The Statesman. — London, England, 1809-08-02 00:00:00

•1- - • • LORD G43111114.:1t's DEFENCE. • . • FIF DA I Y. -I ; MONDAY, JULY 31. • Mr. Peesiciews.—l thAnk you, Sir. and the rest of the Members this 11 anounible Court, for having complied ' ith a: • request, that a store interval might be allowed's! before I ealeied on my defence. I hair also to expreassate.` s iti-facti. in. that the whole of my conduct mad .procenlfions id Basqu • naiads, is now undo' your coosideration, to name• quAhe,- of my appUrd fUr this Coert Martial, The ores-city of this moat he evident; either I had to adopt this measu,a, or by a tacit acquiescence in thelnsiosations thrown out against me by L .rd Cochraue, Kaye compromised tint teal ) an. tin a Honour, hut also that of the brave 016cers and hire wider 11. y coisiniaad. The proceeding• of the Court vs ill start% . villa-iota any misconduct has existed in the exec-s -not] of the se rsir e and r consideration t if any has canted, u: which l a n pertettly unconscious, i is right that the na tion should limn it ; not as restirg on the unsupported opi -111..11 /if all artiyadual, but 1111 the unprejudieed judgment of this intuited. I was prepared, when I first came tether you, with neat appeared to one a complete justification of ms cooduct and proteedte-s as Commander io Chief of the (' spooned Fleet, emplaned in Basque goads, between the Fith oC alarch peal the .april last, to which sour inquiry is diverted ; bat I could not be aware of the oral testtamay Neat oast to he brought fereard in support of the (-harp v. hies their Lordships hay at the instance or Lie a Coch rane, been induced to shake agaiest me; namely, L/Al /41 the Nth nf. .•• prat. the eemy's ships bring then en shore, and the signal having been made Crit they could be destroyed, I did for n e ouith:rntle time neglect or delay takie., :fennel mea sures . 'sir destroy ing them. I was ready to admit, that from the time or soy otiserviog on the aserning of the 12th, the si taatiou of the eaemv, communicated to me also by, signal frpm the lower so..te sin.- did elapse before the enemy's • ships were attack, bet 1 was prepared to prove must in cuairovertibe that no neglect or unoireessary delay took pl stela erectile, •he destruction of thieve ships; and 'I have • now the sailialschon nt fi•-.4, that nal of all the °Ricers of the 'Wet whs• are summoned on this trial, toe charge rem on the unsupported, said I may say already refuted, temtimml of the rapt ii.. of the Laperiamie. I believe there is eat a pre cede:lU to oe found in tae naval annals of Great Britain. of an °direr of tie rank I hove toe honour to hold, ma ma dot e; a fiaet which has performed so important a Ne vi. e a. ta..t areounpl shed coder my directioo—approval OS that sere' e has her,,, by the Board of Admiralty, shit enn side rcd b. hi, Majesty's Government even deserving the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, being obliged, from a sense os iv at is due to his own character and hatmer. as aril as to the orofraiou to *bids he beitinr, to appeal to anvil tribunal, eosins* the Ineweaadiadirect accusations darn otticer so fiasco nit inferior in rank. lam warranted in say ,. in,, tut the esecution of this service was opproved fir B gird Admiralty ; oecause in a letter frina their Lord ships' aerreta dated Apr•l 43, acknowledging the receipt of *a. pualle di-p woes u • the occasion, he says, be is coat iummleu h. their Loeb ips to congratulate me, at the bril li it .u. ton, of the force under my enuenand, in the attack of the enenti- snip- in she Isle d'Aix Roads, by four ves sels, a..J sim.equently bs detachments from my Seel, whith teraiiiettesi in the rapture a id deitructioo of four of the ene say'ss tp• ; a id to signals their Lord-hips' downtime to me, to express their approaation of the great exertions of Rear- A.inia al Stopford, air Harry Neste, and be several taker Meters to aimed by use, is having urea most Arlo v •ly - Flu • e.t, 30 , 1 having particularly distanguis .ed t Heelers up in tins u iip•irs sit service. Lord Cochrane, however, wart...o fat !mine Le I at the head of the Admiralty, that if this summate 0.. e at.empied. he should, if standing alone, alp yore it so Cif as era .rial toe Commander-in-Chiefs thus w about jogai:wally (Loci tire; to die I:. inks beirg given for lie service performed, duetting bin hostility peisimally 'at me, 4:4 missal% his attack as publicly, t ough not so as .f see had at owe exhibited f Aril diaries. Lord Cochrane, as a Member of Parliament. may most asauredla aupeort or app use public measures, as he 611411 think proper. In the present proemlongs, however, he setae 1.. the situation why of an (Meer serving under my c.. •aseoid, at appears b,, the following letter to roe from the Fiat Lord of the Adoitralty:— " Admiralty, May 29, 18 9. ai MY Lose— Lavine in c.iiivemation oulonned Captain Co• arise, teat it war the intention of 36 Majesty's GOVeral•tair t 4 boar the tho..iis se bath Houses of Parra mat ta your Lora. sap, and t.. the Olken, ' , tame., ai . Ma ria -e ing under your conunaod it. Basque Rolls, Lard C.' %ROW drcl arid k/ me , :hat i., the &rot of men is measure beihe roamed a.. Fa. tueuein, be should feel himself bound. by Is • pa.• o Jut,, ti. on! , I. to the thanks, as far as they shoe. • „via to the Canura.lader us Ch:e:. Curler these cir cumstaiier., it has beta deaiiel eypediest to upend the mos don for lea Voir. of Thanks, audio cell upon Lord Cochrane ta at h. tbe ground on which he has intimated to toe First Lords me Admiralty his intention id pose the Vote of Taroks, as facia respects your L wdship, that the !Inard of Adanisalty lay !her, be enabled to - jade. h . "..i tue graftage to be it fled by Lord Coebrar• • vary be a nature to 'use -al tee minion in Parlia.nent, or to c .11 for any Nether iuvesaigatimi be she Cil_rd, or in any otaer ashy. I have felt it due to your lordsnip tniti• e you the r vilest informa tion of tot- haw of and to acquaint yoo. Utast" letter ilt An • I.y be written as Cap ain Lord Cischrase . in coo fortuity i ne abuse la:standee of Cat Boon! of Admiralty, neer) of it hich together With the answer of Lard Coca rune, aal be wi thout delay cassammicated to your Lordship. " '. have, de. (mired) " MULGRAVE." Whether Lord. Cochrane /opposed he might with homier dadeavour in lower me in the opium:. of my country bud dies Sovereign, sign .I as els if .. home favour had at Cars instant b. ex. haivea coeferred upon hint...elf—whether his Lord ship tonight he camel .salt his on a reputation al the espence *rani .•—aud wnetaer h,. expccted that his threat mould in timidate rue silence, I %atm aut. Out if these were his .Idreia, I assure myself tar resn't ,s ill prove to him that they Isere fol. .ed in error; for I wiU never permit any mum to proceed a. Lord Lochnuiebas dope, without availing myself of the meat* %salmi the Laws of my Canary *ford, to chew the futilais and ahustice of such an attack. By the Letter of the .tieeretary of the Admiralty to Lord Cochraue, after casaba; sty endeflued accaaatioo against his Admiral, he ex cuses itionself fame explanatioa by a general reference to the log and signal bookies the den, is ithoat knowing, if I may judge Irina .at. i..iperfeti Mate at hi s owe l og , w h at that ae net al reference might produce. Therefore, because be does not accord w tie toe in . pinion, Lord i ;octirane, whose extent of r• spmeshility bas never exceeded the charge of a single ship, and to w•-mat i i judgment I. will not reduce my experi ence is a curnparisna, becomes my accuser; whilst from my situation, I am reap .nsibk f.r every act of my fleet, and for tha Lae of every shop composing it. Jamie confident, and I hope it hatreala evilest to tie Curt, that Lord Cochrane bee an cause what• ver for accusing me of any d. reliction of duty, that it might almost be supposed something had occurred .fty personal imams t towards his Lordship waich had af forded 4tviertioodsof dissausfactioo. fhe coutrary, however, ante lies. More li'oerelity could not have been ,hewn ,hate Lama Cortwane received at my hands; and although a con- Enable d. d ee of d6appoiottnent was nsauifesied throughout the Bret nu his arrival to conduct the service to be p•afiansed by ire vessels, yet every Oificer in tine fleet rendered Min the most stead s amistaaee, ant only in valuable saw stions, the *mire credit of which seems to iiave been assumed by nis Lordship, but b. every other means that zeal and courage Meld ,sour i Lord Cnchraae, cm presenting himself to me aft. r the action. was general is cotopMiat of toe Officers woo commanded tile other ships Matted at the same time with heasell, in the attack of the em-my; bet having equal means with his Lordship ufjudgiag of the oviduct of those 0 I aye , it it was higaly nieritorinia. At the time Came., a made this general complaint, I bad not the smallest saspiri al that there existe.! in his mod those sentiments of theta prelim ion of ma conduct, which by his proceedings since his realm h s ac. 1 to suppose he then euiertained. It .eld, an such case, has • been liberal, and, I think, also his dais. to have made a cousinanication to me to that effect. s'amed t... n have heea enabled to have guarded in some inea sore ag...ist his attack spoil my character, on his arrival in Lagland. l scarcely need observe in this Court, that how ey nisiify courage ii to be valued in au 011eer, it is always it onThlete use itt comequences without the equal exercise of judgment and discretion; it being the duty of a Commander lot soda to dests .y ills enemy, but to accomplish that destruc tion with lit lea t pinsible lea as his part ; submit to the CORM N net et there ever Was a service, which, snider all dice nstaisces. more reqldredite exercise of those spell sin than the oee in Rotation. Tbe effect pro sated ea:ceded my most smarm expettatioas; and, I believe, the empeolne tints of the wh-it fleet. Tbelhoints under the cousideratiell of the Court, appear to be the following; Whether the.lapse of tam. uet went the discovery in the aiondog of tie terns* • ships being on shoat, and theantack,, is as nut. tinder allacita cuteisiances, absolutely eecesaiiri fur the ads:mopes, brio e • pijabwees of the intended senieet.---wbettier it was not ray tints, a- Connaaauer in Chief, AO be geversrd,by.a veers& view of the whole of those eircismistaare... rather tha s yield to the saggestioas of out., and that a very illeier Meer • —and I whether an earlier attack would have hem attended with & patter advantag, short, was there nut accomplished. THE STATESMAN. at the time the attack was made, an that easitt-at any time have been effected. It is in support of these propositions, I undertake to %hew, as indeed is already in evidence before von, that bad I not delayed sending in the ships to the attack instil the time I did, the loss of ships, and of the lives of valu able seamen, *fluid, in the opinion of all the officers of the fleet, have amounted to a large proportion °film force so ens plosed. And vet it seems, that lam now represented a% de leriing of censure, for haying prevented that wanton destruc tion; but I am satisfied the Court will, by the result of their lovestigation, find, that oat a single additional ship of the enemy would have beets destroyed by a more early adoption of those measures which it it imputed to me I delayed- or neglected. I shall now proceed to the direct matter of in quiry and charge. to which my letter to the Lords Commis nen of the Admiralty of the 10th of May, partly applies. This letter was written on my beinig informed that my public dispatch of the lath of April had been considered as nut suf-• Attends explanatory; hut even that letter proves short of what has now become neressary to submit to the Court, put as lamon my defence. I a ill venture here to express my firm consiction, that during the whole period which is the I subject of inquiry, and mule particularly on the very day no which I am charged with a dereliction of duty, it will be found by this houtourable Court, that iu the pies ions arrange ment I everted the utmost faculties of my mind to prevent any cirrionstance escaping me which forethought could die -1 tate; and that at the time of attack I acted is ith all the zeal for the weer's of the service an Officer could evince, whose ' duty it was to consider the proper application anti preservist tion of his own Beet, as well as the destruction of that of the enemy. The squadron under my command, including the ad meal frigates, having bent driven from their stenos) of Bres4, by the cootioued prevalence of tempestuous wester!) winds, it was on inv return of that port, the 23d of Feb. that I ascertained the escape of the French fleet; I had no information of the tune when the enemy escaped from their port, or of the coarse they had taken; consequently had nn grounds upon which I could exercise any discretion. This reduced our to the unavoidable necessity of following my or den, a hicb in sorts an event diatoctly directed me to detach the senior Flag Officer, with such force as I might conclude was equal to the enemy, and to return emelt' to Cawsand Bay for further orders. I accordingly detached Sir John Duckworth with eight sail of the line and a frigate, in pur- Snit of the French Beet, on the course pointed out iii their Lordships' orders before referred to, which left me with the Caledonia alone, iu the mortifs iog situatioo of !seine obliged to reuses to port. rrefer hack to this event, in order •• 'hew why the Caledonia, hearing my flag, became detached from the fleet. In proceeding to Cawsand Bay, the Naiads join-- ed me of Falmouth , when Captain [l a ude, informed me, that the enemy's tieet from Brest, comisting of eight sail of Use line not two frigates, had entered Basque Roads, on the loth of February, where they had beets reinforc ed the four sail of the line and two frigates, previously lying in the Aix Reads. This communication being made to the Adnii salty, I received orders from their Lordships, on the 3d of March, to pot to sea with the Caledonia, Toininnt, 1114146- ems. Resolution, and &Ilona, torether with any frigates and smaller vessels under my command, that might be ready for tea at Plymouth, to form a junction wiih Rear-Admiral ' Stopford, commanding his Majesty's squadron tiff Rochefort.. On my arrival of Rochefort on the ith of March, I found that Rear-Admiral Stopford, with the Cesar, Delia:we, I/o legal. and four frigates, had, iti the course of the 21th of February, been joined by Captain here-ford; with the The seas, Triumph, Valiant, Revenge, and one frigate, and shortly after by the Hero; and that the French beet had I r..uve:l from Basque into Aix Roads, and taken tiochorage 1 there' with eleven sail of the site and four frigates. In cow 1 sequeoce of the intricacy of the navigation, one of their ships , w is twain, wrecked. Judging that the occupation of Basque Roads by the fleet under my command would be most effee- 1 , tual, either for blockading the enemy, or for carrying on of resolve operations, should they prove practicable, I mne ! diately ordered souse of the blasters of the Beet to proceed in, and to take every advantage of weather, in sounding and I serve% ing the anellorage is order to ascertain the p art most advisable to he occupie d by a fleet of the magnitude of that under my orders. On the 15th of March, I issised the fol lowing Getwr II Order to the fleet : et (i ENtRALORoc pis— %% hen t h e fleet takes all nacho Page 1 in Bisque Roads, the starboard division will anchor in aline E. by S. from the Caledonia, and the larboard division will anchor iu a hoe W. by S. from her. The ships are to be moored, the anchors to be placed E.N.E. and W.S.W. from tab other, with the small bowe r to th e Westward , wed the sobs are to be at the distance o f two ca bl es l e n g th f rom eac h division. The frigates and brigs are to be placed one mile .';,trice is advance, either towards else Isle of Aix, or the town of Rochelle, according to the direction in which the total atom; and some of them will be farther advanced of- ter toe close of dad. As an additional guard against ally a.oempts the enemy inlay make is ith Bre vessels against the' fleet, every ship is to be held in constant readiness for actiotty at all times, on the shortest notice; every preparatiut. !is to be made.: 'd kept in constant readiness, to resist and Trans Irate the attempts of the enemy by the nwans otfirowhipirer vessels; and the ships are always to be ready to slip kheir cable., if It should be necessary, leaving buoys upon th em. Two boats from each ship are to he held constantly with fire trap toil es them un board the advanced frigates, to towed' Ore-se sells the boats are to go on board the advanced &s -pies every night soon after sun -set, and to rernaiu the night under the orders of the Captain having the charge of the ad • vaned guard; they are to return to their proper ships in the writing. Two brigs are to be advanced beyond the frigates with th ree - bouts, each of which are to row guard In mode- . rate weather,aud *hen the wind blows from the Eastward .•• and a vigilant loak-out is to be kept upnwthe movements of the enemy fruits all the ships and vessels of the adduced guards. - If any of the enemy's vessels approach the; fleet, obey are to be fired at; and if they are suspected to he fire vessels, blue lights are to be immediately burnt as a signet thereof. If the enemy's ships of the litre are discovered to ae in -talon, rockets are instantly to be thrown up to ap prise the Brat. in either rase the frigates will get under sail, and set in such a inane. r as may be most suitable to counter act the operation ef the enemy, and assist the feet In any way they may be able. Given oo board the Caledonia, at anchor, 15th of March, 1809. (sired), " GAMBIER. " To the respective Captains. ' On the 17th of March the fleet anchored in Sangre Roads, and was moored in a line, as directed by the general order. The eneusvialtips lay at the distance of about sir miles, is compact HIM, and the most distant ship of each line within point blank range of the batteries otsthe Isle of Aix, with their frigates advanced towards the entrance of Ai: Roads. This ctimpact position of the enemy, was evidently taken to avoid the shoals around the anchorage. The nearer and more distinct view I now obtained of the enemy's posi tion, confirmed me in my opinion of the impracticability of a successful attack upon their ships by the Acct. I was also satisfied, that the only way of attacking the enemy, was by , means of tire-ships, which I suggested in En) letter to the first Lord of the Admiralty, written four days after my arri val at Rochefort, as follows :27_ • Caledonia, 11th March, 1809. • MT DEAR LORD. The advance wort between the Isle of Ala and Memo, which I mentioned in my last letter, I find was iojart-d in its foundation, and is in no state of progress. That is therefore no obstacle to our bombarding the enemy's fleet, if you should he disposed to make an attempt to destroy it. A trial was made si% years ago, n hen a Spanish squadron lay at the same anchorage; but without effect. The irport of it you will dud in the Admiralty. It was mode by Str Charles Pole. The enemy's ships lay very much ezossed to the operation oftlre- ships. It is a horrible mode of warfare, and the atteropt, very hazardous, if sot desperate; but we should have plenty of volunteers for the service. If you mean to do any thing of the kind, it should be with and quickness ; and the ships used should not helms than t built for the purpose, at least a dozen, and some smaUer ones. Your's, my dear Lord, &e. (Signed) • GAMBILIZ.t This letter was received by his Lordship on the 19th March, who indeed had anticipated my sentiments, as appears by the following letter from their Lordships' Seeretar3, already ile• fore the Court, but which I will here recapitulate : [Tisk letter was dated Adiniralty-Othee, March 19, 1809: it stated, that their Lordships had ordered IC transports to be ' fitted as fire-ships tojoin the Admiral, and that Mr. Con:rely was also under orders to proceed is a coppered trarepport (the• Clevemad) with a large okortitsent of rockets, and supplied with a detachment of tun' riue artillery instructed in the. ow of them, and placed under Mr. Congreve's orders. That the bomb-vessels, Etna, Thunder, Vows ius, Hound, and Fury. were likewise ander orders to fit for sea with all pmsible c %- pedition, with a view to enable Lord Gambier to make an attack on the French feet at their aochorage, off the tale of Aix, if practicable. nit Lordship was further commanded to take into, kis consideration, the poesibilitr of making an attack upon the enemy, either conjointly wish his line of battle ships, frigates, and small craft, fire-ships, blobs, and rockets. or liepanttdly by any of the above-assallamed means • to tore the fire-ehigi,witb volunteers, intruding thst said saps in cbarge of Olken of tie Rank of Cosammultr, who may Yo pers to be present. and shall volunteer I to maks op any Meirsey by web Lieutenants of the has ullaalrs ships so shall volunteer. Lord Gambier was to Mahe whether any •. • r ...~ farther augmentation of force of any deseriptioa was ne cessary to enable him to perforht this service with fall erect, their Lordships having tome to it determination to leave no means untried to destroy the enemy's squadron. I order to give his Lordship every infiwnsation, a copy was in dosed Of 2 paper drawn up by Sir Rich. hest-, in 1807, prn positig n mode of attacking an enemy's squadron wader Isle d'Ail.] Ou the 26th of,March, 1 received the Admiralty directions of 19th, above referred to, and to which I answered as follows : " Caledooia, Basque Road-. March 26, 1909. " SIR--I have this day received liv the Encounter, your mast secret letter of the 19th hot. acrompaiiied by is paper drawn by Sir Richard Keats. with his opinion of a mode of attack arm an enemy's squadron, litoo•ed under the I.le d'Ail, and signifyiag the directions of the Lord , Commission ers to owe to take into my consider:dim the pos.iSility of mak ing malts& upon the enemy's fleet, either coninintly with the line of battle ships under onv command, and the frigates, small craft, &c. or separately therewith. You will be pleas ed to acquaint their Lordship, that I shall apply all the powers and energy of my mind to carry into erect their di rection.. as far as possible, w lien the means with which their Lordships have order me to be furnished, art ive at. this an chorage. 1 o ill not at present detain the Encounter in her return to PI % month, but will detach another ve,sel to. RIOT. row, and still furnish you with ti stateliwtd of the enems's force, position, and rirruinsi ewes, for their Lordsiap.' infir m:ilium. Their ships certainly lay eliposed loan attack upon them with fire vessels, %Rita hopetifsuccrM. " I have the boomer to be, &e. (Signed) " GAMBIER." The Ilon. W. W. Pule. " Caledonia, in Basque Roads, March '26, 18.19. " —ln obedience to their I..trdships' dinalion: to me, I beg leave to state to them, that it will be advimble I should ' be famished with biX gun-brigs, in additi n to those I may be able to collect of such as are under my command vt pre sent. Thew" are only two at this anchorege. I shall, how ever, order the Insolent and Coolest to Mot me from t,)aihe rim Ray ; and l somild hope the Martial and Percent vt ill cc turn here shortly fin-a Plymouth. It is proper should stole, for their Lord-hips' infonuation. the posit io n in which the French feet is at present anchored, near the Isle &Aix, that their Lordships may he able to form a judgment of the- stir- OM that may he estseeLal to attend au attack upnu the rite- ; my 's fleet la either at' the modes directed by their Lordships in your letter to toe above mentioned. The enemy's ships are anchored in two lines very near each other Ma direction doe South from the fort on the Vie of Ala. and the ships oa each line not farther apart than their own leaxtb, by which it , appears, as I imagine - , that the spare for their anchorage iv ' so confined by the shosdaess of the slater, as nut 'to admit of ships to ruts in and anelior dear of each other. The nowt dis- I taut sbipsof their tots dines are withio pitatt blank shot of I the works upon the Isle of Aix.' Such thertlfare, as us;ght attach the enemy, will be ea posed to be risked by the red - hot shot, fire. from the island ; amt should the ships,be des- i abled in their masts, they must remain within range of the enemy's fire mini dottroyed, there got heist a suilleirst depth i of water to allow theta to name Southward out of distance.— The enemy's ships have taken their. position apparently , with a view not may to be protected by the strong truths on : the Isle of Aix, bat also to have the entrance of the C:ha- mute open to them, that in cgse of being quacked hx tire ships and "thef rihtiVs•of the kited, they tun rim up the river i beyond the reach or them. The tide an.l sc Ind that are In voutable to convey thls kart tremirrice tu the. enemy. Fel Ve I equally to carry them op lite river. Vs Ws respcef lo the at- • tempt that may be made to destroy the eiesay's ship?, with I shells, &c. 1 am not competent to give art opinion, untif it is I ascertained whether the bombs can be,placed within moge trf i their mortari, to the enemy's ships. without being exp- , to the fire from the Isle of Aix. I be,. leave to add, that IT their Lordships are of opinion that an attack upon the else ! my'.i ships, by those of the fleet under ms command, is prac ticable, um ready to obey any order = they may be pleased j "' to boomer me with, however great the risque may be' of the loss of men and ships. " t have tbe honour to be, (Signed) " GAMBIER." " The Hon. W. W. Puce." • On the 27th of March I recut myself in the Unicorn, with Sir II rre Neale, the Captain of the deet,and Captain lb d ford, of the I' to reconnoitre the enemy's fleet, and the fortifications of ;he Isle d'Ais, which oppearml, neer withstalitim: Lord Cochrtme {mks b, his evidence to make a contrary impression, to he bf considerable forte. Obxerving that the enemy were resuming their works es the Bseydd shoal, eitb the tieteof affording to their fleet iu Aix Aortas: of additioonl protection, f taut in the A.pelia na the I.i of Apr.l, to disper!e the people employed rah these' works, which 'entice they eili•eted. t ats tire 3d of Lard I °canine arrived wftlialse Ipfperiense frigair, and by rib Lordship I recelsed the following directions from the Ad miralty : (Tnese directions merely slated the detention in CieDowas, by contrary la ind., of the vc.sels that had been promi,ed ; and cointnunirated their Lordiiiips' orders for the employ ment of Lord t'oc•innse.) That the sere ice might proceed with the utmost celerity, I ordered eight of the largest trateports then is it h the tieei, to be selected ano prepalvd a, fire-ship 4, in lieu' of the sit ex - petted from Pk unititbobat• they might be ready to act witch the It from Mfooliy:ch, imtnediatel upon their arrival. These, with the Mediator, were accordingly fined by mean. of rosin and tar, fontmatel v found on hoard some chase aces, recently captured, and other combdelible materiabi tarnished by the fleet. vice was performed ender the 1 immediate snperlatendance of the Captain, of the battle ships, who evinfell lb , in nt unremitting activity u ndo 'the occaritio..• Upou the itltir of .kpril, at kill past four I'. Al. the Beagleariivegl, wit.) tar lire-ships Inuit Liigiand. Whim I issued orders to the Commanders of sloop and First Lieutenuntsof line-of-battle shi s which I had prepared, it Was found altogether - impracticable to proceed to toe attack on the of the lOth, though much pres,ed by Lord Coca rau and it inaV he a anuf fartuaate circumstance that the attempt was deterred; fur it appears by a general order found uu board one of. the etwiny's ship. and now deli vered into Court, that the'Vreneh, to protect their fleet from Antoci, had equipped 73 launches and other bat., m five di visions, to guard it from surprise during the night, and to tow of uur fire-ibips on their approach t and the trau of the lath would have afforded the enemy full opportunity of availing the/ruches of thi, protection; hut of Cats they were deprived, by the very blowing weatuer on the xub:irrpt , in night, when the fire ships were sent in. I have heft mi nce, that some days previous to the attack, t had, to devotee the meaty, adopted the pr.aatution of order•oi on, of the Roads vessels of every description, that were not to be en gaged in the intended operations. To assist and support the fire-ships, the following dispo sition was made of the whole force in frigates and 'mailer vessels. • • . The Unicorn, Aie. ' and Pallas, I directed to a station near the Buovart shoa l, for the purpose .1 receiving the crews of the fire-ships on their return from the enterprise, to support the boats of the fleet which w.:re w acconspany the fire-ships, and likewise to Dive assistance to the Itope rieitse, which ship was soniewilt further advanced.. 111, Whiting schooner, and.the King George and -Niiiiroti.eut ters, were fitted for throwing ro4kets,ar.l,l were also direct ed to take a station near that shoal. The liftlefatiAuble, the Foxhound, and Etna bottib (heitibqbe only hunslr-vee sel that had then arrived we/roomier:el to place themselves as near the fort On t he isle of Aix as possible, the two fur. wee to protect the bomb whilst she . throw shells into the fort. The Emerald, Doterel, and Beagle sloops, &oh Insolent, Conflict, and Growler gun-brigs:iv/ere stationed to make a diversion at the East end of the isle of Air. • 'flip Iledpoie and Lyra I directed to be anchored by the illastkr of the fleet, one near the Isle of Aix and the outer near+the ' art, with lights huiiteil, awl properly scrWended from the enetny'sview,to guide the fire-ships In their t‘oerte tu'the . attack. Three explosion vessels, which ha& been propane(' and prepared bf Lord Cochrane, were, under his Lordip . .) int inti ate direction, to preerde the fire-shipt in the attack. Their, explosion was to point out the proper time for the Officers commanding , the fire-ships to set fire to their re spective vessels, and to intimidate and prevent the entiuy. from towing off the fire-ships. The boats of the fleet itn-' der the superintendance of /tear-Admiral Stopford. were ordered to assemble alongside the Cursor, to proceed to assist the fire-ships. And I issued the following General ()Me', and.gare the Officers commanding fire-ships full insthictioiss for their proceedings AILS!. GENRKAL. si The fire-ships are to proceed to the attack,the ensu ing•night; the exploding vessels will close witti . the Impe rieuse. The fire-vessels will move from their iochors at half past seven o'clock. in running in•they are to less • the two lights of equal height t which will be sheen on board a vessel placed for that purpose) on the starboard LOSDUN : 'Primed and IV)irslont lot 4).4onvILL, al tk. StAirts% s Ot rat ,•N7, r I end; and to leave the two Betts perpendicular, which will also be shewn on board another vessel pl%ced for that pllrpuse qn the larboard hand. The frigates, &c. which are; to receive the Officers and crews of the tire-ships, will sbew four lights perpendicular, and the luiperieuse trill probably anchor near the Buoyart, and chew five light perpendicular. If the wind should shift before the tire• ships proceed to the attack, or from other r•ircun.ctau^es it should oic postponed, Coe Caledonia or the lioperioce will fire a gun awl spew three lights in a perpendieuler position. " Caledonia, in Basque Road•, April 11, 1:09. (Signal) . " GAMBLER. . - " To the respective Captairb, die." - ---- - with these preconeerted arrangements, the fleet was at this time istiosuueed iu readiness to render any service that might be practicable, taut being anchored id a strong tide way, with the wind blowing hard from the N. W. up on the wrathe- t!..• tr ir • y was again moored, to pre vent the slops fai ri ng oa bo a r! each oilier. At about half past eight p. et. the explosion vessels and fire-snips proceeded to the attack; at half past loin,. t n ,, or the explosion vessels blew up; arid at ten must cf the fire-ships were observed to be on fire, the enemy's forts and ships firing on them. Many of the fire-shirt were coin to drive through their fleet, and beyond the. Isle de I . ix. The night was egtremekr dark ; it blew a strong pie with a high sea, and the service thereby became of stich inerva eed hazard as scarcely to admit of a hope of the oaken and men ever returning. It is right I should Eerie observe, that altbow:h from these and other untoward circumstances, sever..l of the lire-ships failed in their object, I could nut dis over rafter the fullest investigation', that Illarne was iniptirai,le to any of the °Hirers who commanded them. the explosion vessels, conducted by Lord Cochrane in person, siso failed iu their ohieet, as will be seen by r.!- furutt-e to the small chart I now deliver into Court, which po.ists out where two of them blew tip, the third brelca , adrift and did not explode. The siteation in which, and the time when, those yes sele blow up, proved preissdieird to the enterprise in sese rid respects. Their premature explosion, contrary to the expressed intention of Lord Cochrane, that they should blow op in the initlit of the enemy'i boats, to deter th , n tram towing oil our fire-ships in their approach, served Is a warning to the enemy, whose ships were observed in tautly to shrill lights ; and several of the officers who commanded the iirt-chips, not doubting that the explosion bad taken iihre lieu to the enemy's fleet, sterred their ships and set them on fire arcerifingly, by which meals several were in flames at a greater distance from tho eae my than was intended, and so as to endanger our advanc ed frigates. fu lac:, !LA not Captain Wooldridge, and Runp of the oth,r Officers, wholly disregarding the explo sion, taken their fire-ships in a proper direction for the meshy, it is more than probahle that none of them would have produced any effect whatever on th e enem y' s . . But althourb dot one of the enemy's ships was actually destroyed by means of lire-ships, yet the terror e•eited by their approach induced the enemy to cut their cabl e s, and o,posed th-to, by their running aground, to the atta:k which ensued. • I now come to the proceeding; of the 12th April, which cotuturnec witb the siptal that the enemy could b e d i - struyed, and which destruction if is imputed to me I de lved or neglected. • At 4 minntes pant 5, A. M. the Imperieuse then about threw snags from the enemy, and about the same distance from the Caledonia, tua.te the signal to tue by telegrap!i, that " vertu of the enetu)'s ship.: were ow shore, and that half the beet could destroy them." lite actual situation of the Prenchfleet at that time was this :404evert of their ships were on shore on the Pela; ; two hintereaped towards the Charente, and two lay at. their original anchorage, or a very little removed from It, %sit% their broadsides bearing upon any thing that mitt it approach, t 4 attack the ships on shore. lac are sifted to defer the remainder of LorJ Gaziorn's • Drfi till to-morrow..] • b. Fri tit LONDON-GAZETVE, .tfua. 1. BANKRUPTCY ENI.AR(;F.D. Penrioa, Holyhowl, btati mer, from July 22 to Sqtem her 9. BANKRUPTS. F. Amino, Brighthelinnotte, gorrend , -r Auc.ls. 16, and Sept. 12, at the. New Hetet, 0: iglithellustonL. At torney, Ml\ iiarlier. Chancery-bine. J. Sinai'burgh, Norf ilk. grocer. Aug. 5.12, and Sept. 12, at the King's Ilead, Norwich. Attoraies, Megan. W ni de, and Co. Chancery-lane. W. Collin,. Reistol. ines-keeder, Aug. R, 9, awl Rept. 12, at th:, Castle - mid Hdl tan. Kalb. Attornie,, Alcssn. Nether sae qtad Portal, Ever-street, Stnuith J. Forrester, Lane-end, Stoke-upon-Trent, Stairtordshire. ma nufacturer of :mrt :enware, Aug: 111, 22, and Sept. N. at the It ehnek Inn, Niewravtle-usuler-I,s•ne. Att•roirs, W.tlthalltud Ward, Newcastle-unde..-Wine. . - J. AAleck, Ketr.singtoo-crosi, Murry, plJuthe-r, Aug. 5, 12, uud Sept. It:, at guildhall. Mr. Tuner, Ed 14rd-street, ('avendish-square. 1 1 MINERAL TEETH. ON A NEW AND IMP4OVED PLAN. IV/R. FA GEUR t llentilt, Nor. 18,11'OBURN PLACE, beg! leave to announce to the Pablo-, that in cony:queoire of venous experimeats, be is euatited to re c mend ARTIFICIAL TEETH, of a Mineral Prepara tion. so as to Rive complete satisfaetion In those who may have occasion for such substitatcs.—Mr. FA Lk filt. enga4 ; ea to supply from nue Tooth to a whole Set, without eathnag pain. or initatlaa, and of an appearance so very natural, as to defy the most critical observer, at the bane time th..t the Teeth so supplied will ari4wer every purpose or MIT& irm lion. give to the voice itv natural tone and modulation: and their coastrwetion is so incorntptible, that Mr. 1' %LEVI/ en gages to replace them free of expel) •e, should they wear or change cmoar. —M r. FA LEU It Cali aha AM X as Artificial Pa late In a misuser peculiar to hitmelf. add never *before at tempted by Ray i dividual. —Mr. F. is enabled to give irk. renew to many respectable characters is Town and-t:osoirt. it an have felt the beneficial effects of his mode of Treatmeo, and who have been k qually si.uisfied with his fair and wawa-- able chargcs. . No. 18, Woburn-plate, Ramell•square. • riEAFNESS, Pains, Imnosthumea, and No'. , e in the Par, cured by MARTHA R No. Bartlett', Buildings, oppoiii‘e Hatton -street, Root • ter siva Soccmsor to the Lite Martha Searle, formerly of l' ye- Corner, W est Smithfield, where the Whine:6 bath been car ried o.t hr the I'amlly opals,* of 151 Years. . Iler nocuramon Success (particula►ly in Nervous (*wet. !which, of all others, are the worn) is toe well lm,nn to at,., self paneg)ric g nor I' ghe deArtors to raise her oo Reputatitsir, a+ an Aurist, by injuring that of utters.—Th-t alone must rent with a dueenting, Attendance frua Ten till Se s en. Letters (post paid) duly attended to. ISIPROV ED GRECIAN AND OTIIER By HIS MAJESTY'S ROYAL LErrcits PATENT, .ranted in .1. %NI ETII ItST, for hi: nrw linproirtne.iti on Lamps, whir viral Ruiners, that burn and give the inn t brilliant Light ever prn• doted from Oil. They may be used in the mo-t elegant Apeman% Drawing and biding Room, Sidebnardi, Li. brariei, Hall*, and Siairra'ri, Billiard Tables. Counting. lion C 5, Shnps, and for bronzed fielmes or all description , they are simple ia their Comtroction, and not liable IA 170:: out of Repair. . No. IA New Rood-greet, and Union-sure, nornngt, Old lira* Pit's, Lamps, with Fountains, altered to the new i'atent Oemsie • Spermaceti Oil, al 9s. per gallon. N.B. J. SV flit: BST's oeu-e•rrrtcd Sbew Hamm ar• ■on open., Mn. 118. N7Ml' 800 !-•:reet. with 1-sonr . in -t rietr of eleg.tut Furs', fur all Pa; poses, for laspection of PutAie. - 41. Me above Patens Lamp cannel bc bad at aai otir flot-c ill 1 n. Lik