The Sun.
London, England, 1809-08-02 00:00:00

own chart, the enemy's several ship 4 aground, and
the tso ships which remlincd at ilia anchorage on
the ni .rning of Ihe 12th. . .

W it is considered how essentialtf this log dif:
fe:s • yin the ship's log, and both of them from the
document Lord Cochrane has furnished me with, I
conceive not-much credit can be given to either.
With regard to the reliance to be placed on the
French chart, I have already observed, that Lord
Cochrane declared before the attack that it was in-
Correct.

With respea to the position of the enemy's ships
in the fflorning of the 12th of April, after 044
dispersion, h is so 'widely different from that in
which they are placed in the chart which has been
• delivered n, by the Master of the Caledonia and will
be
,verified by the Master of the fleet, that it is hard-
ly to be supposed they relate to the same transaction.
And it is very fair here to remark the fad acknow-
ledged by. Lord Cochrade, in his evidence, that he
. erred no less than five points of the compass in the
report he,made to me before the attack, of the di-
rection in 'which the French fleet .was moored in two
lines from the Fort of Isle de Aix: Lord CoOli•
rane has thought fit to represent that the enemy's
three grounded ships which escaped from off the
shoal of the. Pallas, were_lying so near together as
to givetwo of them, which he states to be heeling
inwards, the appearance of their masts and yards
locking : this description of them is certainly well
---calculated to. make a strong impression of their de-
fenceless state; but whatever may have been their
appearance to his Lordship, such is not the fad ; for
in reality,' they were -lying perfectly separate and
Clear of each other, as is shewn by the afore-men-
tioned chart produced by the Master of the Cale-
. donia, as will also be proved by evidence. But what-
ever their situation might have been with resped to
Proximity, I must here repeat, that they could never
have been approached by, our ships within the reach
bf 9ur shot, as Lord Cochrane has allowed in regard
bf the Tonnerre, which was nearer, to our attacking
force than either of the three ships in question.

It now only remains for me to request the atten-
tion of the Court to some conclusions which I think
flay be drawn from tlm whole of the statements I
have submitted to the consideration of you, Sir, and
the rest of the Members of this Honourable Court,
and by which, with the additional evidence I have
to andude) it Will, I flatter myself, diStinaly ap-
pear

" First, that during the whole of this service, the
Most unwearied attention was applied by me to its
Main object, the destruction of the enemy's fleet.
" Secondly, That -in no part of the service was
knore zeal and exertion shown, than during the
whete of the t2th of April, when I had necessarily
in view two objects—the destruction of the enemy's
fleet, and also*the preservation of that under my
Command; for the extreme difficulties in approach-
ing an enemy closely surrounded by shoals, and
strongly defended by batteries; rendered caution in
lily proceedings peculiarly necessary.
" Th irdly, Teat three out of the seven of the ene-
My's ships aground on the Palais were, from their
first being on shore; totally out of the reach of the
guns• of any ships of the fleet that might have been
sent in, and that at no time whatever, either sooner
-AL later; could they have been attacked.
Fourthly, That the other four of the eleven
snips of Which/the enemy's fleet consisted, were tie-
Ver in a situation to be assailed after the fire-ships had
failedin their tnain objet t." •
. •
Thege are the points on Which I rest my tustifi-
'cation, trusting that it will appear to the Court upon
their review of my whole case, that I did take the
Olost effectual,measures for destroying the enemy's
fleet; that neither neg;ea nor unnecessary delay did
take place ih the execution of this service and, oft
the contrary, that it was owing to the time chosen
by are for: sending a force in to make. the at-
tack, that the service was accomplished with so
Ile!), inconsiderable a loss. pursued any of
the measures deemed praaicable and proper in the
Judgment of Lord Coaratte, I am firmly persuaded
the success attending this achievement would have
Proved mare dearly bought than any yet recorded in
Zur naval annals, and, far from accomplishing the
419pes.of my Country, or the expectations of the
admiralty, must have disappointed both.y :If such;
t. 003 were the foundation othis Lordship's prospects,
is just they should vanish before the superior con-
icierations attending a service involving the naval
efiaracter and most important interests of the nation.
conclude by observing, that_ the service actually
Performed has been of great importance; as well in its
linThnechate eifeas, as in its ultimate. consequences ;
e° f: ttle Brest fleet is so reduced as to be no hanger
e4ive. It was upon this fleet the enemy relied
for th
,--e succour and prote4ion of their West India
#e 2cmies ; and the destruaion of their ships was
~ "ect in their own harboUr, in sight of thousands of
French • and I congratulate myself and my
country, that this important service has been effect-
-IJa under Providencei with the loss only of t o men
tilled, 35 wounded, and one missing, and not even
one of the smallest of our vessels employed has beep
disabled from
Proceeding on any service that might
Ave become necessary.
in'
T
The extent of difficulties and prospect of danger
this enterprise were extreme, and the gallantry
end determined spirit oithose engaged most conspi-
cnons. These merits, and those difficulties, ought
pot to be depreciated on account of the inconsider-
able toss sustained on the occasion. Iby no means
SeAL
•-i% to arrogate to myself any merit by these ohser-
ations ; but I make them, as a tribute of praise due
LO the zealous services of the brave officers and men
'cider my command, and with a view of pointing
°flt how justly they are entitled to the gratitude of
II
lelr country.
'1
[F
or the p
e.]roceedings of the, Court Martial yesterday, see
last Pag

T UN.

SOLIM QUIZ DICIRI 'ALIUM ♦UDIAT?

L 0 2-V D ON,

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1809.

, r
WE arp ,happy to have it In our povier to lay be-
f°
re out•' readers an authentic account lof the very
aaion 'between the boats belonging to our
`ttlatiron hi the &hie, and the Russian Flotilla,