Star.
London, England, 1830-09-09 00:00:00

LORD COCHRANE.

His Majesty having been pleased to restore Sir Robert Wilson to
his rank in the army, In a manner the most Battering and grateful to a
brave man's feelings, whose loyalty had never been doubted, it is ex-
pected by a large portion of the public, and the naval service generally,
that his Majesty will also be graciously pleased to bestow a similar act
of grace on Lord Cochrane, and restore him to his former rank and sta-
tion in the Royal Navy, to which so large a portion of his Lordship's
life has been devoted, in a manner so honourable to himself, and so
useful to his country.
Lord Cocbrane's claim to his Majesty's gracious consideration is
founded on a series of active and distinguished services performed by his
Lordship during his abort but glorious career, as Commander and
Captain in the Royal Navy, and borne honourable testimony to by
some of the most gallant OM•ms in the service, a brief outline of which
is traced below.

On the 6th of May, 1601, Lord Cochrane, then commanding the
Speedy sloop of 14 guns (four-pounders), and having on board only 54
men and boys, fell in with a Spanish frigate, the El Oamo, of 32 guns
(12-pounders), and 309 men, off Barcelona. Perceiving, from the great
disparity of force, that a cannonade would only endanger the safety of
his own vessel, without affording any chance of subduing the enemy,
his Lordship determined on boarding, and such was the impetuosity and
success of the attack, that she was carried with the loss of only one man
killed, whilst the loss on board the enemy, in killed and wounded, ex-
ceeded the number of the whole crew of the Speedy ! In the course of
the same year, and with the same sloop, he took 33 vessels, mounting in
all 128 guns, and 530 prisoners. Also, in company with a brig, he de-
stroyed a 26. gun ship, three gun-boats, a heavy battery, and a whole
convoy which had taken refuge behind It. Soon after this he landed on
the coast of Spain, and blew up the tower of Alcanerara-
At the commencement of the late war his Lordship was appointed to
the Pallas frigate of 32 guns. In this frigate, while 80 of his men were
absent, he attacked and destroyed three French national ships of 16,22,
and 24 guns each. and six smaller vessels, with the loss of only three
men wounded. Admiral Thornbonnigh thus writes to Earl St. Vincent
of this achievement, under date April 9, 1906 :—" I have the honour
to transmit to your Lordship a copy of the letter I have this day re-
ceived from Captain Lord Cochrane, of his Majesty's ship Pallas,
under my orders. It will not be necessary for me, my Lord, to
comment on the intrepidity and good conduct displayed by iiord
Cochrane, his officers, and men, in the execution of a very hazard.
oats enterprise in the Garunne---a river the most difficult, perhaps, in
its navigation, of any on this coast. The complete success that at-
tended it, as well as the destruction of the vessels of war, mentioned
in the said letter, on the coast of Arcassore' bespeak their merits
more fully than is in my power to do; to which may be fairly added,
that nothing can evince more clearly the high state of discipline of
the crew of the Pallas than the humanity shown by them to the enemy
in the canfilet."

In 1807, being appointed to the command of the Imperieuse,
Lord Cochrane, in a letter to Admiral Lord Collingwood, says,
" With varying opposition, but with unvaried success, the newly-con-
structed Sentaphoric telepaphs,which are of the utmost consequence to the
safety of the numerous convoys that pass along the coast of France at La
Pinede, Bt. Maguire, Frontignan, Canet, and:Foy, have been blown
up and completely destroyed, together with their telegraph.bouses,
fourteen barracks of the gene d'armes, or Douanes, one battery,
and the strong tower upon the Lake of Prontignan." Of this
service Lord Collingwood thus handsomely speaks, in his letter
to the Admiralty, dated off Toulon, Oct- 19, 1808 :—" Nothing can
exceed the activity and zed with which his Lordship pursues the enemy.
'The success which attends his enterprises clearly indicates with what
skill and ability they are conducted ; besides keeping the coast in con.
stint alarm, causing a total suspension of the trade, and harassing a
body of troops (about 2,000 in number) employed in opposing him, he
has, probably, prevented those troops, which were Intended for Flout-
ras, from advancing into Spain, by giving them employment in defence
of their own coasts." In another letter from his Lordship to the Ad-
miralty, dated Dee. 14. 1808, he says—" Captain Lord Cochrane has
maintained him in the possession of Trinity Castle with great ability and
heroism ; although the fort is laid open by the breach in its works, be
has sustained and repelled several assaults, having formed a sort of
rampart within the breech with his ships' hammock-cloths, awnings,
itz. filled with sand and rubbish. The seal and energy with which he
has maintained that fortress excites the highest admiration. His re.
sources for every exigency have no end." Lord Cochrane might proudly
exclaim, on this panegyric from so renowned a commander (the cam.
panion, too, of the immortal Nelson) as Lord Collingwood—