Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1916-06-10
GALLANT SEA CAPTAIN
BRITISH NAVY PROUD OF WORK
OF LIEUTENANT cocHRANE.
His Exploits With Small Ship, Poorly
Armed, Are classed With the
Most Brilliant Annals of War
fare on the Ocean.

A recent writer, Mr.. ]. J. Edgar, has
retold the almost incredible exploits
of the Speedy, the first command OF
young Lieutenant Cochrane, after
wards Admiral Lord Dundonald, in
ventor, fighter and strategist. The
little vessel was absurdly small and
ill-equipped; an over-manned and I'M
derarmed craft of 1853 tons, carrying
ninety men and fourteen four-pound-
ers. Nevertheless, she soon became
SO troublesome to the enemy that
Spanish frigate was especially dis
patched to hunt her down. But young
Cochrane, foreseeing trouble, had pur-
posely shipped a Danish quartermas-
ter; and instead of avoiding his formi-
dable foe, he dressed the Dane in his
own uniform, disguised the Speedy,
with the aid of paint and canvas, as a
Danish brig, and ran up the quaran-
tine flag. A few questions were asked.
to which an Enthusiastically genuine
Dane, apparently the captain, replied;
and the hoodwinked enemy continued
peacefully on her course.
Some months later, however, they
met again, and an encounter could not
be avoided. The action that followed
was unique in naval history. The
Speedy made no effort to escape. In
stead, she boldly attacked. She had
at the time only fifty-four men, and
her scant crew and fourteen four
Founders were opposed to the thirty
two heavy guns and 319 men of her
six hundred-ton opponent, the frigate
Ell Gamo. Coming swiftly to close
quarters, she ran in under the fri
gates broadside, which hurtled harm
lessly above her, while every shot
from her own guns told. A moment
later the vessels touched, and Coch-
rane, at the head of his crew, actually
boarded and carried the frigate, which
struck her flag after the first rush.
Between these two exploits the
Speedy visited Valetta. and Cochrane
enjoyed little adventure ashore. A
fancy-dress subscription ball was be-
ing given, under the patronage Of
some French Royalist officers, and
this he attended, selecting for his cos
tune the ordinary dress of a British
common sailor. A Frenchman, mis-
taking him for genuine jack-tar of
dubious sobriety who was intruding
among his betters, ordered him out.
He refused to go. The Frenchman
collared him; he knocked the French
fought a duel on the sands. Coch-
rane received ball through the trous-
ers and the Frenchman one through
the leg, after which they parted gayly
with expressions CT mutual esteem.
The Speedy's career ended at last
in capture; but although she surren-
dered to one vessel, the French bat
tleship Dessaix, she had been gallant
ly fighting against several at once.
The chivalrous French captain de-
clined to accept Cochrane's sword,
saying he could not deprive of his
sword an officer who had so many
hours struggled against impossible
ties"
The Pallas, Cochrane's first really
adequate ship, did not achieve so
many near-impossibilities as the little
Speedy; but her return to Plymouth
after her first cruise was marked by
uniquely brilliant touch. She had
taken rich prizes. Among the booty
were some wonderful great golden
candlesticks from Mexico. They were
of superb size and workmanship, and
designed for ecclesiastical use; but
Cochrane found them equally adapted
to enhance naval triumph. When,
at sound of the signal gun, the inhabi-
tants of Plymouth flocked to the
wharves, to behold the Pallas sweep
nobly to her anchorage, they were
dazzled and amazed to see her tall
masts aglitter in the sunshine as If
tipped with living flame. To each
mast was proudly affixed a five-foot
golden ndlestick!-Youth's Compan-
ion.