The Sun.
London, England, 1808-05-10 00:00:00

i e bad direaed Ihe Conquesor to be se4teed, foe the was-the spirited aaisityrsof the s m Ad,lral)snetliat diet
purpose of relieving One of the sides of she Rochefort, were not satisfied ‘vith'rseticlieg •ships in 'the. usual
(ittadron, had observed that till': Was an endeavour . Mode from Portsmouth •artd- -Plymouth. Nothing
on the part of Lord Gardner to call the attention .of fuettier:happehed till-the .3utli of-DecefiSbers,` w lien a
the Admiralty to the situation of that ,squadron.— letter was received from. Lord Ganknere'slnted.the
Not so.that,
squadron.---
coinnion course of proceeding, with 28th,:, enclosing
~letters from Sir Richard. Strechan,
blockading squadronsq was; that they were pleced stating the condition of : his squadron on the esed,
wider thean.maaeroeut of the Cornmander in c hief, and requesting a supply of • provi4ions, prirticelatly
who was expected to
,Ilave ships ready, fronetitne to. of bread and spirits..: On receivieg this letter,. very
time, to relieve them in the best , way thee hi; force.' ConsideTable uneasiness, was. felt by the ;Board of Ad--
would admit.; and, therefore, Willrn a
,Commander miialty, notwithstanding the eliaradee Of supineness
in Chielwrote to the Admitialty that lie had dire.eled and apathy attributed- to them by the Hon. Gent.
such and such shis to relieve such and such ships on' The Spencer, the Superb, and the Cumberland, were
blockading stations; such an . intimation was always ordered to sail instantly, and dire& to Sir Richard,
considered as a matter of course, and by. no means Streehan, and 'not as usual, in the first- instance, to
intended to attraa the attention of the Admiralty to Lord Gardner. It was only necessary for him to
that partieular circumstance. The Honourable Gen- mention the nerne•of Admiral Young to produce a
detnan had wondered why trii, ship, the Conqueror, sentiment of respellin that
,House. • Admiral
never did go to join the ' Rochefort squadran.--; Young was, perhaps the best 'Port Admiral that this
the reason was, that she was diverted to ano- Country ever saw. Without meaning in the slightest
other service. Flavin° arrived in Cawsand Bay j degree w derogate -frail\ the merit. of the other Port
Os the Ist of November, she was there refitted, - 'Admirals in this Country, who were all men: to
and was on the- point of sailing thence, when it ! 'whoM the service was highly indebted, he must say
beeoming• absolutely accessary to send a Squadron ' that the genius and activity of-Admiral Young were
,!() the Ttieus, fel- the purpose, of securing an 451- transeeilent. It , was'. ituposSible for hill) (Mr.
-'trill to tine Royal Family of Portugal, the Con- 1 Pole) to hold -the situation` which he did without
queror was sent upon .that. service, on the 1 e,th I perpetually feeling this conviction. He said this; be-
V November, together with two other Sail of the , cause as no remonstrance was . made' by Admiral
on', allef which, but for that occurrence, would pros Young on the subjeei, it was fairly to be inferred
D"bly have been placed under the command of Lord t that the Admiralty' had. done ' all that it we's pos-
'ardner. The observations made by the Ho- i sible.to do : for there was not au Officer in the
sourable Gentleman naturally fell under two' heads; i service who'would have heeti more mealy to offer
the one with respeet to the 'neglea' which he as-1 such remonstrance had it been necessary. On the
ve,rte I that the Admiralty had been guilty of in pro- I 31st of becember, hoWeverethesßoard of Admiralty,
ctsioning .Sir -Richard Strachan's-eqeadron ; the se, -I not yet satisfied 'With the tseertions WhiCh they, had
eakl, with respe& to Sir Richard Strachan's quitting 1 'macie, ordered the Colossus to prereed froin Ply-
his station, which the 'Hon. Gentlemateasserted was mouth to Rochefort. On the 2d of January, 1808,-
°Wing to that circumstance. He should take these Adniiral Young took on himsell to order two inallthS
main div'erions of the subject in succession.. Withi provisions, to be. put, on board two transports in Cat-
r_e,gald to the first, he ✓repeated: that he 'hoped lie water for the purpose of sending them' also no Sir
notild be' able to sliew; from the Papers. on the It, Strachati. One of theseeransperia ran agroned,
'able, that the Admiralty had been most anxious . the other joined-Sir It. Strechali on, the 23. ct of Ja-
to relieve the Squadron, even before the period f nuary, but his supply was-t Len se ample that be
When imperious necessity demanded that the Ships would-not take any thing out of her, and she returns
which were to be sent Out for that purpose should ed untouched fto khigland. k•laving tins, as he trust-
-1..0.,e devoted to. another Ohio& ; and' that 'from *the ed, completely proved that' every attention to the
nit„Ttlent of that diversien. the Admiralty had omit- . supply of the Squadron had' been paid -by the Ad-
„,‘`l no possible Means or c.enveying to Sir Richard niiralty„and that no requisition had beep-made to
?9*acbau an ample supply, which would have I
m , tee with which they had mot .instantly complied,
arhved a considerable (line before it was re- 1 he should proceed to the consideration of the second
' quire,', had it. not been for the uticominouly tens- : 'division 'of the subject, Arid state the causes' which
e
v tl-I(as weathei..and other CircutustanceS which lie t had prevented Sir R. Straclein horn, tnantiaining his
e
lout(' shol.tly have to state. The Honse, in look-' . station. The Hutiereeele Gentleman .attributes his
le'T. at the names of the ships which formed Sir ' quitting it to the necessity which he. was under of
Zhard Strachan's sqoadron, would perceive that looking out for victuallers. Timis he eus,olvitely de-
tieral of them had. been at sea, for a considerable , tried.. :It was 'owing to the tempesteons state of the
ecee.', some even for five mouths ; ,but it did ; weather ftotit'Deceinher 21st to the 6tir Jantetry,
alit.,,teelice fellow that thoie vessels had 'expended .. which, while it prevented tke,.stipplies from :el", wee
r_imeir provisions ;. for it was . the custom wits.° -a Englende drove. Sir, IL Strachan frent• the station
Lul),,,tvent to relieve a ship of a blocked* squadron, : which he was soidesirous 'of maintaining. This he
et.taf.ry out a surplus of piswisionsi which surplus i, mused prove from Sir IL Steer:lien's own w 0-es ; and
led_edistributed among -the squadrint i the ship re- when that gallant "Admiral paid be could noi keep
4sleeveki4 also leaving as ieueh of her prOvisiou'is as she his station, end the Hon. ,Gentleman said that he
em. with safety spire,. which were -also distri- .could have kept it, he left •itefor the Rosie,' to de-
leg e ft happened that, all the. vessels coulpos- termine, • Which opinion W” pr01)110.iy the: auore
ethe 'e Rochefort sresadeen bed been so supplied by , correct. In a Letter from Sir Richard. Saddle!'
neaps' On the ad of December, 1807-, the Ad- ,to Lewd' Gardner, dated off Cliasseron, the 2-lit
enei":Y -issued an order which direaly cot. itradicted of December, . he' says, '" ••We have been driven'
cu„t9"rge made by- the Hon.. Gentleman, who eel-
~ oft', and have only just now got hold of the
lee tl,lent of ham; atrociously negleaed the gal- land ; the weather has' .been very tetepes:uous."
lee entlieers and SeatJlCll who were employed its. i On the 25th of December Sir R. Stracilan writes
els:idles .
! ee seeiu ss the enemy's ports, and of having abstain- t, to Lord G:irdoer,- " Time squridron has. had to con-
ed
e,,,''''clittg• supplies to then) mita after er- tend with eery blowing weather, which has ptevetit-
ecee Ti ,repeeted representations on the sub- -
.ed tine front apportioning • the remaieder of the pro-
a large, A "4' order (which he
:reed) • directed that , visiotis to each ship. Chasscren beats Esbk N. eight
• wail b of potatoes, onions, live bullocks., i leagues," Ole the 28'11 cif December, be:sayi,
edit) , other provisimis, 'should be sent-to the block- -" enclosed is the .state of the srpetdrase on. the ss3d,
rel,'rfi sq`ll4rolls• oil' L'Orient, Rochefort, 'and Fer-S ..sinee which the weather, has been such as to pre-
,
~der to was followed up by a regular series of or- .1 vent . Much communication." 04 the 4th of Ja•
be timehosot. Atsrsverel ports, that net. a mom ei.it might ' nears,' " I have been prevented from sending my
tool this time DO requisition or i cpi reel- letter of the ‘2Blll ult. by the le:net:T.ld, Who: parted
ret ; 9° the subjc.q..l lead been receiVed at the Arlan- • in chace on the satne night, sines which we have
1 ig), rtor did any arrive mull Decembei t Bth, when ; had 'constant gales." On the 16th of January, he
eiseetrer reached thesn -from Lord Gardner, dated sa.)s„ " the Superb and Medi'ator jeitied us the ieth
A c., 1.1 tie Teis Letter called the attention of the. of Jainiary; the Lavinia en the (4th, and the Cie-
Zt',l/.ltra,ltY ,to the Stale of the 'provisions in the '•
les,suS yesterdey ; but itswas only this morning tint
ever lore Squadron; which had, at that time, not , tee' weather would aIIOW us to begin to clear than.
at Chaim eight weeks stock on board. Iminedi- . Since the Edge left us we !rive bad Very unsettled
tetit/ on. the receipt of the Letter, an answer wits ;, weather, ti/high s has prevented me from• getting nor
_,
5,t, !.I.led ti) Lord' Garditer,, informing hi(i) that a e the coast." . This was Stracitan versus the Hon. '-
el,'‘Il!I hed• beep -ordered. • 'On thil Itlgt December' Geinlerean. He left the lionsenri judge between
tiso,lller Leiter' wiis reed% eel from ISned ;wdiler, 'Fist! theM. But still the'-gallant 'Admiral was not off his
eedellie; mete- Ii Sir It. Sin-at:lien,' of the tst of n _ec. ;, station ; the rendezvous git'en Out on the 30th of
L'lls dee hi; Squedron began to wale provisions. i November being twetity leagues. East by' South of
eet7,lesliaissr had heen ordered, on the 3d of Ile- . Chasseron light-house, according to the state of the
ela't°,;:ln to prepare. for sailing with' a supply, anti-; •svreether. On the lath of January Sir R. Strachan •
Ott „Yrnpaeetiori had been hastened by another order writes, " the wietellee lies been sech, that We have,
sell'lnle I lair. Olinhe 1-ti' iii December,- wheti the net been able. to iinisli clearing the Mediator, .or to
'filet.. raitY received Lord Garciner'e letter of the i 1 th, . resume our btation off .Chasseron ;" -adding, " this
.s ere,
kiily..l, 3Wft re4ittttltikt - Nietti,mor-Ak-within. two supply had put tile ships can a goodefoptirig." .-The
Pleeet'',3,;liness for se 1 (e !nth she was, (litho:so ' Pion. Gentlemen he'd eselCs,led much asrrSeishreent
:role s '''.'! l') mle unf:tvourableness of the werither
.tlett 'a Fri ate could keep ii6r. the land when the
,e2re
_4lhtig umil the btli of JanUarY), they there"' eSnuadron could not. .The plecise reason why Fri
tter i';l-i trstiterieleiethemselves with etatiugue Lund Gard, - .geites Were left with etuizing Squadroes wets, that
aim te l'i)::, tilat-7.i*"4-',4ll';' he biee ordered.. Bei they hard the power of keepi:q.; ne.ir the. lend, when
e teee / -
;I.st or blt..:ot Laid Gartinter's second letter on the ' Ships of the Line ceuid not. Not only ' did that
the se egeiftber the .Board immielizitely ordered ' Frieeie . see the: Line)
Sqoadeon quit the port,
r, ul)(1 rb ' - .
••or 1 h . atla the Spencer to join Lord ,Gerdnere "• b+-;t also two Brigs v. lie eeese svithiler ; yet. suet'
dron ethrf)Pse of enabling him to relievethe seine- , ‘‘-as the :eele of the eienienee eiat ;the melt • the
Protein a tocilefort. Was that or W:l5 that riot a 011iect-s of th,.ee 'Vessels used every pessible ext,l7,-
. . ,
4 t Butt., I reeleet
to the wants of that aquedron ? don, they could ' net succeed' in. meeting S:r Itlcilard
the,e.sbiuld . the Hon. Gentleman; " why. not send Str.aelian to apprize- him. of what bed', il:ippeii (1.----
' " dalCd
• itleditp,cliteta to Rochefort, and not through the The next'lettt!r front Sirlitthard•Steach ',Vu . .
vas 110. •°"-.ord Gardnee ?" The 'Hon..Gentlernan the'23d of Jaiviry; in 'which he seys;---" Since the.
1 enquire, well informed on this subjeat- if he. would • ' Mediator left the Squadron I heve made every pos-
tait_) tetrat it
\ewe .. °f am Hon: Baronet near hint, he would .sable exertion to regain my station otr chasseron,
wes the Constant praCtice of the •Admis but the strong N. E. winds have prevented my get-
to!
1° Pt iii cases of the 'most extreme'urgency, ring to windward." On the 29th; he ,NLitCi—" I
elid silt''
'y beta rd . 111' t 9 .the Commander in Chief, who wata, have been prevented from' getting out of the Bey,
theaware than they of the best mode of diSposing in pursuance of my intention to get off Cape Finli-
ke, tn. A deviation from this rule was scarcely terre, by the most ' tempestuous weather that lever
we, in
eoule
a. -
,the .setviee., .and no charge of supineness experieneed."—Thelequotations appeared to hitn to
, ,
tile ge(;.loareLite .0
.tiro, Admiralty on this score. On .be amply. sufficient to. prove his assertion, that Sir
. . fat, X 24
,A., 4-keetuber the Admiralty received a letter 'Richard Stmt.:haw was driven Off his station by the:
.Thoeles;').,fliral Young the Port Admiral at Ply- violenceof the weather, and that he did not quit it
1 optic!. (tined the Roth, in which he suggested the. 'to look for Victuallers: In corroboration he did not.
1 the 4of dividing the provisions to be taken by think it necessary to call the attention of the House
iguadroolat9r.---betwcen -the I.;Orient and Rochefort to the state of the weather about the same period et
lopinv ;8 3" as he observed, " a considerable • the different ports in this Country, nor to the re-
-4 ,ir'el'il_as. beets vent to the:squadron' off Ferrol." presentations of:the Port Admirals On the subject;
Prete. 0e• 9, taoFe which, by the way, was no great 'neither would he dwell upon the circumstances at-
, tif.i) the neg,lea of the Adel' iralty.. On the 26th tending the sailing or Admiral Cotton, who linving
, (some_ ,
,s-ern:se„..,"''s tne Ciimberland was ordered to join put 'to sea on- the 20th of,December, was driven
-.
' (1
whe g".!fler(Mr. Calcraft said across .the table, back to, I.,,alrnouth On the 30th, where he remained,
1 This 'a‘ jute cAme home ) when she came hthne ! wind-bound-tuitil the loth. of Janiniry. As )ittit...
Nan
w. 7 arm additional :proof
tti t' Imperlealy info that the Hon. Gentle.: .Would. lie detain the House by detailing the loss of
itnien informed on the subjea. ' The -a Frigate on the 30th of January, er the subsequent
aor.l w
-41 a. new ship at the. Noy; • for such detention of the
,Moslitgranean COnvoy. He -8 at,‘
;