and therefore capable of no other mischief than was to be
apprehended from a want of the fleet to serve against the enemy.
In this state however they were unfortunately suffered to go on
without interruption until they began to think themselves
justifiable in what they were doing, and by stopping up the
mouth of the Thames they were suspected of designs for which Mr.
Graham and Mr. Williams can by no means give them credit. The
want of beer and fresh beef prompted them to revenge, and that
and nothing else induced them to interrupt the trade of the
river. It was done on the spur of the occasion, and with a view
of obtaining a supply of fresh provisions. Another thing, namely
the systematic appearance with which the delegates and the
sub-committees on board the different ships conducted the
business of the mutiny may be supposed a good ground of
suspecting that better informed men than sailors in general are
must have been employed in regulating it for them. This Mr.
Graham and Mr. Williams at first were inclined to believe too;
but in the course of their examinations of people belonging to
the fleet they were perfectly convinced that without such a
combination and with the assistance of the newspapers only
(independent of the many cheap publications to be had upon
subjects relating to clubs and societies of all descriptions)
and the advantage of so many good writers as must have been
found among the quota-men, they were capable of conducting it
themselves.

Graham and Williams arrested at Sheerness three strangers, Hulm,
McLaurin, and McCan, who were making mischief. Nothing seems to have
come of these arrests; and, despite the opinion of Pitt, expressed in
his speech of 2nd June, we may dismiss the charge against the London
Corresponding Society. It is clear, however, that busybodies circulated
newspapers and pamphlets at Sheerness, Chatham, and Maidstone. The
reports of the parliamentary debates of 3rd, 8th, 9th, and 10th May
would alone have encouraged the mutineers; and the chiefs of the
Opposition must bear no small share of responsibility for the disastrous
events at Spithead and the Nore. They were warned that their nagging
tactics would cause trouble in the navy. They persisted, in the hope of
discrediting the Ministry. They succeeded in paralysing the navy; and
the only excuse for their conduct is that their hatred