during the night, but at daylight a fresh | the Hannibal at the same time engaging breeze sprang up from the westward. the Formidable, and the batteries. The All sail was instantly made; and, at forty-ships remained here for nearly two five minutes after seven, the Venerable, hours, under every disadvantage of calm, having got abreast of Cabrita Point, light, and baffling airs, with their heads made the signal for seeing the enemy, all round the compass; the boats were and was directed by the admiral to an incessantly employed in towing them, chor between the batteries of Algeziras so as to bring their broadsides to bear, and Green Island. At twenty-five minutes until called away to assist the Hannibal, past eight, the action began with the head- now immoveably fixed upon the shoal, most ship, and at nine it became gene- whence no effort could extricate her. ral. The Venerable, on approaching the Seventy men lying dead on his decks, enemy's ships, with an intention of get- with a great number wounded, about ting as close as possible, unfortunately twelve o'clock Captain Ferris struck his broke round off by a flaw of wind; and colours and surrendered. The admiral, Captain Hood, apprehensive of not be- however, still continued the action in ing able to obtain a nearer position, let the Cæsar, supported by the Venerable go his anchor at the distance of about and Audacious, until half-past one, two cables length from the Indomptable, when, finding all prospect of success and opened a gallant fire upon her. had entirely vanished, he slowly and reThe Pompée, preserving the wind in its luctantly retired to the mole of Gibraltar, original direction, succeeded in obtain- to repair his damages; leaving the Haning a most admirable situation on the nibal in possession of the enemy. Such bow of the French admiral, within pistol- was the issue of a conflict, which, at its shot, and raked him with great effect. commencement, promised the most brilThe Audacious, passing under the lee liant success. Every effort was made of the Venerable, took up her anchorage to overcome the obstacles which prein a line ahead of her; as the Cæsar im- sented themselves; every change of mediately did ahead of the Audacious. wind served only to renew the undauntThe Hannibal and Spencer being be- ed exertions, and to stimulate the entercalmed to leeward of the Cæsar, their prise of the gallant admiral; and it was signals were made to tow into action. not till every hope of success had vanishOn a breeze springing up, Captain Fer-ed that the object was abandoned. Noris eagerly availed himself of it, by making sail towards the Orange-grove, tacking in shore, and keeping a close luff, in the hope of being able to lay the French admiral on board on the side next the shore. This daring attempt was frustrated by his ship taking the ground, immediately abreast of the battery of San Jago, and within a short | distance of the Formidable, in such a position as to be exposed to a destructive fire from that ship. Until this period the advantage seemed entirely on the side of the British squadron; but by a flaw of wind, the Pompée broke her sheer, and, instead of raking the French admiral's ship, was raked by him with a most destructive fire. She was obliged to cut her cables, and was towed off by the boats of the squadron. A fresh breeze springing up at this time from the N.W. the Cæsar cut her cable, and, veering round, attacked the Dessaix and Green Island battery, supported by the Audacious und Venerable;

thing could exceed the decision and intrepidity of Captain Ferris, although the result of his manoeuvre was unfortunate: it is, however, due to Sir James Saumarez to state that the squadron did not withdraw from action until the Ilannibal had surrendered. A contrary assertion is made in the narrative of Captain Ferris; an unaccountable error, proving that the most correct officers may sometimes be deceived, and the more to be lamented in this instance, as bearing the sanction of an official document. In this action there were some animating examples of valour and patriotism; and, viewing the subsequent conduct of the ships' companies composing that squadron, we will venture to say that history cannot produce any thing surpassing their devotion to the cause of their king and country, and thorough determination to revenge their recent defeat.

When, in the hottest part of the action, the Cæsar broke her sheer, and could not get her guns to bear on the enemy,

the captain ordered a cutter to be lowered down from the stern to convey a warp to the Audacious, but the boat was found to be knocked to pieces by the enemy's shot. Before other means could be resorted to, Michael Collins, a young sailor, belonging to the Cæsar's mizen-top, seized the end of a lead-line, and, exclaiming, "You shall soon have a warp," darted from the tafrail, and swam with the line to the Audacious, where it was received, and by that means a halser run out, which answered the intended purpose.

During the action the French admiral (Linois), not confiding in the bravery of his men or the firmness of his allies, was busily employed warping his ships as close to the shore as the depth of water would admit.

On the following morning, the ships of the squadron were employed in landing the wounded at the hospital, and repairing their damages, which were very considerable. The Pompée was in such a state as to require new lower masts, and the Cæsar's mainmast was rendered unserviceable.

Sir James Saumarez sent his captain over to Algeziras with a flag of truce to the French admiral, proposing an exchange of prisoners, which M. Linois declined, alleging that it was not in his power to consent to such a measure without first receiving the sanction of the minister of marine at Paris, to whom he had despatched a courier immediately after the termination of the action.

On the afternoon of the 9th, the Paisley brig was seen standing into the bay, with the signal flying for an enemy; and shortly after the Superb and Thames appeared, chased by a Spanish squadron of five sail of the line, and three frigates, which, on these ships reaching their anchorage, hauled round Cabrita Point, and joined the French ships in Algeziras. It appeared evident to Sir James Saumarez that the design of this junction was to remove the French ships and their prize to Cadiz, as a port of safety; and that the enemy would use every exertion to effect so important an object with the utmost celerity, under a very natural expectation that the British admiral would be unable to molest them; but this heroic officer immediately formed the daring resolution of attacking the

enemy, even with his very inadequate and crippled force, the moment they moved from under their batteries.

The damages sustained by the Pompée, commanded by Captain Sterling, were such as precluded the hope of her being ready within any reasonable time to proceed to sea; the hands were therefore turned over to assist in the repairs of the other ships.

The Cæsar lay in the mole in so shattered a state that the admiral gave her up also, and, hoisting his flag on board the Audacious, expressed his intention of distributing her men to the effective ships. Captain Brenton requested that his people might remain on board as long as possible; and, addressing them, stated the admiral's intention in case the ship could not be got ready: they answered, with three cheers, "All hands to work day and night till she is ready." The captain ordered them to work all day, and watch all night; by these means they accomplished what has probably never been exceeded. On the 8th they warped her into the mole, and stripped the lower masts; on the 9th they got their new main-mast in. On the 11th, the enemy showed symptoms of sailing, which only increased, if possible, the energies of the seamen. On Sunday, the 12th, at dawn of day, the enemy loosed sails; the Cæsar, still refitting in the mole, receiving powder, shot, and other stores, and preparing to come out of the mole.

At noon, the enemy began to move: the wind was fresh from the eastward, and as they cleared the bay they took up stations off Cabrita Point, which appeared to be the rendezvous on which they were to form their line of battle.

At one o'clock, the enemy's squadron was nearly all under way; the Spanish ships Réal Carlos and Hermenegildo, of 112 guns each, off Cabrita Point: the Cæsar was warping out of the mole. The day was clear: the whole population of the Rock came out to witness the scene; the line-wall, mole-head, and batteries, were crowded from the dock-yard to the ragged staff, the Cæsar's band playing, "Come cheer up, my lads, 'tis to glory we steer;" the military band of the garrison answering with "Britons, strike home!" The effect of this scene it is difficult to describe.

Englishmen were proud of their coun- | try; and foreigners, who beheld the scene, wished to be Englishmen. So general was the enthusiasm amongst our gallant countrymen, that even the wounded men begged to be taken on board, to share in the honours of the approaching conflict.

At three o'clock, the Cæsar, having left the mole, passed under the stern of the Audacious, hoisted the admiral's flag once more, and made the signal for the squadron to weigh and prepare for battle.

Thus, after one of the severest engagements ever known, the British squadron, in the short space of five days, repaired its damages, and again sought the enemy, whose force had become tripled by the junction of the squadron from Cadiz.

With such men, and in such a cause, victory seemed certain, notwithstanding the great disparity of force; and the enemy appeared to have a strong presentiment of a tremendous struggle.

The Spanish and French admirals had carried their flags into one frigate, that they might arrange their plans, and direct the movements of their combined force. By this unprecedented union of two commanders-in-chief in one ship, the Spanish admiral, who commanded the largest force, consented to become the aid-de-camp, or something less, of the French admiral; but with that unhappy country all went from bad to worse, until their fleet received its deathblow at Trafalgar.

The Cæsar brought-to off Europa Point; the British squadron, as they weighed, closed round her; at five the admiral made the interrogatory signal, to know if they were ready for action? which was answered in the negative; but at thirty-five minutes past six it was notified that all was ready, and the signal was immediately made to observe the admiral's motions after dark, and keep in close order of sailing. At five minutes after eight, the enemy was seen to bear up to the westward, and the British admiral, burning a blue light to attract attention to his motions, instantly gave chase. The Superb, from her superior sailing, and the ardent zeal of her commander, was soon abreast of the Cæsar, and received the admiral's direction to

bring the northernmost ship of the enemy to action, in order to keep them as much as possible from the Spanish shore, which he most readily obeyed. At five minutes past eleven he opened his fire upon a Spanish three-decker, which threw that ship, and her second in the line, into such confusion that they fell on board of each other. The fore-topmast of the weathermost going, as she was firing into the one to leeward, supposing her to be an enemy, the sail fell over the guns, and took fire between the two ships, at the moment the Cæsar was rounding-to to open her broadside upon them. The flames, with awful and inconceivable rapidity, flew to the mast-head of each; and the Cæsar had scarcely time to get out of the direction of them by shifting her helm.

At

Leaving these unfortunate burning ships to their fate, the admiral pushed on to support the Superb, then engaged with the San Antonio, a Spanish ship under French colours, which was, however, already beaten, and surrendered when the Cæsar came abreast of her. Sir James Saumarez, therefore, followed by the Venerable, went in pursuit of the flying enemy. At midnight the wind increased to a gale, and the Cæsar's masts, from the celerity of her refit, began to complain so much, that it was necessary to close reef the main-topsail, and to take in the fore-topsail. twelve, one of the three-deckers blew up, and a quarter of an hour afterwards the other suffered the same fate. At three, the Venerable came up, and brought-to on the lee-bow of the Cæsar. At fortyfive minutes past three, they saw one of the enemy's ships on the lee-bow, and the Venerable in chase of her, the Spencer coming up astern; at five the Venerable brought the enemy to action. The wind had very nearly failed; there were only light airs, and the Cæsar's boats were endeavouring to tow her into action. Shortly after it became entirely calm; and at six, a light breeze coming off the land, and dispersing the smoke from the ships engaged, discovered the Venerable with her main-mast gone, and her opponent making_off, firing her stern-chase guns. The Venerable's foremast went off the side about eight, and she was drifting in upon the Pedro shoals. Every effort was made by the

The thanks of parliament, proposed in the House of Lords by Earl St. Vincent, who was at that time first lord of the Admiralty, were unanimously carried. His lordship stated the merits of the action in the bay of Algeziras, in which, though a ship was lost, no honour was lost to the flag; and though Sir James's squadron was so greatly crippled, he was enabled, by the most wonderful exertions, to meet the enemy, who had put to sea with an augmented force; while his own was diminished in the same ratio by the loss of the Hannibal, the disabled state of the Pompée, and the separation of the Spencer and Audacious.

squadron to assist her, but Sir James | first school for naval instruction ever exSaumarez observing the remainder of hibited to an admiring and applauding the enemy's ships, amounting to five sail nation. of the line and four frigates, coming down from the westward, despatched his captain in the gig to the Venerable, with discretionary orders to Captain Hood to withdraw his men from the ship, and destroy her. The Thames was ordered to close for the purpose of receiving the people; but the gallant Hood had still his resources, of which he most nobly availed himself. The mizenmast fell just as the Cæsar's boats reached her; the shot from the Formidable were still flying over her; the ship a wreck, and striking heavily on the rocks. Captain Hood requested the admiral would depend upon his preventing the enemy getting possession of the Venerable, and kept the Thames by him for purpose of making use of her in case of necessity. The enemy, observing the Superb and Audacious joining from the southward, hauled up for Cadiz. The Venerable got off the shoals, was taken in tow by the Spencer, and before sun-short a time after the affair of Algeziras, set, was going round Cape Trafalgar under jury-masts, and in such efficient order as to be fit for action had an enemy appeared. Can I say more in honour of her captain, officers, and crew?

the

Thus ended the first battle of Trafalgar, in which the enemy lost three sail of the line; nearly 2,400 men perished in the flames of the ships, besides those that were taken prisoners. The burning of the Hermenegildo and Réal Carlos is one of the most tragical events recorded in history.

This contest, for naval supremacy, might be said to have lasted from the 5th to the 13th of July, on which day it terminated to the honour and advantage of Britain; and I am confident I shall receive the sanction of my countrymen in upholding the examples of the admiral, his captains, and brave followers, as unsurpassed in the annals of naval warfare, and worthy of the imitation of posterity. Keats, in particular, I commend for the gallant manner in which he arrested the flight of the enemy; and Hood, in addition to the high character which he had acquired for valour, displayed a coolness and judgment in the hour of difficulty and danger which rendered his quarter-deck, on that day, the

"This gallant achievement," said the Earl, "surpasses every thing I have met with in reading or service; and when the news of it arrived, the whole Board, at which I have the honour to preside, were struck with astonishment to find that Sir James Saumarez, in so very

had been able, with three ships only, and one of them disabled, especially his own, to come up with the enemy, and with unparalleled bravery to attack them, and obtain a victory highly honourable to himself, and essentially conducive to the national glory." Lord Nelson rose to second the observations of Earl St. Vincent, and was followed by his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence (his late most gracious Majesty), who gave his testimony in favour of Sir James, and his captains, officers, and men, in the most elegant and ample manner; and the admiral was requested to make known the vote of the House to his squadron.

Previously to his sailing from England, in the month of June, Sir James Saumarez, for his long and meritorious services, was created a baronet : and for this action a pension of £1,200 per annum was settled on him for life, and he was created a peer soon after the accession of his late majesty William IV.

The Spaniards, flattered by the French admiral and their own vanity, gave themselves a large share of credit for the capture of the Hannibal; and when the squadron of Moreno was ordered to Algeziras to conduct the fatal prize to