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

Capta:n of the Indefatigable, *worn and ezamined.

Q. Did you, before you went into the inner road of Aix to attar*
the enemy's ships, know of any anchorage where 4ix orany other
number of line abrade ships could lie, without the range of shot
or shell from the batteries ?—I never did, nor have I ever known
that line of battle ships could lie there, until I saw the frigates
there n' 'r the action; nor did know they could lay there,
clear of shot and shell, until that time.—Q. Did it appear
to you that the Commander in Chief had for a consi-
derable, or anytime, neglected or dela ed taking effectual steps
for the destruction of the etiony'3 ships after they were on
s!;ore on the l'2lh of A Kit, and the signal made by the 'tope.
rieuse that they could be destroyed ? A. I know of no delay,
Q. Did it appear to you that blame was imputable to Lord
Gambier in the command of Itie s(paadron in Hasqiie Itoads.for
any part of b: conduct, between the 17th March and `29111 April.
—A. None, whatever. Q. From the first attack on the eilem.ll
SHIM, to the final cessation of hostilities against them, was every
thing done that could he done to effect their destruction ?—A.
believe every thing with the safety of his IMa h ies ships. Q.
_ _

•
I.Vheu you say with safety to his iitlajest). s ship;, tnt nitaß
without them being eyiposed to more danger than eircionstaliccs
woubt jtp.tify.—A. Then beim; ex poseti to more tfati.:er pats
circumstances would ju;tify, I think if they had further
up the Charante every ship mutt have hero lest. As it %t ne
were aground for upward- of an hour. d so-sking some time!
before that, and we u ere for -nine i! neurly ttr.. Ia the

direction the anchor n as laid J conk, no, more ti.nin five ant! a

half fathom at about half eith. Q. Did on MI the iptwiliog of
the 12th April gee the Imperiense inform the Command: r iii
Chief by sigral, or telegraph. that half the Bert ts 0011 ne t.titii-
eit•tit to destroy the enent‘'*ship, 2—A. I diet mts. Part of the

sigiiai made by the linperienst, about that time was reported to
ll', which was, that seven sail of Ow ei;ein'b Of 11,,ttle ships
1% ere ou shore. Ido not know what the other was. Q.
At what time 7:41 )ou rn into, Aix Road I—A. The signal waa
made bye the Commander in (;hier. fur the fleet to we
about two o'clock, I'. M. I Was all ready for ueighieg, and
weighed immediately; in a few minutes tia• signal was made
for tile Indefittigniole to proceed to a ship, making signats of
hearing Southward; the w ind wa. light; we %sent is
under all sail, anchored within conversation of the Imperielix„

and con3tnelo.uil tiring on the Calcutta. Q. Were you ex pobed
to the fire of the batteries ••( tide d'Aix, or did you pas,, vs it hout
the rauge of their shot !—A. Their shot Neut over us hs the
nnd stern, and the shells from them crossed us. Q. When

) 014 %g ere at anchor with the imperieitse, were von still %%With

tiie range of use batteries of Ai v ?—A. A shot passed through
the main topmasts and wounded the mast.
Q. Was tne situation in m hich you were placed when you
was at anchor as good a NW as could he chosen for destroying
the enemy~ ships ? A , For those that I was nearest to ; if I
had gone further in, I must have run a-ground. Q. Was it a

ituation in which sthi vs of the line should have been placed for
the dettructtou of tke enemy ?—k. Not wish 'safety to the