Star.
London, England, 1809-08-02 00:00:00

Imissi%ers of
Lord
' Cori

, Pa 2 • " •
tonne arks upon the errors of Lord Coch-
TanArintrrative.'tord Gambier said—" And it is
*it falrlere to remark the fact acknowledged by
Lorill Cochrane in his evidence, that he erred no less
than four points of the compass in the report he made
to me before theaattack of the direction in which the
fleet was moored, in two lines from the port of Isle
de .Aix."—Lord Gambier next made some observa-
tions on the statement of Lord Cochrane in respect to
the state of the enemy's three grounded ships, which
his Lordship assured the Court had since been ascer-
tained to be erroneous. His'Lordship then proceeded
thus :
It now only remains for me to request the atten-
tion of the Court to some conclusion which I think
may be drawn from the whole of the statement 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 adduce,
it will, I flatter myself, distinctly appear, Ist. That '
during the time of this service, the most unwearied
I attention was applied by me to its main object, the
destruction of the enemy's fleet. 2d. That in no part
of the service was more zeal and exertion shewn than
during the whole of the 12th of April, when I had
necessarily in view two objects, the destruction of
the enemy's fleet, and also the preservation of that
I under my command ; for the extreme difficulties in
approaching an enemy closely surrounded with shos,
and strongly defended by batteries, rendered cautiotEn
my proceedings peculiarly necessary. 3d. That three
.out of the seven of the enemy'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 or later, could they have been
attacked. 4th. That the other four of the 11 ships, of
which the enemy's fleet consisted, were never in a
situation to be assailed after the five ships had failed
m their object.
" These are the points on which I rest my justifi-
cation, trusting that it will appear to the Court, upon
their review of my whole case, that I did take the
most effectual measures for destroying the enemy's
fleet ; that neither neglect nor unnecessary delay did
take place in the execution of this service—and, on
the contrary, that it was owing to the time chosen
by me for sending a force in to make the attack,
that the service was accomplished with so very in-
considerable a loss. Had I pursued any of the
measures deemed practicable and proper, in the
judgment of Lord Cochrane, I am firmly persuaded
the success attending this achievement would have
proved more dearly bought than any yet recorded in
our naval annals, and, far from accomplishing the
hopes of my country, or the expectations of the Ad-
miralty, must have disappointed both. If such, too,
were the foundation of his Lordship's prospects, it
is just they should-vanish before the superior conside-
rations attending a service involving the naval elm-
' meter, and most important interests of the nation.
" I conclude by observing, that the service actu-
ally performed has been of great importance, as well
in its immediate effects as in its ultimate conse-
quences, for the Brest fleet is so reduced as to be no
longer effective. It was upon this fleet the enemy
relied for the succour and protection of their West
India colonies ; and the destruction of their ships was
effected in their own harbour, in sight of thousands
of the French ; and I congratulate myself and my
country that this important service has been effected,
under PROVIDENCE, with the loss only of 10 men kill-
ed, 35 wounded, and one missing, and not even one
of the smallest of our vessels employed has been dis-
abled from proceeding on any service that might have
become necessary. The extent of difficulties and
prospect of danger in this enterprize were extreme,
and the gallantry and determined spirit of those en-
gaged most conspicuous. These merits, and those
difficulties ought not to be depreciated on account of
the inconsiderable loss sustained on the occasion. I
by no means seek to arrogate to myself any merit by
qiese observations ; but I make them as a tribute of
praise due to the zealous services of the brave officers
and men under my command, and with a view of
pointing out how justly they are entitled to the grati-
tude of their country."
[The evideace which followed was given in the STAR of yes-
terday.]

SIXTH DAY.—TUESDAY, AUGUST 1.
Captain BLIGH in continuation, examined by Lord GAMBIZR.
Q. When was it that the two ineof battle ships of the enemy,
that continued afloat in the morning, moved towards the Cha-
rante, and when did the three grounded ships that went up the
Charante get off the Palais ?--A. About half past twelve t. dock
the two ships that were afloat moved up the Charante, and very
shortly after the three ships that had been aground also moved up
the Charante.

1 Q. You mentioned yesterday the strength of the enemy's bat-
tery on the Isle of Aix ; did you observe that any of the fortifi-
cations thereOn had been blown up and destroyed ?—A. I did
not. ; I think, if they had been, I was so close I must have seen it.
1 Q. Did you hear Lord Cochrane express to Captain Beresford,
In Aix Roads, the probability of three or four of our line of bat-
tle ships being lost in attacking the enemy, and what passed on
that subject ?—A. When Captain Beresford asked Lord Cochrane
i his reason for making the telegraphic signal that half the fleet
1 could destroy the enemy in the morning, he said he calculated on
our losing three or four of the ships, if the Commander in Chief
had sent the.squadron in.
Is Q. if the two line of battle ships of the enemy, which had re-
mained at their anchorage in the morning, had moved towards
the Charente at half past eleven o'clock, could frigates alone, as-
-1 sisted by the smaller vessels, have succeeded in their attempt to
destroy the whole of the enemy's seven ships on shore on the
Palais ?—A. No; I am confident they would have made no im-
pression on any of the enemy's ships ; but, on the contrary, I
think it would have been attended with the loss of some of our
own ships. . .
Q. Did it appear, that on the morning of the 12th of April, or
at any time when the enemy's ships were on shore, and the signal
had been made that they could be destroyed, there was, on my
part, any neglect, or unnecessary delay, in making effectual mea-
sures for destroying them ?—A. I have already stated, that if our
ships had been sent in on the morning of the 12th, it would, in
my opinion, have been sending them to inevitable destruction.—
I don't think the ships could have been sent in sooner than they
were ; and there did filet appear to me the smallest neglect, or µn
necessary delay, on the part of the Commander in Chief.
Q. (By the Coo ter.) Front the first attack up an the ships of the
enemy, to the final cessation of hostilities agai.tsr them, was every
thing done that could be done to effect their destruction ?—A. I
. think every thing was done tha: could be done ; and indeed more
than I at first expected.
Q. You have said that the responsibility of taking tke Valiant
into the Road of Aix, rested entirely on the Captain, the Pilot
having ref.sed to take her in ; what reason did the Pilot give for
not taking her in ?—A. That the water was too shoal ; and as
the wind and tide then were, he thought the ship would be lost.
- Q. Were all the snetay's ships, which were on shore in the
Palais shoal, near enough to the British ships to he destroyed by
them ?—A. No. Three ships that moved up to the Charente,
lay to the southward and eastward' of the Ocean, apd she was
Geyer within gun shotof either the Valiant or Revenge.
Q. Wasit before they moved up the Charente ?—A. Yes.
Q. Do you meal} that those ships wore not within reach of the
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441
tune of the British fiquadroa before they-mud up the Chareate r
A. They were not, in try opinion. •
Q. If the Ocean was ❑ot within reach of the guns of the Re. •
venge and Valiant, was she within reach of any or the other ves
sels ?—A. Not where they anchored; but the frigates soig4
have been moved near enough to have reached them.
Q. Could they have done that without being aground !_A•
Yes : at about half tide, I think they might.
Q. To what ship did the Calcutta strike ?—A. I have alrr!Nly
stated that the Calcutta never struck : the ellicer, I think, of th, '
Beagle reported to me that he hag taken possession of her, are
that the crew had abandoned her.

Q. Did you give blm any orders in consequence of such report
►
A. I did not :it was n intention to bave sent a party of marine,
immediately to her, al she lay considerably without the reach of the
enemy's batteries ; and, 1 thick,-might have been brought ow.
without the loss of a man. She was upright, not &lon. She wa.
set on'llre a very few minntes after, but 1 do not know by ',how
order.

eremite!, MA that no signal of meal aims made to the Imperieuse
on the 19th April.
Pr. SPAR.SHOT, Signal Maie of the Caledonia, :worn and
examined.
Q. What was the first signal made to the flag chip from the
s,..eriei:>e on the 19th April ?7--A. The first signal made by the
ffli"..eerieuse I could not understand, and Sir H. Neale &sit ed the
ens] to be m ide to make that message civet again. The fume-
t7ralw Then made, that " half the fleet could destroy the enemy—
ca ',here."
Q. Diming the whole course of that day, was any signal made,
tc:egraph or otherwise, from the Imperieuse to the Caledonia,
that two ships could destroy the enemy ?—A. There was no
r:eh signal made.
Mr. FA:R ?AZ said, that the distance of the explosion vessel
hO-r: the enemy, when she blew up, was a mile.
W:LICINSON, Secretary to Lord Gambier, re-examined.
Q. Did you hear Lord Cochrane, on his coming on hoard the
Caledonia on the evening of the 14th of April last, say any thing
to IrC respecting the loss he calculated on of any of the King's
sho 14 sent in to attack the enemy, agreeably to Ili, signal
4.. A. Lord Cochrane told the Admiral, that if he had sent in the
.jrreably to his signal, he calculated upon three or four of
hem he'-'4
lost. This alludes to the signal, " Half the fleet can
destroy the enemy.
Q. Did he say any thing respecting my own conduct, or that
of oy officers of the ships? —A. He spoke generally or
), the mi:-
ex duct of the small vessels (particularly the gun-brigs and of
e.e fire-vessels, and I was confident sloops were included, from
the circumstance of the Beni.: being named. Lord G. expressed
1,1, regret, that his Lordship entertained so had an opinion of the
induct of the small vessel>, and particularly asked Lord Coch-
rane with respect to the Beagle, observing to him, that the con-
duct d the Beagle had gained her the admiration of himself and
the test of the officer: of the fleet, who bad observed her, and
said, surely the behaved well. Lord Cochrane replied, " I have
a 'teat regard and esteem for Captain Newcomb; and from his
i;eing been an old messmate of mine, it may be supposed I
would
say every thing on his part, but I cannot make an excep-
tion:' He said nothing of Lord Gastabier's conduct in my pre-
sence, but made comments on the conduct of the other officers,
which 'shall not relate unless the Court require it.
CordonsMS= then signified that he had come to the close of
and was sorry to have detained the Court so long.
kis evide,
The I tawnier told his Lordship, that the Court's time was
out of the question, and begged he would consider whether he
tad any other witnesses to call--a consideration, the result of
Which the Caurt would readily wait.
Lord Gamma thanked the Court, and said he would avail
bini>elf (Oahe interval of time between this and to-morrow ntora-
leg, for that consideratiOn.—Adjourned till this day:

GOTTENBURGH MAIL.

STOCKHOLM, JULY 20.

Some English ships of war cruizing in the Gulph
of Finland have intercepted seven gun boats and 20
transports, laden with provisions for the Russian army
acting against Sweden. The Russian fleet are all
ready for sea, and outside of the booms at Cronstadt.
S'r James Sattmatez is afraid they will haul into the
harbour when he makes his appearance.
The answer of Bonaparte to the King of this coun-
try was, that he would not dictate any particular
measures for the new Government of Sweden to adopt;
but admonished them to use all their wisdom in em-
bracing such means as were most likely to give pros-
perity to their country.
His Majesty's cutter Tilsit sailed with the English
liessenger for the Continent.
We have not yet received any further intelligence
from the army, and must therefore suppose that no
operations of any importance have taken place.
Lieutenant General Count Schomfelt has been ap-
pointed General of his Majesty's armies, and is to be
entrusted with an important military command.