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

r

I end; and to leave the two Betts perpendicular, which
will also be shewn on board another vessel pl%ced for that
pllrpuse qn the larboard hand. The frigates, &c. which
are; to receive the Officers and crews of the tire-ships, will
sbew four lights perpendicular, and the luiperieuse trill
probably anchor near the Buoyart, and chew five light
perpendicular. If the wind should shift before the tire•
ships proceed to the attack, or from other r•ircun.ctau^es
it should oic postponed, Coe Caledonia or the lioperioce
will fire a gun awl spew three lights in a perpendieuler
position.
" Caledonia, in Basque Road•, April 11, 1:09.
(Signal) . " GAMBLER.

. -
" To the respective Captairb, die." - ---- -
with these preconeerted arrangements, the fleet was at
this time istiosuueed iu readiness to render any service
that might be practicable, taut being anchored id a strong
tide way, with the wind blowing hard from the N. W. up-
on the wrathe- t!..• tr ir • y was again moored, to pre-
vent the slops fairing oa boar! each oilier.
At about half past eight p. et. the explosion vessels and
fire-snips proceeded to the attack; at half past loin,. tn,,
or the explosion vessels blew up; arid at ten must cf the
fire-ships were observed to be on fire, the enemy's forts
and ships firing on them. Many of the fire-shirt were coin
to drive through their fleet, and beyond the. Isle de I.ix.
The night was egtremekr dark ; it blew a strong pie with
a high sea, and the service thereby became of stich inerva-
eed hazard as scarcely to admit of a hope of the oaken
and men ever returning.

It is right I should Eerie observe, that altbow:h from
these and other untoward circumstances, sever..l of the
lire-ships failed in their object, I could nut dis over rafter
the fullest investigation', that Illarne was iniptirai,le to
any of the °Hirers who commanded them.
the explosion vessels, conducted by Lord Cochrane in
person, siso failed iu their ohieet, as will be seen by r.!-
furutt-e to the small chart I now deliver into Court, which
po.ists out where two of them blew tip, the third brelca,
adrift and did not explode.
The siteation in which, and the time when, those yes-
sele blow up, proved preissdieird to the enterprise in sese-
rid respects. Their premature explosion, contrary to the
expressed intention of Lord Cochrane, that they should
blow op in the initlit of the enemy'i boats, to deter th,n
tram towing oil our fire-ships in their approach, served Is
a warning to the enemy, whose ships were observed in-
tautly to shrill lights ; and several of the officers who
commanded the iirt-chips, not doubting that the explosion
bad taken iihre lieu to the enemy's fleet, sterred their
ships and set them on fire arcerifingly, by which meals
several were in flames at a greater distance from tho eae-
my than was intended, and so as to endanger our advanc-
ed frigates. fu lac:, !LA not Captain Wooldridge, and
Runp of the oth,r Officers, wholly disregarding the explo-
sion, taken their fire-ships in a proper direction for the
meshy, it is more than probahle that none of them would
have produced any effect whatever on the enemy's
. .

But althourb dot one of the enemy's ships was actually
destroyed by means of lire-ships, yet the terror e•eited by
their approach induced the enemy to cut their cables, and
o,posed th-to, by their running aground, to the atta:k
which ensued. •

I now come to the proceeding; of the 12th April, which
cotuturnec witb the siptal that the enemy could be di -
struyed, and which destruction if is imputed to me I de-
lved or neglected. •
At 4 minntes pant 5, A. M. the Imperieuse then about
threw snags from the enemy, and about the same distance
from the Caledonia, tua.te the signal to tue by telegrap!i,
that " vertu of the enetu)'s ship.: were ow shore, and that
half the beet could destroy them."
lite actual situation of the Prenchfleet at that time was
this :404evert of their ships were on shore on the Pela; ;
two hintereaped towards the Charente, and two lay at.
their original anchorage, or a very little removed from It,
%sit% their broadsides bearing upon any thing that mitt it
approach, t 4 attack the ships on shore.

lac are sifted to defer the remainder of LorJ Gaziorn's

• Drfi till to-morrow..]

• b.
Fri tit LONDON-GAZETVE, .tfua. 1.

BANKRUPTCY ENI.AR(;F.D.
Penrioa, Holyhowl, btati mer, from July 22 to Sqtem-
her 9.

BANKRUPTS.

F. Amino, Brighthelinnotte, gorrend,-r Auc.ls.
16, and Sept. 12, at the. New Hetet, 0: iglithellustonL. At-
torney, Ml\ iiarlier. Chancery-bine.
J. Sinai'burgh, Norf ilk. grocer. Aug. 5.12, and Sept.
12, at the King's Ilead, Norwich. Attoraies, Megan. W ni-
de, and Co. Chancery-lane.
W. Collin,. Reistol. ines-keeder, Aug. R, 9, awl Rept. 12, at
th:, Castle -mid Hdl tan. Kalb. Attornie,, Alcssn. Nether-
sae qtad Portal, Ever-street, Stnuith

J. Forrester, Lane-end, Stoke-upon-Trent, Stairtordshire. ma-
nufacturer of :mrt :enware, Aug: 111, 22, and Sept. N. at
the It ehnek Inn, Niewravtle-usuler-I,s•ne. Att•roirs,
W.tlthalltud Ward, Newcastle-unde..-Wine.

. -
J. AAleck, Ketr.singtoo-crosi, Murry, plJuthe-r, Aug. 5, 12,
uud Sept. It:, at guildhall. Mr. Tuner, Ed-
14rd-street, ('avendish-square.