Study Questions
1. Who was Lord Horatio Nelson?

2. Why has Nelson come to be known as “the Great Sailor”?

3. Which grievance of the mutineers was not redressed after the mutinies?

4. Why was impressment still widely practiced after the mutinies?

5. Why was Lord Nelson directed by the admiral to take command of the Theseus?

6. How did Nelson deal with the crew of the Theseus?

7. Which grievances at the Spithead and Nore were redressed after the mutinies?

8. Who referred to Lord Nelson as the “greatest sailor since our world began”?

9. In the aftermath of the mutinies, how did some British officers ensure the loyalty of their men in battle?

10. Why was “precautionary vigilance” practiced at sea?

Answers
1. Lord Horatio Nelson was considered the greatest British naval hero.

2. Nelson was known as “the Great Sailor” because of his bravery and moral leadership qualities.

3. Impressment was still widely used as a way to enlist a crew.

4. The naval authorities believed there was no other way to ensure a fully manned crew.

5. The crew of the Theseus exhibited signs of discontent, and it was believed that Nelson had the qualities that could calm the tempers of the men.

6. Nelson won them over by force of his presence.

7. The problems of shoddy cloth and unsound rations were resolved in the aftermath of the mutinies.

8. Alfred Tennyson, in his funeral oration, called Nelson “the greatest sailor since our world began.”

9. In some instances they stood “with drawn swords” to ensure that the crew manned the guns during battle.

10. Precautionary vigilance was needed since there was always the concern that an uprising could begin anew.