The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-07-06

facts attending that event as II really
occurred. In describing the way In
which their ship went down, the French
described the way in which they think
a British ship really would go down.
The facts attending the sinking Of the
French ship shall speak for themselves.
In the year 1924, when France was ruled
nv that same convention which cut off
the head OF her King and Queen, along
with the heads of many thousands Of
other French men and women. an English
fleet, under the command Of Lord Howe
came up with French fleet, under the
command OF Admiral Villaret-Joyeuse
off the coast Of France. near Brest.
An action was fought most disastrously
to the French, in which six of their
ships were taken by the English, and
one. the Vengeur. sunk. This bad luck
attended the French Vengeur by reason
of the fact that the English ship Bruins
wick. Of the same size, got close enough
to her TO hook her with her anchors.
and she held the Vengeur till her ar
chor5 broke, and the Frenchman had
got all the fighting that he ever cared
to see, and the snip soon went to the
bottom.
That same Barere, OF whose memoirs.
written by himself Lord Macaulay
said: "A man who has never been within
the tropics. does not know what n thun-
der storm means; a man who has never
loo!>ed upon Niagara has not faint
idea Of a cataract; and he who has not
read Barere's memoirs may be said not
to know what It is TO lie" This same
Barere was a member Of that conven-
ton, and he was suitably appoint,1 as
chairman OF the committee % break this
bad news 10 the French people He did
It by first announcing a great French
begun TO get out, he came forward with
a second report. which should show that
IF we were beat, our valOr made a
spectacle for the gods themselves Fix
said that the Republican French upon
her, conquered by unjust fortune. did
in dying. earn glory that
will never die, but flame there forever
without end That the Vengeur, being en-
tirely disabled and incapable Of COM
flight. flew desperate and re
fused TO strike her flag though sinking;
that the enemies fred on her, but she
returned their fire. shot aloft all her tri-
color steamers. and shouted vive la
nay fired the guns of her
upper deck when the lower decks were
already sunk; and so. in this mad whrl-
wind of fire and shouting. and invlncible
despair, went down into the ocean
depths; vive la Republique, and a uni
yersal volley from the upper decks be-
ng the last sounds she made" This
s Thomas Carlyle's version of his re-
port.
The French convention adopted this
as the true account of the case, and in
Il IN the official archives.
Il passed DEGREES clarifying the Vengeur
and those on her, and it had created |
, wooden model Of her, which was sol
smnly consecrated in the Pantheon Of !
Great Men, and inscribed: AUX grandes |
nommes, la patrie reconnaissance" The |
1eathless, suicidal Vengeur, was writer.
deep in innumerable French songs and !
poems. and those French children who |
IAN sing short dtties 10 her memory |
even TO this day.
This circumstantial and official ac- |
count Of the Vengeur's sinking, left I'M |
in England, imposed upon |
Thomas Carlyle, and he Incorporated it |
n his history Of the French Revolution. |
Therefore. Rear Admiral A. j. Grihths. |
who had been in the naval battle as |
lieutenant on the Culloden. published. |
n 1888, letter, in which he pronounced |
he whole thing a veritable humbug. |
This caused Mr.. Carlyle TO investigate |
he matter. lie ascertained the facts |
struck the account Of the sinking out Of /
he next edition Of his book. and pub
ished a communication to the newspa-
,ers. taking back all he had said. and
diving the true version Of the affair.
which was briefly this:
When the Vengeur got away from the
Brunswick, the battle being about over.
10Th her masts were shot away; she was
with cannon balls from stem
o stern, and she made of before the
Wind as hard as she could under her
prit-sail, &c. The Culloden. the Alfred
md the Orion pursued her. All the
,olors were down. except a French jack
lying on the stump OF her foremost.
The orion. when near enough. fired a
hot over her, and the Vengeur at once
lauled down that jack, and announced
Ter surrender. Lieutenant Grimths was
ent from the Culoden 10 take possess
ion Of her. He brought back ner cap
ain. Renaudin. and his son. and her
fife RS and crew were taken aboard the
English ships. Captain Schomberg. of
he Culloden, seeing that the Vengeur
vas going to sink Though no one was
board. desired 10 spare Captain Rem
Iudin the modification OF seeing his shin
20 to the bottom, so he sent Lieutenant
irif'iths with the Frenchman into the
abin. where Grifiiths got a cold mutton
lie and some wine, which he, Captain
'enaudin and the Captains son. pro-
eeded to discuss Whilst engaged in this
sreeabie, but peaceful. occupation. q
ustie on deck made the party start up.
'hey ran to a port-hole. looked out. and
hen saw the luckless and deserted Ven
eur IN the act Of going down, with