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

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

that fwv h:s return to the outer anchorage he mentioned to Lord
thittibier, that as there would bit nn jealousy with ropect to
Admiral Stopford, it would be a matter essential to the service
to sfarl with a proper force, apolOgising, at the same
time:, ior taking this lIIVTIy,.aS it Would .be impOssibla to pre-
:rent a noise in England, if things reinainod in that state; to
which his tordstqp answered, that if 1 thieiv blame, it would
look like arrogantly claiming all the merit to myself; on which
witness assured him, that he bad no such intention, nor did he
wish to carry the dispatches, or logo to London.
Admiral Steen?! qtvorn and examined.

Q. ITaving heard the order from the Admiralty to Lord Cam-
bier to attack the fleet in Basque Roads, state to the Court ans
neglect you know in the attack of the enemy's ships, or any de-
fect or unnecessary delay on the part of his Lordship, between
the 10th of Marchand 17th of April ; and whether he used every
means in his power to carry into effect the above mentioned or-
ders?—A. Under all the circumstance; of the case, viewed in
every point of which I am capable, and giving to the Commapder
in Chief the exercise of that discretion, which eTery Comuitshder
in Chief, in eyeention of measures for which he alone is reiponsi-
itie, I do not think there was any delay or deficiency on the part
of the Commander in Chief, in executin; the, service entrusted to
t. his Lo, ship's. care.
Q. ( 11, the Court). Was the feet in Basque Roads untnoored
en the illy previous to the going in of the frigate t---A.. %'es; the
ships we're unmonred on the 1 1 th, Q.•Do you knoW why 64,
were unmoored ?—A. From a ennYersation' I had with the
Coniinander in Chief before unmooring, I understood it CS as for
the purpose of being ready to take adliantage of any fivioirable
circumstance. I must also add, there was some conversation
which had no practical effect, respecting th.e fleet making a show
of getting under weigh to deceive the enemy, 'for thellrposo of
preventing; the eilemy's boats coining out to interceN'the fl,e-
shi;ts. Q. Was the tli et moored again in the course' of that day?
—A. The sig!.as w;., 'unite, ead the fleet moored again, about
eun-set, except the Caesar. ;
Q. Ds you know What induced the Commander in Chief to
order the fleet to moore again: or if you d 9 06t know his rca
sons, did you see or know any sufficient cLitie for its being, done?
A. The Commander *in Chief Mil not a. itie tiLle rommo7ira4.
to me his reason for mooring, but from the i-to,e order in 'which
some part of the fleet was originall,' mtioreel, and considerint, the
strength of the tide, I think there might have t •OsOrrie risk of
the ships Nearest to each other eclat's- on haii . .4- eriWolher,
had they continued so eloye.—Q. 'rite'. .rniiig after-011.hr.. ships
44
were sent in, sonic signals and telegrap is coioniuniciitiiins Were
made from the imperietive lo the Com : oder in Chief. ' no ..ou
recollect what they were ? A. I cnnfe-sT guil4 speak r/nie froth
recollection, than trier. any thing I saw rn3hielf.•-• 1 Cap itffri?r Co
those which were officially reported sei Diet) ' e Captain .ti Ike
Caesar. The first signal reported re me to ire • eby the If*:
Is.toshi
petieuse, was, " that seven sail of the everro '5
pc on sisoe
the flea ran destroy theca."
h',' f the ftect could destroy th,
eight o'clock, I .do not reed
Imperieuse till beiween half p
da, and stanait.g4o towards ti
signal that the mem V7:5 ships lc
but infra; .4 to the not united i
dibtress and wiinted:iwistairce.
cirill'i reported to. yon in the
perei.se had iafrolfaed the I',
th,,i, two sail ,if trtefine .vrotsld

—A No inch pignal it.ar re]
mile. Q. Was any official ipfil
inander in ('airf navia;.- recalle
of the 12th?—,t. No) such comi

Q. Tue Revenge, Thesetts, Val
have •been sent into dir !twat

They Iv ent in at different hour
hours (tftf•r the V Q.

otherwise by the Commander t
by an ordtr from the Calms

the CrAr, Che,eup, au i
Q. Wi74l Was your reasous
service on which they were on

Convitudd..l i,i Chief 7—A. The

th." sllips were e po,ed to by ci
'Wilfully &hat they could not
furihn Clebtinittiori of the
Cal 4kager to which
bottelies, or h.gduemt
evening precediog it


JULY SO.'

shore for three hours, in range of the enemy's shot; and this,
contrary to my expectations, being told hy-tbe pilot there was
sufficient water. The Captain of the Theseus and Valiant also
informed me that their ships had been aground. Q, On what
shoal was the Ctesar aground ?—A. A continuation of the
Buosart, or separate bank, in the same line with the Buoyart.
At the time the 12•rfasar gdt ashore, jt wa•Jspeari v dark, and the
onenny did pot 'perceive her situation. if it had been day-light,
I should have despaired 'of getting her off. Q. Did you know
that in the read or4ix there was an anchorage capable of con-
taining six sail of the I;ne,'perfectly out of the reach of shot and
shells, from any or the enemy's batteries ?—A: Previous to our
frigates going in, I certainly did not know it, al,h6egit some
Pilots Were' 'of opinion that there was, others that there was
not; With respect to the turnbf;,-, I understoOd it never news
tained more than four ships its five fathomi, wit out range of
shells. ' 'Had I known of that anchorage before I -went in,l
should have expected to derive little good frail% ships
going there, as it Was quite out of the iffin of annoynig any of
tl! enemy's ships that were on shore.' Q. Otte Of the reasons
You hnve given for withdrawing the ships front the rood of Aix
was, that they could not annoy the enemy's shins. Were you,
before it was dark; In a situatienfrom which you :could so see the
enemy's ships as to feel auite*satistied ships of the line could du
them no more mischief?—A. Before I went in, and in goin4 in;
I observed the enemy'sships close under the hatteries,and I was
so little acquairited. with that anchorage, that I was of apinion4;
both with resPeet to the navigation 44 well as the exposure to
the batteries, ships could not he eniployed without emiuently
risking their safety. '•
Q. You have commanded a squadron fora considerable time.
in Basque Roads, 'have you beep able to ascertain hoW
the tide risei and'falli at spring tides ?—A. Generally from 18 to
21 feet, according to the set of the wind;the N. W. wind makes
a higher tide.—.Q. when-
the linperietise made the signal that
the enemy's ships were on shore, and the fleet might destroy
them, would you, with the experience you have as a Flag Offi-
cer, hare thought it prudent or proper: to send or Lead in *the
fleet tO,destroy them.—A. In my opinion the dislodgment from
the'ancliorage of the enemy's ships :by fire ships, reMove.d out a
small part of the obslieles. This is niit only my ()pinion, but
that of others %she preceded in the command. The difficulties
of the navigation; and an imperfect acquaintance with the' an-
chorage, Would, if think, hare made me pnwortby of a eorrituainl,
where the enemy' had all the advantage, and oars weuld have all
the loss. 9. When the signal was made by'the Imperieuso that
half of the fleet could hive destroyed the 'enefify, wotild sou
haire canducted halt-the fleet for that ptirpn.4e, with the w hid
anti weather as' it then was ?—A. In this and the former ansaet
must take the state of the wind only, 'with the Wiwi as it then
ivas;:ttid the broadside of their ships still commanding the' pas-
t'ar':' Ise Shouild hive been Se crippled in going in and in working
out a passa,ge a little More than a Mlle,* t flrink I should no%
have risked the ships had they been under my cootnand. Q.
rtit; lorperieuse made the signal of heint in distress, field wanting
imaiodiaie assistance; were any shills immediately sent to assist
aet ?—A. 1 will not pretend to say whether' the frigates were
ordered in before or afterwards, by the Coinnuinder in t•hief,
but there were several ships near at that time. Ido pot recollect
any signal being made immediately ih answer to the signal (mom
the Itnperieuse.—Adjounted.

.•• . . .
SIIMI fit •et 1
.:nal repel 10,124. 44. that
"tts." Bet i.. ,:en hair it • It and
II •ct tiny 0t1...i L;g;4l at lby the
)i.k,
met twelve uod ow n'clut \same
boyar-my. ' rite TYni,eetti. vade
.;re g3U perk): to t tie clustog • i 'lip,
0 alsn that the loyerietv iv e sin
14 Did you se :, or wa•i i olli-
e risorhe cf that day, that r e I qa.
'oninsattder in Chief by to 'graph,
be so rtien tto destroy the erns t m
Irt
Ported to e even to hav '.l :wen
rot:lV:id given to von of ribs.: Am-
d tile Imperietic(.4 ov The ny eing
4,i
nunication wa% user riiiil•rth me.
liant, rail
.*,sernr, • re gime-. to
I of A, ~ diel th !
r A i to•in ?- —A.
f.
s of iigi:t 1 l' e eye* , .somt-
\V t2rt: tae ‘ rye:Auk' NN •rxtral or
Chtei'l—AL. 4"yey % eti.,,reralie,r
rider in Chief, lutit port of them,
it. came out tiit orders'from me.
or railing thoee ships front tili-
.red %itholit rfloreetions from the
imminent On ine+itable dan2et
Winning iniithiLl wation ; also 'he
he esoptar'...c.ef with elfect in tip
v's ,hips Q. Din flu e(tn.idt.•
I lie ec osedfrom the tines it
r toot 4 A. From both. Hit.
1...
Ceteli,,,W was going in, she got on