Volume 1

The Farington diary / edited by James Greig.

  • Joseph Farington
Date:
[1922?-1928]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Farington diary / edited by James Greig. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    96/464 (page 54)
    m\ The Trial of Warren Hastings June 14.—At Hastings trial with Boswell. Burke was very dull and tedious. Burke was abusive witht. wit or entertainment. No Manager in the Box except Windham [Minister for War] who read the extracts for Burke. Francis sat in one corner of the Box.—But few Lords.—Duke of Gloucester,—Leeds,—Marquess Townshend, etc. June 15.—The new designed floating Battery was launched yesterday.* Her Hull costs £6,000—built of Fir, which makes Her light.—She draws abt. 6 feet water with her guns in. She carries 26 guns in all, 32 pounders.—also 2 mortars on her main deck, under which there are bags of cotton to ease the pressure when they are fired.—at the head 8 guns and 4 guns, abaft 4 guns. June 16.—Went with G. Dance to the conclusion of Mr. Hastings trial : Burke spoke and read abt. 2 hours & 10 minutes, very unin¬ teresting & dull,—but his address of 10 minutes was beautifully com¬ posed and admirably delivered. June 17.—Called at the Shakespeare Gallery where Caleb White- foord introduced Mr. Stewart a young miniature painter from Edinburgh to me.—He was bred to Landscape under Nasmith. G. Dance told me an intimate friend of Ld. Chatham has spoken to him on the inconvenience attending his laying in bed till the day is advanced, as officers etc. were kept waiting. Ld. Chatham said it did not signify it was an indulgence He could not give up. This friend told Dance. * The Floating Battery, illustrated on opposite page, was probably the craft known as the “ Spanker Floating-Battery.” This vessel was of unique appearance, and is said to have resembled no other vessel in shape or design. Other floating batteries were, however, in existence at the time, being stationed at such places as Leith Roads, Jersey, and the Isle St. Marcou. Some were 74 and 64 gun ships cut down, while others were specially built on designs drawn up by Sir Sidney Smith.