Star.
London, England, 1809-07-27 00:00:00

ANOTHER LETTER, SAME PATE.

de The 2d battalion of the King's German Legion
has just received orders to embark in men of war ;
the Staff in the VALIANT.

" Lord CHATHAM has gone on board.
" Some ships sailed this morning ; their destina-
tion is certainly for Holland. _ _

a P. S. Four o'Clock.—The VALIANT IS this mo-
ment ordered, by the Admiralty Telegraph, to go to
Flushing, sa that there are no shipn for the Sd light
battalion.

N General Hops and Staff embarked at 4 P. M."
ANOTHER LETTER-SAME DATE (4 P. M.).

U Sailed, his Majesty's ships SUPERB, Admiral
KEATS ; and CLYDE, Commodore OWEN, with the
first divisicn of transports; but being light breezes
from the Northward, they brought up in the Gull
Stream.—Lord CHATHAM has this moment embark-
ed on board the VENERABLE ; Sir HOME POPHAI'd
went off this morning ; as soon as there is any wind,
they will proceed."

" MARGATE, JULY 26.

" Some of the sailors of this port have volunteered
their services to attend upon the Epedition ; one large
boat has already sailed, and another is ready to go
out this evening. Several smacks are going from
Whitstable and Hearn's Bay."

• Intelligence, brcught by a cutter arrived in the
Downs, has reached Government, announcing an
attempt.of the French fleet which had been in the
Scheldt to elect its escape. The vessels of every de-
scription draiped down tco Flushing from the Scheldt
on Sunday morning, with all the sail they could
crowd, and had actually reached the Durlow Chan-
nel when the wind veered to N. W. which prevented
their getting out. They were consequently compelled
to return to their anchorage off Flushing. Admiral
GARDNER was left watching Them with six sail of the
line, and has been since, no doubt, reinforced from
the Downs.

The enemy is, in the meanwhile, not inattentive to
the means of protecting the point's to which our at.
tack, as it is supposed by them, will be directed. 'no
List letters from Holland statek that the. butch Go-
vernment had seat reinforcements of troops to the
Island of Walcheren. • ' •

Yesterday, a little before twelweechickvisia
Jure arrived .at the Queen's Palace, from Windsor,
where be was received by the Dukes of Yoax and
CUMBERLAND.

At half past two o'clock his MAJESTY held a pri-
vate Levee. •

The following had thtboaeur of being. presented to
his MAJISTY

Vice-Admix t who bad the beßionr of kissing his
Majesty's hand, 012 his morn froinktitsa NS Mr. STD sir nese,
Commissioner of Excise.

His MAJEstir afterwards held a Privy Council, and
Awe audience to the Cabinet Ministers and to Mr.
itunta, the Judge Advocate, who laid before his Ma.
testy the proceediags of several Courts Martial.
Soon after six o'clock his MAJEsTy left taws for
Windsor.

Princess CitAßLorm of WALES left town yesterday
inorta'.ns, fur Bognor, accompanied by Lady de Cur.
i

—GurricrucißTlAL7o37-1,11111
Yesterday morning commenced, nn board his Ma-
jesty's ship the GLADIATOR, lying in Portsmouth Har-
bour, the Trial by Court Martial, of Admiral the
Right lionotirable Lord GAMBIER, for assembling
which the following Order was first read:
ORDER FOR THE COURT MARTIAL.
By the Commiihi,:otrs for executing the office of Lord
High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Bri-
tain and Ireland, &c &c.

WHEREAS Admiral the Right Hon. Lord Gambier has, by
his letter to our Secretary, of the 90th of May, 1809, requested
that his conduct, as Commander in Chief of the Channel Fleet
=Oared in Basque Roads, between the 17th day of March and
the 29th day of April, 1809,. may be enquired into by a Court
Martial; _ _

And whereas by the log-books and minutes of the signals of the
Caledonia, lrnperieuse, and other ships employed on that service,
it appears to us that the said Admiral Lord G ambler, on the 12th day
of the said month of April, the enemy's ships being then on shore,
and the signal having been made that they could be destroyed, did,
• for a considerable time, neglect or delay taking eff,:ctual measures
for destroying them : We, therefore, in compiiaace with his Lord-
ship's request, and in consequence of what appears in;the said log-
books and minutes of signals, think fit that a Court Martial shall
be assembled, for the purpose of examinin into his Lordship's con-
duct, and trying him for the same. We send you herewith his
Lordship's said letter, and alio his letter of the 10th ofthe said
month therein referred to, together with au attested copy of a
letter cf our Secretary, dated the 29th of last month, and addres-
sed to Lord Cochrane, and his Lordship's reply thereto, with the
log hooks and minutes of signals above-mentioned--and we do
hereby require and direct you to assemble a Court Martial on
Monday, the 19th day of this month (if the witnesses shall be
then study, and if not then ready, as soon after as they shall be
so), to try the said Admiral, the Right Hon. Lord Gambier, for
his conduct, in the instance herein before-mentioned : and also to
enquire into his whole conduct as Commander-in-Chief of the
Channel Fleet, employed in the Basque Roads between the 17th
day of March and 29th day of April, 1809, and to try kiln for
the saqie accordingly.
Given under our hands, the sth day of June,lBo9.
(Signed) Mu L.G R AYE.
To Sir R. Curtis, Bart. Admiral of the R. BICKERTON.
White, and Commander in Chief of W. Doss LT T.
his Majesty's Ships and Vessels at R. MOORSOM.
Spithead and Portsmouth Harbours.
By Order of their Lordships, W. W. Pots.
The Court was then sworn.—the following docu-
ments were then read :
A Cepy of a Letter, dated March 1, 1809, from the Secretary
of the Admiralty to Lord Gambier, ordering his Lordship to
proceed off Rochefort or elsewhere, in pursuit of the Brest squa-
dron.
A Copy of a Letter, dated March 19,1809, from I.ord Gam-
bier to the Secretary of the Admiralty' desk big some adstitional
gun brigs and fire ships to join his Lordship, with the answer.
A Copy of a Letter, dated April 5, 1809, from the same to the
same, acknowledging the receipt of letters on the subject of an
attack on the enemy's fleet.
Orders, dated 14th and 19th April, 1109, to detach squadrons
off Brest and L'O dent.

A Copy of the Gazette Letter, dated 14th April, I lint, from
Lord Gambier to the Secretary of the Admiralty, giving an ac-
count of the victory of the 10th and 12th of April.
A Copy of a Letter, dated t2d April,lBo9, front the Secretary
of the Admiralty to Lord Gambier, congratulating his Lordship
thereon, and directing him to return to hpithcad.
A Copy of a Letter from the Secretary of the Admiralty to
Lord Gambler, with the Admiralty direction; of the 26th of
Maxeh, to employ .Lord Cochrane inthe attack of the enemy' in
Basque Reads.
A Copy of the following Letter :
DETAIL (IF TILE IitOCEEDINGS IN BASQUE ROADi, IN-
CLI..DED IN A ',Erma FROM LOS) GAMUT= TO TILE
IIJN. W. W.

London, May 10, 1509.
5111-1 have received your Letter cf the 2d Inst. :teknowledg-
ing the receiat et the List containing the Names ofi>ie Officers
and Men employed in the Fire Ship and Explosion Vessels, on
the night of the 11th tilt. w:th toy OhservatitAis on the result of
my inquiry respecting their cocduct oil that occasion; and signi-
fying, that yen are commanded by their 1.4r41144 to acquaint
me, that, in order to have before them full rsnd complete inforn.a-
tion of the proceeding of the several ships employed by me irt,„the
varionsbranches of thevery important operations carried en agairs.
the enemy's fleet in the Aix Roads; It Is their Lorthships' direction,
that I should call upon Rear-Admiral Stopford, Captain Bligh,
Captain Lord Cochrane, and any other officer I may have entrus-
ted with any part of that service, to report to me their proceed-
ings, together with such observations and remarks as they may
have made while they were executing my orders against the ene-
my, and that I should transmit the same to their Lordships with
any observation I may think proper to make thereon.
You will be pleased to acquaint their Lordships, that I have
written to these officers to make reports to me accordingly, and
shall lose no time in transmitting them to you, as soon as they/
are obtained ;—but some time most elapse kefore they can
reach me.

On the 23d I gave directions to Captain Wolfe to put two of
the Aigle's 18-pounder long guns into etch of the four gun brigs,
and use every means In his power to drive the enemy out of the
ship near the Touras, and attempt to set her on fire. The whole
of the 24th WILS employed in this attempt, the ten inch mortars
throwing their shells occasionally, but witkout success ; and as
Captain Wolfe reported to me that this attack made very little
impression upon the enemy, and that the ships and vessels which
were advanced above the Buoyart shoal, in order to carry on
these operations, were in a situation muck exposed to attack from
the enemy's gun boats, &c. I considered any farther attempt
would be fruitless, and therefore withdrew them fiont their ad-
vanced position.
The enemy's ship continued aground near Touras till the night
of the nth, W111;.!11 having lightened her very considerably, and
applied great ex,Ttion to get her afloat, the spring tides having
set in, they succeeded in their attempt, and got her up the river.
Their Lordships will perceive from the foregoing state: teat,
as well as front their own knowledge of the local situation of the
scene of action, that I was obliged to have a second object in view,
for besides the destruction of the enemy's ships, the greatest care
was required that his Majesty's fleet should not be sacrificed; the
state of the wind and tides was more materiedly to be attended
to, and without reference to the chart of the anchorage, nothing
can better exemplify the limited space and danger of lite raviga-
tion than the circumstances of one of the enemy's lin,•-of-th:tle
ships, having, en their fleet entering the roads in February last,
run ashore on the share of the Paths, and being there totally
Wrecked.

From communications I had since bad with their Lordships, I
am led tcrunderstand, that a more large and &tailed account
than I have transmitted of the proceet!kgs of tlfe fleet under my
command, during the whole of its operation in Basque Roads,
would be desirable. I shall, therefore, in making suck a state-
ment, endeavour to admit no incident that may he in any de-
gree connected with any of the operations since, to elucidate the
various movements and proceetlint s of the fleet ; persuaded that
doing so cannot fail to promote the satisfaction, which, in com-
mon with the officers and men under the conuuand, I feel upon
that occasion, ard of the success which has resulted from its
Their Lordships are aware, that soon after I had taken the an-
chorage of Basque Roads, I stated to them the strong position of
the enemy's fleet in Aix Roads • that their fleets were moored in
two compact lines, and that the most distant ship of each five,
within point blank range of the batteries of D'Aix, explaining, at
the same time, that they were under the necessity Of mooring in
such close order, not for the purpose of opposirg a more formid-
able front, but to avoid the shoals close round the anchorage, and
their Lordships will also remember, that I then pointed out the
impracticability of destroying them by an attack with the ships of
the line, in the position they occupied, but that I conceived them
to be assailable by fire-ships; having previtinsly suggested to Lord
Mulgrave the expediency of sending out 20 or 50 vessels for-that
purpose.
This suggestion was anticipated by their Lordships, and they
were pleased to order 12 sail of fire-ships to join me, and to di-
rect me to fit out eight others on the spot Upon tie ardval of
Captain Loid Cochrane, whom their Lordships had ordered me
tussock)* in sondocHng the execution offthe service to be per-
formed by the fire-ships, I was induced, at his suggestion, to add
the isleiliator to the number.
The preparations were completed on the 13th ult. at night, and • ,
having previously called on board the Caledonia the Commanders A Copy of the following Letter :
and Lieutenants who hid volunteered their services, and who had
LETTER FROM THE HON. W. W. POLE, TO LORD COCH-
beep appointed by me to command fire-vessels, / furnished them
'
with full instructions for their proceedings in the attack according RANE, REQUIRING THE GROUNDS OF Hls tonnsistp's
to Lord cochratte's plan; and arranged the disposition of the fri- OBJECTION TO THE VOTE OF THANKS TO LORD GA M-
gates and small vessels to co-operate in the following manner. BIER.
The Unicorn, Algle; and Pallas, I directed to take a 'station My Loan, Admiralty Office, May 29, 1809.
near the Buoyart shoal, for the purpose of receiving the crews Lord Mulgrave having acquairited my Lords Commissioners of
of the fire-ships in their return from the enterprise, to support the Admiralty, that he had communicated to you the intention of
theboats of the fleet which were to accompany the flee-ships, and his Majesty's Government, to move the thanks of both Houses of
to give assistance to the Imperieuse, which ship was still further I Parliament to the Commander in Chief, and the Officers, seamen,
advanced. The Whiting schooner, King George and Nimrod and marines of the Fleet, employed on the late.service in Basque
cotters, were fitted for throwing rockets; and directed to take a Roads ; and that your Lordship had declared, that you should tees
station near the same shoal for that purpose. it to be your duty to oppose any vote of approbation to Lord
The Indefatigable, Foxhound, and Etna bombs, were to take a
Gambier, for his conduct on that occasion ; I ant commanded by
station as near the fort in the Isle of Aix as possible; the two
their Lordships, to signify their directions, that you state fully to
1 fbmier to protect the bomb-vessels, whilst she threw hells into me for their information, the grotlads on which your Lordship
the fort. The Emerald, Dotterel, and Beagle sloops, and Grow- t objects to the vote of thanks being moved to Lord Gambier, to
ler, Conflict, and Insolent gun-brigs, were stationed to make a the end that their Lordships may be enabled to judge how far
diversion at the east end of the Isle f Aix. your Lordship's objections may be of a nature to justify the sus-
'l he Redpoie and Lyra I directed to be anchored by the Mas- pension of the intended motion in Parliament, or to call for any
ter of the Fleet', (one near the Isle of Aix, and the other near the farther investigation. I am, my Lord, your Lordship's very
Buoyart), with lights hoisted togulde the fire-ships in their course . bumble servant (Signed) W. W. Port.to the attack; and the boats of the fleet were ordered to assemble' Captain Lord Conat&Ota.
alongside the Caesar, to proceed to assist the fire-ships, under the •
—..
.suptlin tendance of Admiral Stopford.
. .
With these preconcerted movements, the feet was at this time A Copy of the following Answer
unmoored, in readiness to render any service that might be prac- . LORD CIOCHRANZ'S ANSWER TO THE HON. W. W. POLE.
I , Usable; but being anchoild in a strong\ tide-way, with the wind lint? Portman-aquae, May SO% ne 0.

There are some circumstances mentioned in my letter of the
14th ult. which I have not thought it necessary to repeat or en-
large upon. , •
When it is considered with how l!ttle, or comparatively no loss,
this cost important service has been performed, their Lordships,
I am persuaded, will agree with me, that there is a great cause for
rejoicing at the result of the undertaking.
I hate the honour to be, &c.
To the Rt. Hon. W. W. Pole, ice. (Signed) GiadISIZIt.

Mob ism thaliCrpes the weatimmelimaltins, it
moons] to prevent the ships from falling on beard each other.
. At about halloo* eight. P.M. the explosion-vessels and 6r.-
&hips proceedoditis the attack, and at half-put nine the first explo-
sion-vessel blew up; and at ten, most of the fire-ships were ob-
served to be on fire, the enemies' forts and ships firing on them.
Many of these fire-shipswere.seen to drive through their Eeet,
and beyond the Isle of Aix.
Shortly after day-light Lord Cochrane, who, in the Imperieuse,
lay about three miles from the enemy, made the signal by tele-
graph, that seven of the enemy's ships were in-shore, and that
half the fleet could destroy them. It was visible from the Cale-
donia what ships Were a-ground, and that two or three-had made
their escape utrttlethatinte. I immediately orJered the fleet to
be unmoored, and at half past nine Weighed, and came up nearer
to the Isle of Aix, with a view, when the time of tides should
render it advisable, that some of the line-of-battle ships in-shore,
might proceed to attack the enemy's ships on shore; but the wind
blowing fresh from the N. N. W. with a flood tide, I judged it
smadvisable to risk us, of them at that time, in so perilous a ,
situation. The fleet was therefore anchored; I made the signal
for each ship to prepare with spare or sheet cables out of the i
stern-ports, and springs on them, to be in readiness for any of
them to go in that I might judge necessary. In the mean time, I
ordered three additional fire-ships to be prepared.
Observing the,lmperieuse to advance, and the time of flood
nearly alone running, the Indefatigable, Aisle, Emerald, Pallas, .
Beagle, Etna, and gun-brigs, were by signal ordered in to the at-
. A Copythe following of Letter
tack. At twenty minutes past two, P. M. the former opened he;
fire upon the enemy's ships aground, and the others as soon after LORD OAMMEtt's APPLICATION FOR A COLItT tee teem.,
as they arrived up ; I then ordered in the Valiant and Revenge to Sir,
London, Ma; .^,p, )809.
support them, and they soon joined in action. • Having in my letter is you of the 10th inst. detailed the whele
The enemy's ship Calcutta struck her colours at ten minutes of the proceedings of the fleet under my command, in the attack
past four, P. M. and the Ville de Varsovie and Aquilon, in about on the enemy, in the road of Aix, I had flattered myself that
me drat whether
an hour afterwards; all of them were taken possession of by the should have received some signification of an approbation of net,
officers and men under my command, the estinsation in which the
advanced squadron, and set OA fire as soon as the prisoners were conduct, and have had the gratifying task of conveying to the
removed ; a short time after, the Tonnere was set on fire by
the enemy. gallantry and discipline displayed by them epnii de:: occasion
Perceiving towards the does of day, that there were some of
w"Uendeherldstanbydtsg,Mhoattveran, tdhthateithrecrie arc country.
the enemy's grounded ships lying up towards the Charaete, which .
appeared to be exposed to further attack, L sent in three addi- the fleet is to be so honoured; and feeling that even a deeht tt,
della' fire-ships, with Mr. Congreve's rockets, accompanied by such a subject cannot be entertained consistently with ply repute.
the Cesar and Theseus, under the direction of Rear-Admiral Hon as Commander in Chief, I request that you will be pleased to
Stopford, with discretional orders for his acting as he should think move the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to direct a
it, anti according as circumstances should reader it expedient. Court Martial to be assembled, as early as possib:e, for she per-
On the following day (the 13th), the Rear Admiral perceiving pose of enquiring into my conduct as Commander ia Chief, and
that nothing further could be efected by the line of battle ships an the transactions relating to the fleet under my command, from
which had grounded, as had also sortie of the frigates, and how the 17th of March last, when the Caledonia anchored in Basque
imminent the danger was in which they lay, and being satisfied Reads, to the time of her quitting that anchorage for England, on
that the remaining part of the service cowls' be performed only by the 29th ult..-1 have the honour to be, &c.
frigates and smaller vessels, he most wisely took advantage of a (Signed)
providential shift of wind, and returned with the line of battle ; The Han. W. W. Pole, &c. &c. &c.
ships in Basque Roads.
Captain Bligh, on his return, reported to me, that it wasfown4
impracticable to destroy the enemy's three-decked ship, and othe.,o
which were lying at the entrance of the Charente, as the former
(which was the outer onel was protected by three lines of boats,
placed in advance from her.
During the remainder of the 13th, the Etna was employed in
throwing shells the Whiting schooner, in furnishing rockets, and '
the other small vessels in firing on the enemy's.ships on shore,
when the tide permitted.
On the 1 eth, at day-light, I observed t'eoe or four of the ene-
my's ships still apparently agrounel, at the mouth of the river.—
I ordered Captain Wolfe,'of the Aigle, to .tlieve Lord Cochrane
in the Inver/ruse, in the command of the small vesselsadvanced,
and to use les utmost endeavors to destroy any of the enemy's
ships which were assailable. At 50 minutes past tom, the Etna
bomb, and small vessels in-shore, began their fire upon the ene-
my's skips, at the entrance of the Charente, and continued to do
so during the remainder of the day.
On the 15th; in the morning, the day on which I dispatched
Sir H. Neale to their Lordships in the Imperieuse, t...rce of the
enemy's line-of-battle ships were observed robe still aground It-
-1 der Touras, and one of them in an advantageous situation ; tete.
of their frigates, l'lnclienne, also on shore, bad faVen over, and
the enemy were dismantling her. •
It blew very strong from the West the whole of the 15th and
16th, so that no attempt could be made to annoy and harass the
enemy on the latter day ; their frigate which was nu shore was
; discovered to be on fire, and blew up coon efter
All the remainder of the enemy's %hips got up ;Le river by the
17th, except one, (a two-decker) which remainel aground uailtsr
the Thum. In the afternoon of the day it was obee-seel that :111.)
ther of the enemy's frigates had got on shore up tne river, and
l*as wrecked, which was aftewards confirmed by the ziasese 0: a
; neutral vessel from Rochelle,
On the 19th it blew too violent for any of :he small vessels to
act against the enemy, but on the 20tit the Thunder bomb having
arrived and the weather become more moderase, I sent her to
assist the Ema in borabsrding the enemy's ,sips, on shore near
Touras. The Etna had split her 13. inch mon ar on the 15th,
consequently had only her 10-inch effective, end the Thunderer's
13-inch was also rendered unserviceable this day, from the same
cause.
•
The following day I v/ent in my boat into the road on board the
Aigle and Pallas, to reconnoitre the enemy's ship above-men-
tioned, and ascertain what further operations could be carried on
for her destruction ; that evenieg and the succeeding days cue
wind was too violent and unfaveurable.

La* to *knewledge the reeeipt of your letter of yes-r;,!-
date, signifying the direction of the Lords Commi-sinner, t.r tc
Admiralty to me, to state fully`for their informati,in the gg neral
grounds on which I object to tha vote of thanks lu•ing rravtd tc
Lord Gambier, to the cad that their Lordships may be gnatsred
to judge, bow far my objections may be of a nature to justify d:
suspeasien of the intended motion in Parliament. •
I have to request, Sir, that you will submit to their Lordships
that I shall at all times entertain a due sense of the honour the;
will confer by any dhectlons they may be pleased to give me;
that in pursuing the object of their directions, my exertions wa
invariably go hand in hand with my duty ; and tha. to satisfy
their Lordships' mini in the present Instance, on the point of iss•
formation regarding the late service in Basque Roads, I beg hey,
to state, that the log, and the signal log-books of the fleet there
employed, at the period alluded to, contain the patticalars of that
service, and furnish premises whence accorate conelutions may
be readily drawn ; that as those books are authentic public duet.-
menu, and as I must necessarily refer to them as to times and
circumstances, any thing that I could offer upon the subject would
to their Lordships, be altogether superfluous, and appear pre-
sumptuous interruptions of their Lordshipsludrment, which
doubtless always found itself upon those grounds only that canzu
be disputed. I have the honour to be, Sir, your obecLent humble
servant, (Signed) COCHRAN/.
To the Hon. W. W. Polg:, Sec. to the Admiralty.

GAMBLER.

The various orders which Lord GAMIER rneive4
from the Admiralty, while Commander of the Chaiu
nel Fleet, were then read.

Mr, &routs, Master of the Ca/cdonia, produced the log-book
of bis Majesty's ship Caledonia, and a sketch or drawing of toe
anchorage at Isle d'Aix, and the situation of the British fleet. He
said he hid prepared this drawing partly from the knowledge he
gained, and partly from a manuscript French chart.
Lieutenant HAwicists, Signal Lieutenant on board the Cale•
donia, produced the signal log-book of that ship.
Mr. SPIJILI.ING, Master of the Imperieuse, swonx
and examined.
Q. Produce the log of the Imperieuse—Wurc the contents of
it written by you, or under your inspecti'n ?—A. By myself.
Q. Are the contents of it accurate and true, according to the
best of yourknowledge Yes: 1 was employed on ttht;
service, part of the time; but it is all from my own observni,n..
Q. Have you made any alteration in it, or addition to it,
your arrisfral Ft:gland ?—A. No.
Q. (By Lord GANtatr.a.) Do you remember pin; on board
the Indefatigable in the month of May last ?—A. I do.
Q. Do you remember :.4king for a sight of that ship's leg,?—
A. i do.

Q. For what purpose, and by whose order did you do so
A. For my own information, and not by any per'or.'s crct,:r or
suggestion.
O. Do 'you recollect attempting to make a copy of that ship's
log, and being interrupted by the First Lieutenant, who forbade
your doing so, and took the log from you ?—A. I w:,nteti to make
a memorandum of the length of time she was in action ; but skip
First Lieutenant said I had better not do it, for it would be of 14
service. He added, 1 could :lot do it without "the order.; of the
Captain, and I they said it was immaterial.
Q. You made no alteration in the Impel-jinn's log afterwards?
—A. None.
Q (By one of the Coult.r.) Did you on your return to
perieuse make any observation to any officer respecting that ioE!
—A. Not any.
Q. (By Sir HtNRY STaNytops,one of theCcurt). Did ynac-n-
-fer with your Captain, Lord Cochrane, on going aboard the In-
defatigable for this purpose, or was it directly or indirectly with
his Lordship's knowledu and privity I do not know that
his Lordship kav-w ir. I had no communication with his Leroy
ship on the subject.
Q. What was your mo•ive for going to ask the question ?—.A.
For my own itArmation ; nothing further. As I was not en
deck when she came into action, I might have gone on board any
other ship for the same purpose • but I was acquainted with Lieu.
tenant James of the Indefatigable.
Q. When Was it you made this visit, and where ?—A. In Ply.
mouth sound, about a month after the action.

Q. in the afternoon log of the 13:h April there are several en-
tries not in the body of the log; bow comes it there are insertion•
of ructerial events and circumstances in the margin and not in
the body ?—A, After the action was over, I received orders front
Captain Lord Cochrane to proceed wish the boats, and ascertain
the depth of the water between the Imperieuse and the French
Admiral', ship, which occupied my time until it was quite dark.
On my return, I wrote such part of the transaction relative to the
action then in oty memory ; I then canteen the middle watch,
and looking over my log hook, as I might not have au opportunity
to fir. it in on the next day, i found that I had omitted the things
which are inserted in the columns for winds and courses.

Mr. Raven, Master of the Caesar, produced tl'e signal-log for
the ship.
Mr. hotr.pson, ?aster's Mate of the Beagle, produced that
ship's log.
Q. I low does it happen that an Insertion of any material cir.
cumstances stated.to have occurred at half-past eight A.bl. of the
12th April, was inserted in the rrnarginal column instead of the
body of the log ?—A. In clpy,ng front the log-board, I missed the
signals, and copied them afterwards.
Q. Who kept the log-board ?—A. The Master ; I copied it into
the log-bcok.
Q. Were the events recorded in this log-book, which you say
you wrote yourself, inserted therein clay by day, as the circum.
stances occurred; or is this a copy of any other log-book that
-was kept at She slam No,Written into the log every day at
12 o'clock. 'There never was any other sh:p's log-hr:ok kept,
Lord COeHRANE sworn and examined.

Q.
Q. Was your Lordship intrusted by Lord Gam,
bier with the conduct of the fire-ships in the attack on
the enemy in Basque Roads ?—A. I was.
• Q., On what day did your Lordship arrive in the
Imperieuse, in Basque' Roads ?—A. It appears from
•the log, ou the April, but Ido not myself recol-
lect it. I think that wasethe day. .
Q. What was the strength of the enemy's fl2et at
that time, how moored, and how protected by thf•
works on the Isle of Aix, and shoals near the har-
bour ?—A. The enemy's fleet appeared to contain
nine -sail of the regular line, besides one ship of three
decks, and the Calcutta, of 50 guns, and four frigates :
and there yeas another large vessel, I don't know what
she was ; she might be a store-ship. They appeared
to be moored) as near as I canjudge, N. and S. er
nearly so. I thought at first they inclined considera-
bly more to the N.E. and S.W. They were defended
by their own cannon, and by a strong position. They
were flanked towards the N. by 13 cannon in the Isle
of Aix, besides the mortars in that Nand. The fi-i•
gates were stationed to the S.E. of them, apparchtly
for the purpose of flanking the Island en the other side
of them, and as. a protection against boats or fire-ves-
sels. Between Aix and the Buoyart Ido not know-
of any shoal. The water is not steep at Aix, bat
shelves gradually OF towards the harbour.

2. At what distance from the enemy was the Bri-
tish squadi?on moored on the evening of the I Ith of
April, immediately previous to the ,itrack by the fire-
ships ; and %%hat was its strength ? Was the situation
in your judgment properly chosen; and what was
the wind and tide ?—liwTo the best of my jild,Yrnent,
the enemy's squadron were 8 or 9 miles off, between
the time of my arrival and the morning of the 12th.
I believe the British squadron unmoored that night ;
but Ido not of my own knowledge know. The po-
sition chosen by the Commander in Chief was a very
good position for blockading the enemy, and for ob-
serving any material movement of their squadron.—
Having already mentioned my opinion of the dis-
tance, it must be obvious that the destruction of the
enemy could not be effected while in that position by
placed. The wind was not the same
the ships there
in the evening as it was in the morning. At eight
o'clock, P. M. of the 11th, the wild must have been
about due north, I believe. The tide, at the same
hour began to run towards S. E. The strength of
the British squadron was LI sail of the line, besides
g frigates, and 1 bomb.
Q. Did it appear to your Lordship that the Ad-
miral made every arrangement for preparing and
sending the fire-ships against the enemy Every
possible assistance, as well as Admiral Stopford and
the Captains of the fleet.
Q. Were the frigates and other smaller vessels pro-
perly placed for affording every assistance, and being
otherwise useful.—A. Very judiciously *coil.
Q. It appearing by the sititatlytVrtEe Ciledonia,
that your Lordship had by signal acquainted Lord
Gambier that seven of the enemy's dips were on
shore, and might be destroyed, was it, your Lord-
ship's opinion at the time of the first signal, that it
wouldhave been expedient fir the coaawander in chief
to have sent in half of any number of his ships, Ste.
and if so, was there a probability that such ships could
have got out again in safety I did make the
signal. The Imperiete-e being the nearest ship placed
by his Lordship for the guidance tithe fire-ships, and
having had the charge of those vessels, X thought pro-
per
to communicate to his Lordship the state in which
they appeared to me to be, which I, did by the signals
mentioned. It is my opinion that a much smaller fnece
than half the fleet would have been saffitient. The
signal was directed by the Caledonia to be repeated.
I ordered the signal to be made, that twb sail of the
line were enough ; which I have since understood
was not made, but that the officer repeated the pre-'
lions signal : the fa -t was, that Le thought it would
be an hist+ to make that signal, .and therefore re-
peated the former, le wing it to the discretion of the
Commander in Chief to send what force be thought
proper. From the time that the first signal was
made in the morning, until eight o'clock, it was ebb-
tide ; the tide was going to windward : at eight
o'clock it was low water. There is anchorage for at
least six sail of the line at any time, clear et shot and
shells. The lmperieuse passed, in going in ease to
the Buoyant. It CAS then nearly high wateir, at half
oast one o'clock in the day ; coming out, it was also
high water. In both of these courses there was suf-
ficient de'pth of water for vessels of any size. The
impression upon my mind is,- that there is water
enough at any time ; but having been only there at
high tide, I cannot swear to that. Provided the
tide does not rise and fall more than ,twolve feet;
there is ; and this h mentioned in a French chart
now in Court. I have no other means of judging.---
I can speak with certainty as to the depth of water,
if the rise and fall of the tide is not more than twelve
feet ; and I then think there is depth enough at any
time of the tide. I think the ships could- have got
out as safe as the others did afterwards.

Q. Is it meant that there is room for six sail of the
line to range at any time clear of shot and shells ?
A. There is ; we were there at all times of the tide.
it was the height of the spring, and there was five
tin:toms and a quartar under our bottom, and from
Sve to six fathoms for a distance round about us, suf.
:icie:it fco six sail of the line. The bearings of this
dace are correctly nc,ted in the log, which I hold in
:ay hand, and which I will produce:
Q. Are all the circumstances mentioned In this log
-crate and true, according to the best of your Lord-
.irp's knowledge and belief ?—A. They are.
Q. Did the Commander in Chief, in consequence
t!qe signals afterwards, weigh with the large ships,
zad at what time come to anchor off the Isle of Aix?
--A. He weighed I think at l I o'clock, and anchored
abort half an hour afterwards, having both wind and
'dc in his favour. The position taken up by his Lord-
itip was nearly that which I offer to show to the
Court upon the chart No. 2, in which is shewn
tl:e sitaation, of the enemy from day-light in the
morning of the 12th, until the two French ships
remained atanchor cut or slipped upon his
Lrrdship's com'ng towit:d; them.
Q. Was tr.e posirian then taken the most advanta-
geous for carrying into effect the object of the signals
made by his Lordship; and might that position have
taken at an earlier per:od with advantage to the
!tr/ice ?—A. It was a good position to observe the
Lnerny; but it was not a position for attack. Certainly
" 'tc-as a good position for observing the transactions
:f the enniy ; and, being near, assistance might have
tTen sent to any vessels ; had an attack been made
-Ton the e..emy, that pisi:.ion might have been taken
day-light, when an attack might have been made
-ith advantage to the service.
Q. It appeariag.ky the log-book of the Ympericuse
it4t you having previt asly seat in a man to take
'^,unciings, you weighed at half-past eleven A. M. on
'-he 12th April, and run into the harbour, in company
lith the Etna bomb and a gun-brig, the enemy
making sail up the Charaute, and at 2 P. M. an-
chored, and shortly afti:r came to close action with
the Ville de Varsovie, did you weigh and advance to
the enemy by signal from the Commander-in-Chief,
Cr did you do so without orders, by signal or other.
'Rise ?—A. I think it necessary, if I am permitted by
the Court, to read, as an answer to this question, re-
marks, which I threw together in consequence of a
-ttter I received from the Secretary to the Admiralty,
F!ating to me that a Court Martial was to take place.
These remarks contain all the transactions which
!nok place in Basque Roads, and arc expressly in an-
!ver :o the above question.
IThis Lord COCIMANE wa, not permitted to do,
ad the question was repeated. ]
A. I did so, in compliance with what I considered
,' spirit of the orders I received ; the doing of it was
cw:. act. The ertry in the leg of the Imperieuse,

that I weighed at half-past eleven, A. M. on the 12th
of April, is not correct ; as will probably appear by
the lo*-books of the fleet. I weighed at one o'clock.
The Ltna bomb rather preceded me.
Q. It appears also by the logs before the Court,
that you made signals of distress. `ghat was the na-
ture of the distress of your ship, and did any and what •
ships come to your relief by signal front theComman.
der in Chief, and was there any unnecessary delay in
that respect ?—A. I enquired by hailing, what attack '
was intended to be made on the enemy ? The Com-
mander replied he was ordered to bombard them.—
I directed him to go close and that we should protect
him ; it was then one o'clock ; the French three-decker
swung upon her hawsers, and the last of their ships'
began to move. I had the charge of the fire-ships ;
they had sailed in their expected purpose. I knew
what the tongue of scandal was capableof, and though
I admit that the feelings of my Lord Gambier, for the.
honourand interest ofhiscountry were, and are,as strong:
as myown, yet personal considerations were not
The expectations of my country, the hopes of the A
miralty, and my own prospects were about to vanish.
I weighed anchor and run in, and went beyond the
Possibility of returning. I ordered sail tabe made
after the sternmost ships of the enemy, and standing
in, J made the signal that the Chace was superior to
the chacing ship, because the Ville de Varsovie and
Calcutta were both afloat, and immediately after-
wards made signal that we wanted assistance, which
signal was absurdly coupled with the words " being
in distress." When we got up to the Bunyan,
we opened our fire upon the Calcutta, and the
Ville de Varsovie. The Calcutta was broadside on,
the Ville de Varsovie lay stern towards us, she being
under sail, and the Aquilon was in the same I.osizion ;
the latter did not fire for a long time ; they were em-
ployed clearing away their stern to get guns out.—
Wben we anchored, it Was about two o'clock. Some
bi igs had anchored as marked in the chart, No. 2, for
the protection of the bomb, and were firing, but too
far off to be of any use. I made the signal for these
to close ; but as there is no flag to express brigs only
without frigates or larger vessels; most of which were
commanded by my seniors, J explained so far as lay
within my means that this signal was intended for
them, by firing upon them from the main-deck ; for
the quarter-deck shot, which I elevated myself, did
not reach them. This signal, I was afterwards in-
formed, gave considerable offence, and so soon as I
learnt this from 'Sir Harry Neale, I declared to my
Lord Gambier that it was not my intention in the
>liglitest degree to hurt his Lordship's feelings, I had
then no time to express, by a tedious telegraphic com-
munication, whit I meant to convey. We were all
busily employed, whtn it was reported to me that se-
veral sail of the line and frigates were coming to our
assistance. I don't remember the first ships that
came down, but the Revenge, I believe, was the first
line of battle ship. About three several ships came
within hail ;—:. hailed them to anchor, or they
would ground, we having taken our birth on the
edge of the shore. It was then falling tide ; several
that had anchored, opened their ire upon all the
ships that were within their reach, viz. the Vile de
Varsovie, Aquilon, and Calcutta. I made the signal
that the Calcutta had struck, and sent a boat to inform
those that were firing at her, that our boat was then
on beanie- her r upon vihkh the Indefatigable and
one other turned their fire upon the Ville de Varsovie
and Aquilon. I ordered our people to cease firing ;
there were then ships enough to destroy the enemy
without the Imperieuse. Our people were much fa-
tigued, and therefore rested themselves, with the ex-
ception of those stationed to repair the 'rigging. • The
other ships continued to fire on theVilledeVarsovie and
Aquilon, until they struck,which was I think about six.
The Calcutta was set on fire, and the Aquilon* and
Ville de Varsoviewere employed shifting the prisoners.
The French were deserting several of their ships, with
every boat that beoreped to them, and pulling and
sailing for the R ort river. An attempt was in-
tended to have been made. to burn the Ocean. Capt
Bligh volunteered his services. Captain Maitland re-
gretted that on account of Captain Bligh's previously
having undertaken it, he was denied that opportunity
to distinguish himself. I was too much fatigued to
undertake it myself; I could scarcely stand from ex-
cessive fatigue. They were not so much fatigued.—
The reason why it was done, I only learnt since see-
ing the public dispatch in the papers. All the French
had taken to their boats to land their people, they ,
were all ashore that night, and the next morning there
were two or three chasse-marees in their !mad light-
ening the enemy's ships by receiving various articles
on board. There was no delay whatever to the best
of my belief after the signal for assistance was made'
upsn the part of my Lord Gambier, in ordering ves-
sels to our assistance ; but had the attack been made
in the morning, when the tide was falling, until past
6 o'clock, and the emy's ships were all, with the e,
ception of two, fast aground, the three-decker and two
others, as shewn in chart No. 2, lying doss toge-
ther to the windward, with their masts and- yards
apparently locked, it is my opinion, that seven
sail cf the enemy, including the three-decker,
might have been destroyed with great facility by
two sail of the line, assisted by the frigates and smaller
vessels ; and. it i 3 my opinion, that after the hour of
half past eleven, when the enemy's two ships had re-
mained at anchor until the British fleet weighed ;
that the frigates alone, assisted by the smaller vessels,
might have destroyed the whole of the above-men-
tioned ships, the rear of which afterwards were at-
tacked.
It being then four o'clock, the Court ad"aurned
till the next day at nine.

NAVAL INTELLICSNCE.
HARWICH, JULY 26.
Arrived this day the Prince of Wales Packct, Cap-
tain P. C. MASON, and the King George. Captain
tumults, both with Mails and passengers from Got-
tenburgh. On the '2-ttli instant the Prince of Wales
spoke the ship Henrietta, •of Baltimore, which left
the Weser the clay before.
PORTSMOUTH, JULY 26.
Sailed his Majesty's sloop GAMOTT to the eastward
—Wind S. W.

PLYMOUTH AND PLYMOUTH-DOCK, JULY 2S.
An enemy's privateer is now hovering off the Li-
zard ; a signal to announce, this fact having been
made by telegraph, the CADMUS has put to sea in
quest of her.—Arrived the Nisznon hired cutter from
off Cherbourg. Sailed the WHITING schooner with
the ATALANTA sloop under convoy, the latter haviiig
109 barrels of gun-powder on board for the garrison
:at Berryhead.