The Sun.
London, England, 1809-07-29 00:00:00

th evening of the s ith, -What wm the state of the
weather ?—A. Squally, and strong breezes N. (o
N W. and sd much sea, that few boats could pill

against' it. . •
Q. Hew did did it continue from .thence till
day-light in the morning Being up all that
,night, I observed the win't to moderate a little in
the middle-of the night, but got fresh again in the
Morning about day-light.
Q.. Did the frigates which went in after the
sm filler vessels proceed by ignals.--rA. Yes.
Q. Did the -Valiant and avenge proceed in by
signals ? A. They ifid.•,
Examined by Lord GAMBIER.

His Lordship said he felt anxious to ask a few
questions •of Admiral Stopford, not on his account,
bu in justification of the very meritorious con-
dud of the otficeriemployed in the fire-ships. His
Lordship then asked, with the permission of the
Court, if it was blowing a gale of wind from the
porthward, with a high sea, the night extremely
dark, and great ":Jitßc,ulty, if any communication
could be kept up from
.ship to ship : if, in his opi-
nion, the, service upon which these officers and men
were employed in the fire-ships. was not extremely
hazardous, and attended with so much danger as to
give reason to apprehend that they could not return. on
the evening of the h April ?.—A. Being directed
.on that night to take the leading of all the boats, they
were asselubled on board Ihe Cxsar ; but. there being
so much sea, I thought they could not ad with
effect in support: of the tire-ships; therefore di-
reded the Captain of the C3e,ar, at sun-set, to go
to the Commander in Chief, and suggest to his
Lordship the propriety of the boats remaining with
the Caesar, until I thought they could a& ; of which •
his LOrdship appioved, and I seleCted the boat be-
longing to 'the Hero, the best rowing 9 boat I could
find, to go to the -Iniperieuse to acquaint Lord,
Cochrane of this circumstance, and desired his Lord-
ship to send me word back by the heat, if he want-
ed any other assistance. The weather was so bad as
to prevent the boat's return that with respe&
to,the hazard of the Undertaking, it was fully ex-
emplified by one of the fire-shills prepared by, the
Caesar ; she went in before the etPlosion, and before
the Mediator, and -on coming near the French fleet,
she brought too, by signal from the others, the ex,.
-plosion blew up close to her,' Which killed two men
and damaged one of her boat's; 'in which they_ were,
to comeaway, so as to 'render if.unfit for service. •The
men were extremely crowded in the remaining boat,'
and. the ACting-Lieutenant and one man died 'with
excessive fatigue, and were picked up by the Lyra
gun-brig. -
Q. As that whi..h octurred =to'-the : fire-vessel did
not pass under your observation;, you. will inform the'
Court how you came -by a knowledge df it ?—A.
From -a strict exam;nation of every otficdr and man
who returned ; on comparing their accounts toge-
ther, ,no doubt remained on - my mind of the truth
of their stateuwnr, which I communicated to- the
Commander in Ciiiet..

Q. Did you receive it as the official report of the
boat ?--A.. I did, as tear as I can recollect.
Q. Under the circumstances at the tune before-
meat toned, was it not surprising- that so large a pro-
portion of the fire-ships passed throdgb the enemy's
sh.ps;_an4 that so smill a tiUmber tailed ?—A. Every
circumstance was x.lr.ausly Cw-wahltt for ib.
ships ; and therefore I took it tor granted, that when
once placed ploperty, they must inevitabljr go do-vu
upon the enemy s ships ; this has no reference to the
men coining away, with reference to that, it was
un tat ouranle.
-Q. Was the situation of the Caesar near to the
rendezvous of the fire-ships, previous to their being
tient Ott the service ?—A. The Cmsar did not change
tier situation before those opera: ions took place ; and
I do not think she was nearer than any oilier ships
Of the line.

Q. Did you observe the manner in whiCh the,
fire-ships were condutifeci generally towards the
enemy ?—A. As. far as my obiervation, went, the,
fire-ships seemed all to have answered the purpose
of atino) Mg the enemy ; although I did afterwards
bear several were set tire to at too early a period.
I, Q. From your-own observation, did it appear to
you that every tire-ship was condueted with equal
ability and resolution towards th'e enemy ?—A. It
was impossible for me or any person to fort w. any
opinion of -the condutt of every .fire-ship ; in the
geheral blaze of fire, obsetts were so Contonnded it
was out of my power- accurately th ascertain the
conduct of-the hre-ships; therefore I cannot answer
that question satisfa6torily to the court-. " •
Q. From what you really did observe, did it ap-
pear to you that any fire-ship was- set fire to at too
great a distance from the enemy ?=A. Some were
certainly set fire to sooner than others;-'it appeared
to me before they had run so near as 'others ;. but it
was impossible, to observe whether they were near
enough, The enemy's line soon began to scatter;
they cut, and the ships might have beep properly.
going for one part of the line, though improperly
for another.

Q. Between the periods mentioned in the
charge, did the whole condu6t of the Commander
in Civet appear to you highly meritorious In.
the general question p:At tome yesterday: I answered
this inquiry most sully : that answer was then re-
ferred to, and was deemed highly satisfactory to the
Court.

Q. In passing the Boyart shoal in the Csar,
at what distance were you from it. About a
quarter of a -mile from that part which is seen, as the
water fall. The depth of water about eight fathoms;
shoal cast, five fathorps ; and the next cast was on
the shoal. The fire of the batteries crossed us from
both sides, but ,more from the Isle d'Aix, for about
one Huila,.

• Q. From the fire you observed, could a judgment
be iormild of the force at Isle D'Aix; immediately
opposed to you at passing They did not fire
their guns bat; they occasionally fired single, shot,
think lotir mortars
.were kept playing on us.,
Mr. Sr..taLiNo, the. Nader of the lmperieuse, was

'lben examined.

Did it appear to you at the time a signal was
made by the Jtinperieuse, lor' the ships to cane up,
that there was a 'safe and sufficient anchorage with-
Out the iange'of shot and shells for the line of battle
•
ftvpi, sp as to egiable them to de,troy tne enemy's
'rKitiaarori on the 1.1.1 of April, and how many line
of hatile ships' could have "been anchored there,
and wl>at was the depth' of water On the
morning` That he lioperieuse retreated out of
ihe're•ach, the Varsoyle and Atipillon being on fire,
•