The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-03-02
NifEbmnnh gispatf9.
FRIDAY MOkNlN0,.... MARCH 2, ieee.

The Rough Ola Commodore. the Is"S'
Old Commodore, the Fighting Oid TOM
modore" ..PrIvsteeriHx.
Oid Lord DuNDoNALD tbetter known In MS
tory n Lord CocaRANx) has just written hi
own memoirs, though he is now eighty nv
wears old. The book has not been republishet
in this country. go far - We know, never hAv
inr seen COPY OF il; but there are specimen.
ofit in the February No. Of Biaeksrood, from
which we infer that IL is rs entertaining rs
novel by Scorr or DICKENS. The author, Ii
his Younger days, was one Of the most figh TIM
men that ever lived. ALISON does not hest
tate TO declare that he was fully go uai to N FL
SON in all respects, and that If he had been OF
the same age with that renowned sea warrior
ne would have contested the palm with him liz
possessed fully as much daring As NELSON
and had, what the latter never laid any claim
to. so far as We know. an extraordInaTy me-
chanical genius, and inventive powers that
enabled him to devise means tor carrying our
his plans when they appeared to b. impracti-
cable TO men whose faculties were less quick
than his own. His resources seem 10 have
been unbounded; he never saw difficulty
that his subtle brain did not Immediately be-
gin TO work. and he never failed to sur
mount il. His passion for fighting seems
fought through the great wars with NAro-
LEON AS long As there was anything at sea TO
fight He then offered his services to the States
of Sou tn America, and fought for them until
business in his line began to grow slack in that
quarter Of the globe. He would then have
been thrown on his beam ends, as the sailors
say, but for an occurrence which doubtless he
considered most fortunate. We allude To the
ht.h hrnk Iss,u
CoCHRANK was Immediately on the spot with
vessels of his own, and having been au-
thorized by the Greek government, he soon
commenced a most destructive warfare upon
the vessels of the Turks Of all sorts, sizes and
descriptions Like Captain DALGErTY, he ap-
pears TO have valued glory highly, but yet not
so highly Is prize money. This is the burtheu
OF his song from beginning to end. He mar
rates the most daring achievements with pro-
found tranquility, apparently considering
them mere matters OF course; but when he
comes to talk OF the plumber, his eyes glisten,
and his mouth waters like those OF a hound
when he smells the portion of the game lett
Tor him TO devt ur
The attack of CocHRANE upon the French
fleet in Basque Roads, was the most daring
feat ever attempted by the British navy
motesr comparison with IT. either in this quail
jiy of daring or the still more important one
of skill and invention. Extracts from his
narrative of this event are given in the Re-
r,.r, sufficiently fuIl to give idea of the
magnitude and danger of the enterprise
CoCHRANE. it seems, was never a favorite with
LORD ST. VINCENT the chief OF the Admiral
ty. He had distinguished himself above all
Vi,. hi h
lie was known to be the most daring officer i'll
the navy, (he does no; say so himself, but such
must have been the fact.) Cruizlng in the
command of a little brig OF fourteen 4-pound-
ers, on the COASTS of France and Spain, he HAD
been engaged In innumerable fights with gun
boats, land batteries, private armed ships, and
heaven knows what BESIDES DIES troying pro-
periy tor the enemy to an almost fabulous
amount. A number OF ships were sent to catch
him, but he either beat them off or took them.
Ii he tell In with Il vessel anywhere near his
own strength, he captured her. Ii she was
too strong for him, his fertile genius always
devised some means OF escape. AT last trigate
ot thirty-two guns came after him. He met
her. fought her. and &C tually took her by board
Ing, though she had 3l9 men, and he uut 5o.-
Lort ST. VINCENT actually refused to let this
SApioAt ~ IH'o TIC od-tfte, anu tOCdK III
a rage expressed himself so freely that it was
never forgotten. AT the same time he became
a member OF Parliament tor the express pur-
pose OF bringing the Navy management before
that august body; but his proposition was
voted down. In the meantime, Lord MEL
WILLIE became head Of the Admiralty. The
Scotch are tlannish, and are famous ala
over the world for standing by each other
CoCHRANE was appointed 10 the command OF
the ImperIeuse trigate of - guns. Suisse
Quently he joined the fleet under CoLLINGwoOD
after the battle of Trafalgar, and when The
war between France and Spain broke out he
was sent to the coast Of Catalonia to assist the
insurgents. The services he rendered i'll sup
plying the beleaguered towns with provisions
transporting artillery and munitions, receiv-
ing and bringing of fugitives, and above all,
III breaking up roads and bridges and delaying
the march OF the French army were in valuable
OF them the Admiralty, at the head Of which
Lord MULGRAvE now was, took no notice what
ever, for CoCHRANE was Wing and voted with
his party against tn Ministry. But the time
was approaching when they were glad to get
his services on any terms.
The ministry at this time, 1907 had become
exceedingly unpopular. Failure upon failure
had marked their military operations for sew
erai years past WHITkLOCKE had been igno-
miniously defeated at Buenos Ayres, Duck
WORTH had been driven back in disgrace from
the Dardanelles, and the army of Sir JOHN
MOORE had been expelled from the Peninsula,
after having lost its chief To add to their
troubles a formidable French fleet, destined
for the West Indies, where if it arrived safely
1t would do incaiculable mischief, was lying.
ready TO sail, in Basque Roads, where it had
secured itselfso formidabiy thatit was thought
to be unassailable. In the meantime Lord
GAMBIER, the commander of the Channel fleet
was miserable old coward, whose parlia.
nentary influence rendered his removal nm
safe, aud who had pronounced the destruc-
ton OF the FHQpeh fleet impossible And
yet unless it wrre destroyed, the ministry
must resign. They went through the whole
feet, and conld find no officer bold enough TO
undertake the service. AT last Lord MuL.
GRAVE fell upon the only expedent which
promised relief He sent for CoGHRANE.
AS sooL rs that officer got to London, he
went at once To the Admiralty. Lord Null
GRAVE instantly explained the difficulty to
him. Lord gambler would not undertake
the lob-the admiralty was af,aid 70 run the |
TAX VI failure-they were, nevertheless, very
oesirous that the attack should be made
CochRANE saw AT once hosv the land lay. The |
admiralty had not uttered word Of appro. |
oaeoh ot his services-the Channel feet had |
oteh doing worse than nothing-,he Nation |
~aS uisSa''.hed-the existence Of the minis
ny was al s,ake-,hey mu have a victory |
OF resign, and the Admiral had told them he |
wo"io not risk defeat-other naval officers |
hao acknowledgements was sent for in hope
that ne would take the whole resnonsihiI.