The National Register.
London, England, 1809-07-30 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

can't speak to the exact time. Afterwards the signal sras
blade to weigh, and the fleet moved consequence near to the .
!ere of Aix, for the purpose of being-in a better situation to obs
WWII the proceedings of the enemy, and with the intention of
going in with the fleet, if the wind'bad shifted so far to the
"East as to allow the
,fleet Is, come tintagain, for sy Kieft the com-
mander in Chief expressed .the greatest jatPatienee acid anxiety.
Q. At what timid the COininander in Chief jnforsned you of
his rea'onh for going in ?—A. Some time hymen; the hottis of
eight and ten in the'rnrenoon •f that tfayt being then on hoard
the Caladonia. Q: Did the fleet anchor again ?s-rA. The fleet
anchored about three miles from one part of the Isle of d'Aix,
finding. there was no changi in the wind. Q. At the time the
meet anchored again, would It have been prudent or prom to
'Have sent ha' *of it lac& destroy • the enemy ?—A. For Pie ;sea-
sons I yesterday stated in evidence, in answer to that question,
I think it would not; but the Commander in Chief desired the
ttass Bomb and the bola' ler vessels to procc4l in and bombard
the esietay's *ships that were lyiogashore, he gave directiops also
to the Capiaios of the Valiant, ItevenLe; and the Reljona, nod
'other ships: to advance' towards thO'lluoyant, to support the
Etna and other vessels. Q. bid the ships und vessels, so ordered
10 advance, proetiql iVithout anchoring with the fleet ?—A. The
extra and small. vessels immediately proceeded without anchoring
to their station tit bombard the enemy's ships. The line of battle
d
ships did 'not prises.ed till subseuently ordered by signal. They
anchored. Q. yo4ave said direct i ons were given to other ships to
proceed; were theSe'iloee by signal ?—A. No ; they were given
to the captains on hoard the Caledonia by the commander in
thief in person, and in my hearing. Q. Were the 'directions
given to all of them, or was there any distincs,ion made in the
directions givtu to the captains of the NO '‘it battle ships, and
to those of the smaller vessels IS-A. As they were directions
which could only be executed according to the skill of tlic' pi-
Jots, the orders to the captains of ships drawing most water w ere
given discretionary to them to go in as far as they thought safe,
or could confidently depecol upon the pilots. Q. At the time of
hearing those (letters given did you understaud it to he this inten-
tion of commander in chief, that every ship, of every de-
seri pticp so orderedi slisiuld go in sti soon and as far as the dis-
cretion of the captain woOld admit From the general sig-
nal which had been mode for ships "to prepare fur battle, and
springs on tlkii.cables, &c. also from the convers:omi I had
with the commander in chief, and witnessing his impatience and
disappointment, and 'circumstances not immediately allowing
him to go in with tht `fleet, it was my full conviction such were
the commander•ja ebiers intentions, that the ships .shmild go in
as far and as soon as they cold. Q. no you know from the
captains of those shills of the line, their reasons'For not going
immediately in ?—A. I do not recollect ever to In.ve`heard those
reasbar; distinctly stated. Q.
.What were the ships or 'vessels
that did atFompauy Etna, when she went in As well as I
recollect, these were chiefly gun-brigs, and men 'of war brigs.
Afterwards every frigate went in, in consequence of signals
from the Cominander. in' Chief. Q. How long after the gun-
brigs, the Etna nod the wen of war brigs went in was it, before'
the frigates Went in by general signal ?---111A. I dont think it ex-
ceeded half an hohr. Q. At what time did the line of battle
ships gel in, and which were they I—A. I think, after the fri-
gtes went in. it was not inure than half an hour. when the
a VValiant and Revenge went in. Q. When the fleet brought up
tit the distance you have mentioned, from the Isle of Aix, what
was the state of the weather?--A. Fine wea!kr with a fresh
breeze frigat S.'N. W. and a dam! tide. Q. At the time the re-
ihipi were gent in on tr tetting of the I lth, what Ai' the state
eOf the watlier?-+-A •..iinalh, with a strong breeze Irma N. to
N.W. and so inutl.se4 that few'hoats could pull a;;ailist it. Be-
ing up all that night,'l observediliat about twelve o'elm k at
iiight it tnoiletate;l, and freshened again in the tnitruing. pid
the frigatei
.proceed in by signal —Alll but the Impt.rieu,e.
Q. Did the line oflpfttle ships procerd by signal I—A. They aid.
Ity Lord Gambier.

Q. o,n the evening of the I Ith, it blowing a gale of wind
from the 'with? with a high sea, the night extremely dark,
great difficulty (if any), gummunicirtion kept up from ship in
ship. If, iu sour opinion, the service in which there officers
and wen weer employed in the fire ships oas extremely hazard-
ous, sort attended with so much danger, as to give reason to
apprehend Oita they could not return ? A. Being directed to
take the leading of all the boats that ,*ere assembled on board
the Cesar, but their being so much wind and sea, I thought
/hey could not act with effect in support of the fire.ships. I
tbcrefurc directed tbe Captain of the Ctesart about sun-set that

evening, to go to the Commander in Chief and suggest to bits
Lordship the propriety of the boats remaining with the Cesar
until J theught they could act with effect, of which his Lordship
upproyed, and l selected a boat belong.iegte the Hero, the best
rowing boat I could find, to go to the Imperieuse and acquaint
Lord Cochraue of such intention, and desiring his Lordship to
send me word hack if he wanted any other assistance, but the
weather was so bad as to prevent him returning that night.
With respect to the hazard of the undertaking, it was fully ex-
emplified by one of the tire ships of the Cassar, she went in be-
fore the explosion, and before the Mediator, and on getting near
$4-pe French Beet, she brought to, by signal (rota the others; the
explosion blew up close to her, killed teo men, and damaged
one of the boats in which the men were to come away. The
men were much crowded in the boat in which the men were to
return to the vessel. On their return, one man died of fatigue,
end anot4er was picked up, who died ia the bottom of the boat
of the Lyra gun-brig, which drifted in so near tl. French ships,
she was obliged to cut her cables.--(By the Court.) . Q. As
that which occurred to the tire-vessel did not pass under your
observation, you will inforns the Court how you came by et know-
ledge of it ? A. Front the individual and frequent infermation
of every officer and man who returned, I have no doubt of the
facte-j. Did you receive it as the official report of the com-
manding officer of the boat; A. 104 as 9.wly as I recollect.
—Q. (By Lord gambler;) Under the circemstances at-the time
before mentioned. was it taut surprising that so large propor-
tion of the fireeships passed through the enemy's, and the smaller
number failed ? A. Every circumstance was extremely favour-
able, and therefore I took it for granted, that when once placed
properly, they must inevitably go down on the enemy's ships;
this has no reference to the men's coming away ; so far was un-
fayourable.—Q. (By the Court.) Was the situation of the
Cteser nearer to the rendezvous of the fire ships, previous to
their being sent teem the' service ? A. The Cesar did net
change her situation in the line before those operations took
place, and I do not think she was nearer titan the squadron
were.—Q. Did you observe generally the menaer in vs heel the
fireeskips were conducted towards the enemy A. As far as
lily obsertations went, the tire ships seemed all to have answer-
! ed the purl)* of barrassing the enemy,although I did afteesiards
hear that some 'cif them were set on race too swot'. Q. From
Jour owe observation did it appear to you that every tire
ship was conducted with equal ability and resolution
towards the enemy i—A. It was impossible for me oe any
preen,' to corns an opinien of the conduct of every fire
ship, In the general blaxe of fire, many °Weds were so confound.
ed it was out of my power accurately to ascertain the conduct •
ofthe fire-ships. I cannot aloe er that question more accurately.—
Q. From what you really did observe, did it appear to yno that
any tire ship was set fire to at too great a distance front the ene-
my ?--.t. Some were certainly set tire to sooner (hats et herit, be-
fore it appeared to me they had run so near the enemy as others
had. It Is impossible to praye whether they were too far frnrn
the enemy ; the enemy's line soon began to cult, and to- be seattere
ed, and the shies might have been going properly. one part the
time and pot apother. Q. Whether, between the periods men-
tinned ie the charge, did the whole (eglect of the Lommander.
• in Chief•appear to be higly meritorious ?—A. In the general
• question put to me yesterday, I have. fully answered the questi:
now OUT ; I ant willing to repeat that answer now. Q. In
passing thq Buoyant shoal in the Cipar, was it day-light
—A. 'Just darkish.' Q. At what distance did you pass it ? —A.
As nearas we could. think less limo ci quarter of a mile. Q.
Could eny judgment then he formed, frren the fire immeslietelv
op voseil to you in passing, of the force opposed to you in the
isle of i x ?-e 4.. They did not fire their guns fast, but used in
general only sing‘leshots. 1 think four mortars kept playing onus.'
Mr. Spurling, ..414sler of the Int periense, called and examined.
Q. Dia it iippear to you, at the time a signal was made by
the Imperieese for the ships to come up, that there was a sate
and suiliciteit anchorage for six line of battle ships, so as to en-
able them to destroy the Imetny's ships on the 12th of April,
how many line of battle ships might ha‘e men anchored there,
and what was the depilt of the water, &c. —A. On the morning
of the let h, the Imperteuse retreated out of the reach of the
Varsovie and Ageilon, the' being both nn fire ; we worked
from the l'alais shore when the tinperieuse• was at an anchote,
at the time she was engaged in five fathom, at high a aier
About two o'clock we were stanliag towards the I,•land of Ai e,
the soundings given he the men at the leads, to the best of my
recollectino, was from %ix to ',even fatiin-ns. ttie depth might rer
more towards the !Mend, w ten we am :1.-red (w hick was out of
rime of shot and shell) we lad in live and a half fathoms at Wee