'The noise disturbs you, Mr Vansittart?'

'A little, I confess,' Vansittart said, feeling more than a trifle foolish.

'They were only half-charges, don't you know, to conserve powder. I get no allowance from the Navy Board, damn them.'

'And you fired them at no mark?' Vansittart asked in an attempt to appear knowledgeable. 'I mean you did not intend the shot to hit anything?' He thought of the black dots he had seen in the centre of the discharges.

'No, no, no, we fired at no mark and shot off nothing more offensive then the wads

'But I saw ...'

'Oakum wadding, nothing more. The only ball you see, they say, is the one heading directly towards you, and I hope it won't come to that, eh?'

'Oh.' Vansittart's tone was crestfallen.

Drinkwater felt sorry for the diplomat.' 'Tis too lively to try at a target. If the wind falls light I will put out a boat, but the men are untried, a mixture, rough and uncoordinated as is usual at the beginning of a commission. At first it is essential, a moment please ...'

Drinkwater broke off his explanation to attend to Mr Belchambers. Vansittart could not hear what passed between them, but the midshipman's face was dark and Drinkwater's bore a look of disquiet when he turned back to resume.

'At first it is essential to ensure the gun-crews operate in a disciplined manner and serve their guns correctly. One cannot afford mistakes in the heat of battle. You have doubtless seen an excited sportsman loose off a ramrod at game birds, well the same thing may happen here. Perhaps worse. A new charge thrust hastily into an unsponged gun may result in a premature discharge in which the carriage recoils over a gun-captain engaged in clearing a vent.' He paused, then added, 'As it is, one man is suffering from crushed fingers.'