Those that were, could expect to be flogged. Some were indeed sentenced to hang, but were usually pardoned. Only where other offences had been committed, apart from desertion, would a death sentence actually be carried out. NAM Rodger writes "..the risk to a deserter of being court martialled was extremely small, and of being hanged infinitesimal".

Michael Lewis, on the same subject, agrees; although the life of a deserter could be a miserable one - constantly fearing recognition and being hauled back for punishment - in practice, unless "actually taken in arms against us" ( i.e. captured on an enemy ship), "he was seldom executed or even maimed; and with good reason. Deserter or not, he was still a 'hand' and as such, a commodity more valuable alive than dead.

Sylvia,

To answer your last question, popularly the difference between a ship and a vessel is not much, in that they are just different words for the same thing.

Technically however, a 'ship' has three masts, all of which have yards across them, from which sails are set; whilst a vessel, not being a technical term, is still a vessel - and it can be applied generally to any craft afloat! The latter term of course is also applied to something which can be filled with something else - hence a ship, usually a merchant one!

Kester

PhiloNauticus thank you for your information, and Kester for your explanation, it is much appreciated.
Sylvia