The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-08-02 00:00:00

_

7,7 P,

I .
Xl3 ITISII PRESS OFFICE,
Three Wednesday
• . 1
We have just received the following Repret of
the Proceedings of yesterday, at Portsmouth,
BY EXPRESS.
•
LORD GAMBIER'S COURT-MARTIAL.
Tresday, August 1. 1803.
The Coati re-assembled, pursuant to adjourn-
ment, at nine o'clock, when Captain ißligh was
again called in.
Q. When was it that the two ships of the enemy
that continued to float in the morning, moved to-
wards the Charente ; cud when do yiiii recollect did
the three grounded ships get off the Pallas ?—A.
At half-past twelve, the two ships 'het were afloat
went up, very shortly afterwards the three ships
that had been aground followed them.
Q. You mentioned yesterday the strength of the
enemy's batteries in Isle d'Aix ; did you observe
•altat any of the fortifications thereon had been
blown up and destroyed ?—A. I did not observe
that any of the fortifications had been blown up
or destroyed ; I think if they had I must have seen
it. I was so near.
Q. Did you hear Lord Cochrane express to Cap-
tain Beresford, when in Aix Roads, the probaliihtv
of three or four of our hoe of battle ships being lost
its attacking the enemy, and what missed on that sub-
ject ?—A. N'hen Captain 'Scream.'" asked Lord
Cochrane his reason for Stinking the signal to the
Commander-iii-Chicf, that half the fleet could de.
stray the eterny, he said, he calculated on losing
three or four ships, if the Commander-in-Chief bed
sent the squadron in.
Q. If the two line of battle ships of the enemy
which had remained at their anchorage in the morn-
ing had moved towards the Charente at hulf past if.
could the attempt, by frigates alone, assisted by the
smaller vessels. heve succeeded ill the endeavour to
destroy the whole of the severs 'ships of the enemy
Iliac were ashore on the Pallas P—A. Nu; 00 the
contrary I think that it would have been endanger-
big the loss of some of our own, if we laird atteinvt-
ed it.
COuaT—Q. Do inu saran that they could not
hive made ;In 11111Pft-bliOti on any of the ships?—A.
My answer is on the ground that the two ships had
moved towards the Charaute, but were still in a
situation to have assisted in opposing its.
Q. Were these two shipa,iu your Utilld, so far re.,
awed after they went up, as to oppose our fleet;
or give resistance ?—.4. The impression on my
Mild at the time was, that they had mond so far.
as not to be stile to assist their own ships, or Op- -
prise our frigates.
Q. II7(1 the three enemy's Ships shat were a-
, ground min the Pallas, end afterwards float/dinar/-
I ed un from that sltution, before or after those two
thine I—A. To the best of my recoilectioti, they
Swaim(' and mast up after the other two 5:144,
wont twi its inn; ales lifter.
Q. Did it appear to you, in the moruinsr of. the
ads of Aped, or at any time when the enemy's
Ifllep4 were on shore, aid the signal made that they
donlil he iTestroyed, that the necessary steps.and
ef-
Ilectual measure were taken for dt,troviiig then,. on
My part 1-A. I have already stated, that if tie
ships had been Sept 111 on the morning of the .12th,
it would have been sending them to inevitable de-
struction. I
do slat think the ships could have
been sent in sooner that( they were ; Pull there did
not appear to me to he the smallest neglect OA the
part of Lord Gambier.
Cesar—Q. From the 144 atteelt upon the ene-
my, to the lima cessation of hostilities ine,ailist them.
was every thing done that (void he dune to s.ffect
their destruct' I thilik that every thing
was done ; Iliad more was door thesis 1 expected.
Q. You have stated, that you olieerved no pert of
the fortifications on Isle it'Aix that bed the appear-
alive of being blown up, or destroyed ; did vou
take notice of any heaps of stone or roiliest!,
gave an appearance that any part of the batterie.
was in a disordered' state ?—A. I looked very at-
tentively, with a gond glass, at a little distance from
the fort, and they appeared to me perfect; I saw
no heaps of atone or rubbish ; if there had beep any,
I moat have seen them.
Q. Was there any part of the works of the Is
land that appeared to be under repair ?—A..No
pint that I saw ; towards the sea they appeared to
be throwing up another battery under a very close
and long tier of gun. end mar to the water side,
I believe the whole works pn the Isle D'Atx were
perfect. but they were strengthening them.
Q. Yon have said that the responeibility of tak-
ing the Valtant into Ant Roads, rested of yourself.
the pilot having refused to act, what reason did his
give for net taking her in r—A. 'That the water
was too shoal, and as the wind and tide then were,
he thought the ship would be boat.
Q. Were all the enemy's ships that were on shore
on the Pallat., near enough to the Batish ships to
be destroyed by them .?—A.. No ; the three ships
moving-up the Charaute were lying to die south-
ward and eastward of the Ocean, and she was never
Within einc.shot of the Valiant or lireetage.
Q. Du yuu mean that these ships were not within
g•Wii-shut before they moved up the Charente?—A.
! They weir not within gun-slim, in my opinion.
Q. If the Ocean was not within gun-shot of the
Rieeve, or Vahan:, was she withili reach of any
ether 'ship; of our fleet I—A. Not when they an-
ehdrea, hut frigates might have been moved near
enough to have reached them.
Q. Could they have done that without being
aground ?—A. Yes; at about half-tide I think
they might.
Q. To what ship did the Caletitta strike ?7—A.
I have Already stated that the Calcutta never struck.
An officer of the &ask, reported to me, that he
had taken possession of her.
Q. Did you give him Hoy orders in consequence
of that report Nis-A. I did not. It was my inten-
tion to have sent a party of Marines, es she lay
considerably without the reach of the enemy's hat-.
tents, and I think might have been brought out
without the lose of a man—she was upright, but
I think not afloat ; but she was set on flee in a very
few initiates after, and I do not know by *hem
order.
Mr. SToKes, Master of the Catedunia, agaia called
Lord Gambier asked
Q. At what time did the istemy's two ships of