The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-07-28 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN.

come to a determination not to interrupt birLonil...
ship in the line he was pursuing; but disked his
Lordship to be acquainted, that it was their wish
that in future he should confine himself strictly to
the letter of the question put, and not digress i►r
the manner he hail hitherto done.

The President alsq, thought it his duty to yintiee
an expression which had fallen front the 'Noble
'Lord, who hai! talked Aunt the ignorance of the
propoondee of the question. The tiulicitur of
-the Admiralty might nut he a nstitical man, but
as an Officer w hum tie Crown employed, he. was
not to be subjected to such epithets as ignorant.
It happened, however, that it was the ('resident
loittiielf wbq had put.the qnestion to which his
Lordship had objected.—Lord Cochrane ex-
plained, and the ex imination proceeded. I or-
dered the edble to be hove taught tip and (loan.
The Etna bomb Pissed, and I inquired, by hailing,
if any attack whi intended to be made on the
enemy, and was Answered from the Captain that
he was ordered to bombard the enemy. think
there was a brig with him ; I desired hint to go
close, and immediately hove the aochur to the Iton s.
The Impression upon my mind was, having seen no
signal made to indicate an attack about that time,
that no other attack was intended, except that
thro tying of shells was intended. The Calcutta,Var-
sovie, and most of the other ships were pressing sail
to force them on towards the Chartinte, and out of
our reach. The Imperieuse, though we did nut
commence to fire upon the enemy until two
d'clock, was then wholly in time, by firing noon
the Calcutta, to cut away, or to cause them to
break, from the confusion into which they were
thrown, her hawser being from her neather port.
The same cause, that is, the confusion of the erte-
ny, was forcing the Varsovie on shore, and
thereby prevented the escape of these two ships,
which were the last, with the exception of the
Aquilon, which vessel, though near, was a little
furtieer up, and they on board the Aquilott were
in such confusion, that it was upward- of an
hour before they could get one single gun out of
the stern ports of that vessel. The whsle of the
enemy's ships of war were, at two o'clock, in a
position shown in Chart N. 1, which I shall pre-
sent to the Court ; and the 'Latish Fleet are there
put down, as it appeared from the Imperieuse,
front the anchorage which she took up, and in
which anchorage she eontintied until one o'clock,
close to the Buoyart shoal, just within the longest
drop of the shells. The Aigle, though nearest,
did nut fire at all. _

[His Lordship then produced the Chart No. 3.]
The reasons, if there arc any, why the frigates
aii6ht not previous to the hour of half past ele-
ven hove attacked the enemy, will he fussed in the
preceding narration, s herein it appears th.►t two
sail of the line still continued at anchor until the
hoer of half past eleven, which two ships it ap.
peared to my mind it would have been better to
attack by opposing to them two or three snil.of
the line, instead of a greater cumber of frigates,
although it was my opinion that the frigates them.
selves would have been quite equal to the task.
The enemy were employed all the morning at-
tempting to get their top-Mists up, which in the
course of six hours from dny light in the morning
Idu not think the) bad quite effected at the time
they made sail on the approach of the British
Beet, and ran aground in the,middle of the Chan-
nel leading to the Charente. I think in about
half an hour after the British fleet anchored.

Q. It being stated in the log-book of the Im-
perieuse, that at four P.M. of the 13th of April,
a signal was made to the io.shoresquadrou,to work
out, the ebb-tide basins, made, and there not be.
ing water enough for ther. bomb to lay afloat ; and
' it being noted in the Signal log of the Itupericuse,
that the same afternoon your Lordship answered
of recal, and nut appearing in the log of
the Caledonia that any such signal was made, I
wish to know w hether such signal was made to the
Imperieuse, and whether the vessels in-shore come
out in consequence thereof ; and what was the
purport of the telegraphic signal your hordship
made to the Commander its Chief ?—A. On
the morning of the 13th of April, the
ships of this line, one of then bearing the
nag of Admiral Stopfurtl, Neighed, and
worked out of the inner anchor Age, by order,
to the best of my belief, from Addiaral Stopford,
whose ship skewed some lights, which I under-
stool was a signal fur that purpose to the lint.of.
battle ships, most of these having continued until
low water in situations in which it was known by
the chart that there was not water enough. The
signal of read was reported to me to have been
made by the Caledonia about five o'clock ; and I
answered by telegraphic signal, that the enemy
could be destroy ed: and I was further confirmed
in this opinion by a letter, which I hold in my
hand, demi-official, directed on service, to mc, by
his Lordship, ordering out the Imperieuse, toge-
ther nith ilia bomb, and dated on the 130, w rit-
ten, to the best of my belief, in his Lordship's
own hand; which I beg may be read., to the
Court.
I The letter Was then teid, its substance as fol..
loss:
MY MAR Loan. Paledonta, 13th Aptii.
You have Case year part so admirably, that kw ill not
salty you to tarnish by attempting impossibillto You
Awl therefore joie Lion it,. you can with tbe limb,
.nal slash to liaseksts in"onatuits from yea 'lessee 1 close
my dispatches... I ant, O. • GAMPER.
P. S. I have ordered three brigs and other vess.lsle join
you la the-attempt ; but I don't thiuk it will socceedi. You
mad come to me an the turn of dictate, as 1 want to send
,you to England aseen as pobsible. . Nd,
. To which 1 replied by the tenoning letter, also
dated the 13th bf April, and which 1 seat by a
Commissioned Officer :
MY Loan, —1 have just received your Lordship's letter.
We On destroy the enemy's ships on shore, which 1 hope yew
w ill !approve. I-nm, Sr. COCHRAN L.
On the morning following I also answered a
signal of Fecal, which I saw myself made on board
' of the Caledonia, by an interrogatory signal, to
know if we should unmoor, by which, without
any repetition of the former signal, 1 did conclude
, that his Lordship would have understood %hat
was itstewded. The signal of read was repeated,
which was atuwrti,4l by the lespatisuse. We an.
.1. ...)1

intooreds hove short, and as the tide was down,
were permitted by his Lordship to remain until
the ebb tide began to set in, and I received the
letter which new I hold in my hand from his Lord-
ship, directing me to proceed to the outer anchor.
age, and stating that Captain Wolfe was to relieve
mo in the service.
Gilled/Mit. 13th April, 1909.
!tie DSAR t.oe.n,—lt is neves:wry I should Y:Re some
enmemialeatlon with you, before 1 dose my diqmtehes to the
Admiralty. I lute therefore ordered Copt. Woulfe, to re-
licie you is the service you are euAaged in, that you may
‘ake Sir 11. Neale to Engkuid, or you may retort' to carry tut
the service when. ) no are.
_

Vit'fite 1 fth, I am convinced I did not make a
signal that thu enemy could have been d-stroyed,
hiving conveyed to his Lordship my firm opinion
on the subject, both by signal and by letter ; I
thought a repetition, though I continued in the
same way of thinking, would have appeared to
Ms Lordship direspectful. I therefore made the
interrogatory signal, conceiving his Lordship
would understand it " shall we unmoor ?" and
was answered as I have already stated, in the af-
firmative, or I think by the direction to weigh.
Q. It appears by the log of the lmperiettse that
at 3 P. M. the Etna, with brigs in company, and a
ship in the Charente, were bombarding the enemy.
When were they recalled, and by whose orders ?
...A. I sent them in to bombard the enemy. I
believe they came out after the Iniperieute had
weighed, soil the Eagle bad taken her anchorage.
The day before 1 told them to come out on the
ebb title, hut they did so a little after high water;
I believe the sails were split; they all had received
some damage.
Q. In your Lordship's letter to Mr. Pole, in
' answer to his letter to you, requiring you to state
your reason for objecting to the Vote of Thanks
to the Commander in Chief, and to state any in.
stances of neglect in the conduct of the Commander
in Chief—when you referred their Lordships
generally to the loss of the fleet, you are request-
ed to stile whether you thereby meant to direct
their Lordships to auy other documents than those
on which you have already been interrogated and
given your sentiments l—A. Their Lordships' let-
ter having directed me to explain my reasons, I
referred their Lordship? to the logs and signal.
logs of the siptadroti, considering that, under every
circumstance, the best source whence their Lord.
ships could possibly derive information. It was
not my desire, unless I !eul been pressed, to have
drawn their aordships' attention to any part of
those or any other documents. I considered the
affair in [Lope 'toads in every respect as pact,
and whatever my opinion might have been, Writ-
pable of all remedy. hail it been a matter in
which the future interests of my country were
volved, I should not have hesitated one moment in
pointing on t to their Lordsh ips' attention every part
of these documents, and of any other of which I
-might have been possessed. I have now also to
call to the attention of the Court, that had the fri.
gat's, upon the morning of the 13th, instead of
leaviug the inner anchorage in company with the
ships of the line, remained, full opportunities of-
fered that day to destroy several sail of time enemy
which were within reach of vessels properly
placed, at proper times of the tide, or of smaller
F vessels during every part of the tide; and I have
seen no cause to alter my opinion. I have also to
call the attention of the Come to the circumstance,
that Captain Seymour, of the Pallas, gave hail iu
passing the Impurieuse, to know if he should re-
main in the inner anchorage, and was directed by
me to do so if he had no orders to act otherwise ;
for I did imagine it possible, though not at all
likely, that the signal of recal had been made
without our seeing it. The bomb and brigs seeing
the Imperieuse at anchor, and the Pallu bring.
ing up, anchored likewise. Here we lay out of the
resell of shut or shell, in 5: fathoms water at the
dead of ebb, aud there was an anchorage, I have
already stated, fur at least six sail of the line. 1
wish also to call the attention of the Court to my
reason, after the Imperiettse was refitted on the
evening of the 13th, and after the receipt of the
letter marked A,—for nut, dulling the evenittg of
that day, or on the morning following, previous
to the second signal of recal being made,—for not
having, with that ship and the Pallas only, at-
tacked the enemy. I found that a very heavy re-
sponsibility would lie on my shoulders iu case of
any disaster, which in eases of military opera-
tions are probable, and sometimes unavoidable.
I think there is nothing else that I recollect, ex-
cept the orders given to Captain Wolfe, who su-
perseded me in the inner anchorage with full pow-
ers, by the means which I had adopted, or any
other he might think expedient, to effect the de-
struction of the enemy. Dated also by mistake
the 13th of April, but delivered and written on
live 14th. The order was shown to me oo the
14th, the day on which I was superseded.
Examined by the I'AESrOENT.
Q. When did your Lordship first discover that
in the inner road of Aix there was anchorage
sufficiently capacious to hold six sail of the line to
ride without being within the range of 51tht or
shell ?--A. I had been in possession of the French
charts, which I had not found defective its any
material point, for a number of years, and from
these charts I have at all times drawn my conchs.
sions with respect to the depth of the water, or
other circumstances which relate to navigation

upon that coast! le the enemy, wad on them in
this case, as in others, I placed my depen.
deuce. I went in, and on my way I found them
correct. I knew by the chart, when in pursuit of
the Calcutta, I was to find a bank ; we found it
and anchored upon it, and this I did knowing
what I was about. And m fact I pieced the ut-
most confittence in the chart, by which it has
long appeared to me that this anchorage might,
if any object was in view, be safe and advauta.
genus.
Q. In thoeliact that your Lordship consulted
upon this occasion, are the soundings so marked in
it as to afford a space sufficient for six sail of
the line, out of range of shot or shell ? A.
That conviction is upon my mind ; but by refer.
ring to the chart, which is exactly the same aa
others which hare been in my esacssion, the Court
can dead the qaestion.

Q. When you found by experience upon vine
into Aix Roads, by the soundings, that you dig.
covered that the soundings in the charts y e,u made
use of wore correctly set down, and that from
thence you drew a conclusion that there was safe
anchorage for six sail of the line, dill you make
any co►notunication of that important fart to the
Commode: in Chief ? A. The Commander in
'Chief had the same chart, I believe, as I w in
possession of. He had al►o trench pilots on ho ird,
'ln whose reports, from previous experience, I knew
the Commander in Chief to rely above a'l other
authorities. On seconnoitering the fleet the 'drat
day, when so near as to induce the enemy to
open a fire from almost its 141101 e tine. I re-
ported to the Commander in Chief tilt- ruinous
stale of the Isle tr.% ix, it having the inn•.•r fur.
tificalioos completely blown tip and destroyed,
which I nut only ascertained fron► the deck with
perfect precision as to the tide towards us, hut also
to the opposite sitle, Iron the top of the shin;
there were only IS guns mounted upon that side
ins which I had former!) sceu, to the best of soy
recollection. about 50. In making these obser.
vations to his Lordship for his information, he
stated his perfect reliance upon the opinion of
the pilots, and assured me that the Isied'Aix was
exceedingly strong; and th it it bad three tier of fans
mounted towards the shipping. I then observed
to his Lordship, that the circumstances to which
I alluded fell within my fr.sti observation. This
did not alter his Lordship's opinion. I on(iced
also the little confidence that was to be placed in
these pilots, and said to his Lordship, as well at
to Sir Harry Neale, that I never had a pilot, par.
ticuiarly a French pilot, who did not Ind a shoal
whereon there was a gun ; and his Lordship, on
the day of my leaving Basque Roads, which was
on the 15th or 16111, still continued in the same
opinion as he had expressed ona former day, nut.
withstanding my assurances then, u hen I had full
time to make my observations. The whole of the
frigates, with the exception of the Pallas and
another, had returned, and it was with the know.
ledge of every one of these Officers, as well as his
Lordship, that they might have continued where
the Impel tense and Pallas then were. I held, that
being placed in t hut situation, was a matter for his
Lord's decision. I naturally conceived, that as
he knew they were not ordered to return, that he
did not require any information of which Ile was
not possessed..

Q. Is it necessary, in order to arrive at that
airehoragi•, lo piss the shoal of the Niels ?--
A. The shoal of the Millis hounds the anchunige
towirds the East, and the Island towards the
We•t.

Q. Cab the ships of the line arrive at that anchorage at all
times of the tide.—A. Its follow* the track &stela I judged
be.t in taking Ist* Imperietsye. that twine, farthest nitrous ihs
fire of the caemv. I do believe that ships of the !Meats. pass
in at any time of the tide. I .at on the netting attending to
Cie leads, during the time tie were irotog in; it was Outs high
wste.r ; and having marked that the rise and fall of the title
as+.tatad at at feet. the impzewion upon sty mind that
should not is nth a ship of ow line fact. Wk In go in. I think
Soy impression at *use time au, that at low .rater it would
out be ',roper too take one of the heaviest ships in. %hick
was au. neresoary . I don't brook ae b:sd lees than n Qom
ship \be passed .rs close to the Suo.urf I could bare thrown
a pinns-piece on it.
Q. All the intormatioo your Lordship hal of the rising and
figing of the oyster, an; obtained front the charts may, and
without a:n other itiforinoitioui-.-k. I had rem irked. It Nem
hefure un that coast, the rite and fell of the tide at a plate
mg far distant 4. Iwahqut 10 or 14 feet at the highest tide;
and I thought afterward., is hen the French ships lay aground.
that they s.sod about IY feet. The Aquilos had sank ais,.at
lit feet, and it mu-t bare been at ?he dead of low water sacs
%cut uu board of her.

Q. You said that shi:hs of the bite might have brought tr,
ith their heads t,i the N. 1.. sear the Banyan Sao al, and
might have engaged the tan Fisch ship 4 that remained at
anchor, without danger from shot or shell frame the Isie aat
Ai t ; should they hahe been shearer to the Isle of Aix than they
amid to those ships!— A. I should nut have thosight of
ha icging ruty shi broadside to an enemy when at a detainee
.n great as from the Isle d'Aix to the lianhart, but should
have continued ins she same course that ships wosdd do in go-
ing to the Tuner auehorage, until the ellelllo shot therm to
tell, and then I should base brought the broad-side of the
ships to bear in the 'lsomer belong deicribed„ hashing their
heads towards the N. and I:. ; or if their shot did not tell. sat as
materially to injure, I should probably have proceeded to
bring the larboard gins to hear by passing on Ilse side oppo-
site to Isle &Aix, till f placed my ship, or ships ist weld
situation as not may to capture sr destruh these, but those also
which were laying as in chart No. Y. The distaste was sad
that I might lie there fur a week and not have hit throes..

Q. You said, that after a time they might put their helms
op and run under the stern of th.• ships at anchor, ;old env,.
both these ships and the ships that were on shore; wan that a
situation in which any of our ships ts ere at an. time pieced ?
I have said, that provided I found it more expedient, I
would have dune sot the Valiant and ships that joined the
lenperieuse about three o'eloch p. m. a 1 the lith April,
placed theuiselvee, or rather passed the pmtlieso alluded tn.
and went on towards the end of the shoal, which Jo the caw
Mated in the que-term, would not have been seermary.

Q. Y oar I.ordship having stated that if twe or three ma
of the line, is coining in. bad borne time on the Humeri,
had l:sid their main and fore-topsails aback, nod taken the
tide under their Ire, us as to ecablo theta to bear round and
go ap to the enemy's two line-of-battle ships, then
was there space enough far either one. two, or three sail of
the line to 11 ire takisi up as anchorage, w ith esen port of
their broadsides to bear on thew two ships' a ithoist taking
the groond • I did got anedier the tide under the lee m
a point essential to the bearing up. There was sulkies*
room. I can speak with positive certainty, for we in the
Imperieitse, alien working out from the position which sit
occupied. as sbewil he Chart, So. 9, tacked repeatedly, and
traversed all the spare between the shoal of the Doorart and
the buoys of the enemy's ships. where toey had betalittichots
ed in line, and front which they had cot I should oat haft
stood sci far towards these buoys had it sot been that tall
enemy seemed AVM lashed to disturb as, which I out on v
attributed to the ruinous state of their works. but conriod a
that they were in wont of powder or other solitary stunt.
I should out have einem, however, any distant station, b
shield protialdi have brought up alatagside of them, and it
OA side directly opposite to Aix. toree-deti. i and
other ships on shore. two of which after tiptoe tried to have
their mails locked together, viola have given leo material
disturb :user in ioch a position, and then three might haw beta
destroied by one 74, had she been sent to titlark them. or
even by a frigate °rano, while tlo• two French
rte ships steer occupied at their anritors as is Sibillre support,.
W hen I arrived at the miter onwhorage. I mentleoed to Lord
Comelier, that as tliz•re could he no jiailnusy with respect to
Admit.ii Stopfont. that it world be a matter essential to tl.O
service to send the Admiral an a ith the frigates nod onset *co-
wls which ever hi• Loni,hip thought Imo. n hi' zeal for rase
service wituld Reelimplish turtint I eninider yet mar.: credlta.
hie than any thin; that had been done; I alsolusi:•(1 tar tiN
freedom which I used with Ms Lordship, sod stated that I
took that liberty as a friend, for it would be inipasalblvi.
things remaining as they were. is present a noise hi irg as 4e
about it in Enlland. f said. " toy L”rd, pets d-siecy Ise so
speak candidly to too, and I have abed tient freedom . pave
no wish sr desire hat for the service sit our tomato ,--to
which his Lordship replied, that if I strew Ithune, it wunkl
appenr n• arrogant!. claiming sill the merit to ,myself. 1 its.
owed. his Lordship I hod no .Ivl it,s, ohm,, and otentiaried 4
the -Mlle time, that ii was lint m . de•io, to eatry d•spotrben.
or in co to Lo • lint mita Sir fans Seale, upon the vet-get:44
Lordship oedirstely after deltretrd w ne.io order, .Ii•
ns..l.„x the When I weiened, I bad the sitisforimb
of Marvin teat the •ecuiti hr-I heti, rtia•le for .Idaitial at p•
ford, Inu-wiet:lut to execute spe ol.ove phi was Ivy the ai•
rites, or °Corr meat*, i do not know.
Lord Ga stoma declined with% Lord Cacbtare is) gem;
tiva at present.

Admiral STOPFORD morn aade-raarined.
Q. Hilda, heard the order from the Admiralty USIA.
imbier to attack the fleet iu Basque Reads, state to the
Court any feeler( volt know in the attack of the esterst:s
der, or any defect or delay no the part of
Lordship, between the 10th Mart wadi ith April, and whe-
ther he sled every means in hi. 'power I/Stare, into tiled the
shove-ment awed orders?—A. Under all the ofregintstalices of
the p,e, •iewett in poise of which I am capable, and
giving to the Commandir lo Chief she exercise of that dis-
cren,ot which every Commander in Chief, in rateable) of
utensures for which he alone Is responsible, I do ant think
there was any delay or delleienry no the part of the Com-
mander In Chief, to executing the service entnated to bas
lawdeltip's care.
Q. (nv the coneys) Was the fleet in plaque Roads un-
moored on the day prevloes to the going iu of the frigates ?
A. Yes the ships were uninoored ois the 11th.
Q. Do von know why they were unic.sererl P—A. From a
tonverrastion I bad with the-Commander iu Chief before Sto-
'poplin, I understood it was for the purpose of brine ready
to take advantage of any ftvonra'tle circumstance. I must
aim add, there was some rant ersation which had no practical
/feet, reverting the fleet making a 'hew of getter.g under
weigh, to dets'ise the enemy, for the purpose of piesent;ng
the enemy's bores coming oat to intercept the fire-.ltipt.
Q. Was the fleet moored again iu the course of that day ?
—A. The signal was made, and the legit moored again, about
matet..except the Caesar.
Q. Do von know what induced the Commander In Chief t ►
order the fleet to moor again. or if VON do not know his rea-
sons, did you see or know goy eafficient cane for its being
dune ?—A. Tice Commander in Chief did not at the time
cominaniente to roe his mason for interring, but from the close
order in which some part of the fleet was originally mitered.
and considering the strength of the tide, I think there might
base been some risk of the shipseearest In earl, other gettiug
on hoard of each other had they conttotted elwe.
Q. Tito morning after the Ere ships were Kitt in, some
civets and telegraphic communications were made from the
Imperieuse to the Commander in Chief. Do you recollect
what they were I—A. I confess I must sped 't more from re-
collection. than from any thing I saw myself. - I can speak
to thine which were officially reportril in me by the Captain
of the Caner. 'rhe first signal reported to ass to he mode
hs the litipetueux, was " that seven sail of Ilse enemy's ships
am shore. the fleet ran deetroy them.- Soon after, t.ignal re-
pented, " that half the fleet could destroy them." petit-rest
half past six and eight o'clock, I de air recnllect any other
ripest matte by the Imperieu'e till between half past twelve
and one o'clock, mine des, and stantliue in towards the eoe-
toy. The Insperieuse made si„raial that the enemy's ships
were saperior to the eha-iaa !hip, but intrtior to the fleet
united: also that the Imperien-e was iu divirest, and waisted
assistance.
Q. Did von see. for was it officiallt reported to you in the
enure, of Chit day, that the Imperteaw had informed the
Commander in Chief by telegraph, that two sail of the line
would *sufficient to destroy the comity r—.l. No tech sipal
was reported to me ever to lave been made.
Q. Was any official information given to von of the cow
meander in Chief having recalled the Imperieuse on the morns
inAof the I'2th 1 —A. No such communication was ever made
to me.
Q. The Revenge, Theseus, Valiant, and Cretar. are anted
to bare hren tent into the Nand of .%it. Did I Wet- go ? -
A. They went in at different time. of the night. "the Cesar
some bears niter the Valiant.
Q Were the. recalled by sifor.al or otherwise, by the Cons-
Vander in Coief?-1. They were recalled by no order from
the Commander in Chief, but part of them, the Cesar, The-
seus, and Valiant, came nut by orders from me.
Q. What were your reasons for roll* those ships from the
service on which they were ordered, without directions tram
the Commander In Cheri—A. The imminent and inevitable
danger the ships were exposed to by c•••ttinuit.g in that statics° :
also the eerminty the they could not he employed with Mimi
to the further destrurtinn of the enemy's ships.
Q. Ord you consider lite danger to is Mich they would bt
espowd from the enemy's batteries. or badness of routs, or
both'—A. Front both. Toe evening pretediog it, when the
Come win going in, %begin on shore for three blurs, io range
Of the enemy's shot; aid t'iim ctsatrary ts my r sr, t et,lins, be-
ing toll hr the pilot there was sutfi-ient water. The Captaios
of the Thowns and Valiant also informed me teat their ships
b eel been
Q. Oawhat Anal was the rawer as-round !—A. A coati.
smatitin of the Buns-wt. or a seocrate batik, in the same line
with the Kunyart. At the tone the CY.ar got oilmen, it was
nearly dank, and the enemy di,l not perceive her siltation.
If it Sod been day-light, t should hare despaired of getting
her of.
Q. Did has know that within the marl of Air, thew was
an anchorage earable of containing six sail of the lase, pow
freely oat of reaelt of shot and shells from tune of the enemy's
betteries /—A . l'revfnus Pe nor frigates going in, I cortably
did mot know it, although some Pilots were of (Tinker that
there was, others, that there was not. With re-port to the
lumber, I ouidertiontt it never enntained more then fear ships
five fathom. sleeve, more of shells. Dad I knevi sof that
anchortee before I went to, I should hate evper led to de-
rit c little grunt front any ships going there, as it wss quito out
of the line of annoy Mg any of the enemy's ships that were on
shore.
Q. One of the reasons Imo have glycol for withdrawing the
ship, from the road of .hts was, tied they could not envoy
the enemy's ehips. Were sow, before it was dark, is a situ-
ation from which you maid SO set the enemy's ships as to
feel quite satisfied ships of the Imo could do Own, no more
mischief I—A. Before I went in, and in going in, I observed
the enemy's ships close under the batteriet,and I was so little
acquainted with that anchorage, that I was of opinion, bitth
with respect to the satigation as well as the exposure to the
batteries, shirt redid not be employed without imminently
sighing their tarty.
Qs You have commanded a stmadrou ftr a comideraltie
time in Basque Bonds; have ye* been able to awestain how
high the tide rises and fails at Pining tides?—k. Generallt
from 18 to 'H feet, according to the set of the wind; the
?a. W. wind stakes a higher tide.
Q. When the Imperieuse made the signal that the enemy's
ships were oasis me, and the leer might &Wray them, would
you, with the experience sail base as a dig-officer, have
thought it prides' or proper to send or lead in the Sett to de-
stroy them I—A. In my ophsion the disledgment from the an.
rhorage of the enemy's ships by Ere ships, removed hat a
mall part of the obstacles. This is not only my opinion,
but that of others who preceded in the command. The diffi-
culties of the mitigation, and on imperfniacquaiataiter with
the anchorage, would, I think, have mode me unworthy of a
eommad. where the enemy had all the advantage, and ours
would have had all the Ines.
Q. When the signal was made by the Imperieure that half
of the diet ~ld lave destrosed the enemy, would you have
conducted halt the fret for that purpose, with the wind aad
Weather as it then was 1-4. In this and the former avower I
mut take the state of the wind wily. With the ROA ail it then
was, and the broadside of their ships still commanding the
pimp, we should have teen so crippled in going ia aid
ivorisig out a panacea little more than a mile, I think I
should not base risked the ships, had they ts‘ ell under my coal-
Mind.
Q. The Imperienee made the signal of being in distress.
bed wool* immediate assistarce—acme Any ships immedi-
ately sent to most her?—A. I will ma pretend to say whe-
ther the frigates were ordered in before or after attrth, by
tie Commander in Chief, but there acre several obits
fear at that time. Ido net recollect any signal being made
tMedialely iolinglter to the signal Irons the Imperieuse.
Adjourned noel to-morrow. •