Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-07
Persecution of Lord Cocbrane
Comparable to ScbLey Lrqsdy

vessel until they arrived in sight OF Gil
braltar, and then TO place it aboard the
mail ship and return to England without
landing. Later he was sent to guard
fisheries north of the Orkney Islands,
where no British fishermen were to be
found. In his autobiography he naively
gives one of the reasons for the black
listing he received at the hands Of the
admiralty He had been persistent in his
efforts to secure his own promotion as
post captain after the Gamo affair. and
had succeeded. Then he undertook to
secure a captaincy for his first lieuten-
ant who boarded the Gamo, and was ter
ribly wounded at the time. st. Vincent,
the first lord of the admiralty, had finally
replied to him that 1T was unusual to
promote two officers for such a service
besides which, the small number OF men
killed aboard the Speedy did not warrant
the application"
SAYS Captain Cochrane of this incident:
''It was impossible not to feel nettled at
reply so unexpected-that because few
men had been killed aboard the Speedy
its first lieutenant was considered I'M
worthy OF promotion, though terribly cut
up. To argue with a first lord is, no
doubt, an imprudent thing for a naval
officer to attempt, and my remonstrance
i'm this instance had such an effect as TO
get nv name placed on the blacklist OF
BECAME MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT.
Though a post captain. Lord Cochrane
was without a ship. and he was refused
further employment for many months.
which time he spent attending the college
of Edinburg. When he was again placed III
service he continued TO exhibit the same
energy which had marked his preceding
career. and the success that crowned his
efforts attracted the attention Of the peo-
pie who elected him member Of parlia-
ment for Honiton. In his capacity as
representative of the people he continu-
ally assailed abuses I'm the navy. and,
though he did not succeed in effecting all
the reforms he contemplated, he directed
attention to them and set the people TO
thinking. subsequently he was elected TO
represent the borough of Westminster.
and i'm that capacity proved himself
most efficient public servant.
II was while serving as member of par
lament that he was next called into active
service in the navy. The admiralty de-
sired to attempt the destruction of the
French feet lying in the Basque Roads.
on the west coast of France, by the use
of a number of fire ships. Lord Gambler
was in charge of the feet. and he had
declined to undertake the task. Various
other commanders. to whom the post was
offered refused it, and the admiralty
sent for Captain Cochrane. He was averse
to accepting the commission suSpectlhB
that he would be but poorly. supported,
and that If he succeeded. the existing jeal-
ousy against him would be greatly aug
mented- The anxiety Of the admiralty to
secure the destruction of the French fleet
finally led him to overcome his scruples.
and he accepted the commission. To the
fire ships he added some vessels loaded
with explosives, and when he had arrived
off the French coast with his destructive
vessels he prepared for an attack Lord
Gambler refused to permit the attack at
the time the captain desired TO make 1T,
and the French became aware Of the in
tent Of the enemy by this delay.
After rightfaIl of the next day, April
II 1909. the attack was made. the explo-
sive vessels going ahead, Captain COch-
rane in charge of the first one. The scheme
was not wholly successful. The explosive
vessels did some damage to the French
vessels, but the fire ships, by reason of
their having been ignited too soon, drifted
away and proved abortive.
on his arrival in England Captain Coch-
rane was created a Knight Commander of