Chapter XXIV: A Naval Study for All Time

Charts, &c., supplied by the present Government.—Refused by
a former Government.—Alteration made in the Charts.—Mr.
Stokes’s Affidavits.—Letter to Sir John Barrow.—Singular
Admiralty Minute.—Second Letter to Sir John Barrow.—The
Charts again Refused.—My Departure for Chili.—Renewed
Application to the Admiralty.—Kindness of the Duke of
Somerset.—Difference of Opinion at the Admiralty Page 1

CHAP. XXV.
A NAVAL STUDY—_CONTINUED_.

French Hydrographic Charts.—One tendered by me to the
Court.—Rejected by the President.—Grounds for its
rejection.—The object of the rejected Chart.—Would have
proved too much, if admitted.—Rejection of other Charts
tendered by me.—Mr. Stokes’s Chart.—Its Fallacy at first
sight.—Judge Advocate’s Reasons for Adopting it.—Its
Errors detected by the President, and exposed
here.—Probable Excuse for the Error.—Imaginary Shoal on
the Chart.—Falsification of Width of Channel.—Lord
Gambier’s Voucher for Stokes’s Chart.—Stokes’s Voucher for
its Worthlessness.—Stokes’s Chart in a National point of
View.—Taken Advantage of by the French 15

CHAP. XXVI.
A NAVAL STUDY—_CONTINUED_.

The Evidence of Officers present in Basque Roads.—Admiral
Austen’s Opinions confirmatory of my Statements.—Fallacy
of alleged Rewards to myself, in place of these
Persecutions.—Treatment of my eldest Son, Lord
Cochrane.—Letter from Capt. Hutchinson confirmatory of the
Enemy’s Panic.—A Midshipman near taking the
Flag-ship.—Evidence of Capt. Seymour, conclusive as to
Neglect, which was the Matter to be inquired into, in not
sending Ships to attack.—Attempt to Weather his
Evidence.—Capt. Malcolm’s Evidence confirmatory of Capt.
Seymour’s.—Capt. Broughton’s Testimony proves the complete
Panic of the Enemy, and the Worthlessness of their
Fortifications.—Lord Gambier declares them Efficient on
Supposition arising from Hearsay.—Enemy unable to fight
their Guns.—The imaginary Shoal.—A great Point made of
it.—Mr. Fairfax’s Map.—Lord Gambier on the Explosion
Vessels.—Contradicted by Mr. Fairfax.—Contrast of their
respective Statements.—Fairfax’s Evasions.—His Letter to
the _Naval Chronicle_.—These Matters a Warning to the
Service 40

CHAP. XXVII.
CONDUCT OF THE COURT-MARTIAL.

Lord Gambier’s Defence.—Second Despatch ignoring the
First.—Attempt of the Court to stop my Evidence.—Evidence
received because opposed to mine.—I am not permitted to
hear the Defence. The Logs tampered with.—Lord Gambier’s
Defence aimed at me under an erroneous Imputation.—My
Letter to the Court confuting that Imputation.—Admiralty
Accusation against Lord Gambier on my Refusal to accuse
his Lordship.—His Insinuations against me uncalled
for.—Assumes that I am still under his Command.—Enemy
escaped from his own Neglect.—The Shoals put in the Chart
to excuse this.—Attempt to impute blame to me and Captain
Seymour.—The Truth proved by Captain Broughton that Lord
Gambier had no Intention of Attacking.—Lord Howe’s Attack
on the Aix Forts.—Clarendon’s Description of Blake. 82

CHAP. XXVIII.
THE VOTE OF THANKS.

My Motion for Minutes of Court-martial.—Mr. Tierney’s
Opinion respecting them.—Mr. Whitbread’s Views.—The
Minutes indispensable.—Mr. Wilberforce on the same
point.—Lord Grey’s Opinion of the Ministry.—The Vote of
Thanks leaves out my Name, yet the Credit of the Affair
given to me.—Inconsistency of this.—I impugn the Decision
of the House.—Sir Francis Burdett’s Opinion.—Mr.
Windham’s.—Lord Mulgrave turns round upon me.—His
Lordship’s Misrepresentations.—Yet admits the Service to
be “Brilliant.”—Lord Mulgrave Rebuked by Lord
Holland.—Earl Grosvenor’s Views.—Lord Melville hits upon
the Truth, that I, being a Junior Officer, was left
out.—Vote of Thanks in Opposition to Minutes.—The Vote,
though carried, damaged the Ministry 104

CHAP. XXIX.
REFUSAL OF MY PLANS FOR ATTACKING THE FRENCH FLEET IN THE SCHELDT.

Refused Permission to Rejoin my Frigate.—-I am regarded as a
marked Man.—No Secret made of this.—Additional cause of
Offence to the Ministry.—The Part taken by me on the
Reform Question, though Moderate, resented.—Motion for
Papers on Admiralty-Court Abuses.—Effect of the
System.—Modes of evading it.—Robberies by
Prize-Agents.—Corroborated by George Rose.—Abominable
System of Promotion.—Sir Francis Burdett committed to the
Tower.—Petitions for his Liberation intrusted to me.—Naval
Abuses.—Pittances doled out to wounded Officers.—Sinecures
cost more than all the Dockyards.—My Grandmother’s
Pension.—Mr. Wellesley Pole’s Explanation.—Overture to
quit my Party.—Deplorable Waste of Public Money.—Bad
Squibs.—Comparison with the present Day.—Extract from
_Times_ Newspaper 126

CHAP. XXX.
MY PLANS FOR ATTACKING THE FRENCH COAST REFUSED, AND MYSELF
SUPERSEDED.

Plans for Attacking the French Coast submitted to the First
Lord, the Right Honourable Charles Yorke.—Peremptorily
ordered to join my Ship in an inferior Capacity.—My
Remonstrance.—Contemptuous Reply to my Letter.—Threatened
to be superseded.—Mr. Yorke’s Ignorance of Naval
Affairs.—Result of his Ill-treatment of me.—My Reply
passed unnoticed, and myself Superseded 151

CHAP. XXXI.
VISIT TO THE ADMIRALTY COURT AT MALTA.

The Maltese Admiralty Court.—Its extortionate Fees, and
consequent Loss to Captors.—My Visit to Malta.—I possess
myself of the Court Table of Fees.—Ineffectual Attempts to
arrest me.—I at length Submit, and am carried to Prison.—A
mock Trial.—My Defence.—Refuse to answer Interrogatories
put for the purpose of getting me to criminate myself.—Am
sent back to Prison.—Am asked to leave Prison on Bail.—My
Refusal, and Escape.—Arrival in England 166

CHAP. XXXII.
NAVAL LEGISLATION HALF A CENTURY AGO.

Inquiry into the State of the Navy.—Condition of the
Seamen.—The real Cause of the Evil.—Motion relative to the
Maltese Court.—Its extortionate Charges.—My own Case.—A
lengthy Proctor’s Bill.—Exceeds the Value of the
Prize.—Officers ought to choose their own Proctors.—Papers
moved for.—Mr. Yorke’s Opinion.—Sir Francis Burdett’s.—My
Reply.—Motion agreed to.—Captain Brenton’s
Testimony.—French Prisoners.—Their Treatment.—Ministers
refuse to inquire into it.—Motion on my
Arrest.—Circumstances attending it.—My right to demand
Taxation.—The Maltese Judge refuses to notice my
Communications.—Afraid of his own Acts.—Proceedings of his
Officers illegal.—Testimony of eminent Naval
Officers.—Proclamation on my Escape.—Opinion of the
Speaker adverse.—Mr. Stephen’s erroneous Statement.—Motion
Objected to by the First Lord.—My Reply 181

CHAP. XXXIII.
OPENING OF PARLIAMENT, 1812.

Sir Francis Burdett’s Address seconded by me.—Employment of
the Navy.—Naval Defences.—The Address rejected.—Curious
Letter from Captain Hall.—Perversion of Naval Force in
Sicily.—A Nautico-military Dialect.—Uselessness of our
Efforts under a false System, which excludes Unity of
Purpose 215

CHAP. XXXIV.
MY SECRET PLANS.

My Plans submitted to the Prince of Wales.—Negotiations
thereon.—A modified Plan submitted, which came to
nothing.—Inconsiderate Proposition.—Recent Report on my
Plans.—Opinions of the Commissioners.—Plans probably known
to the French.—Faith kept with my Country in spite of
Difficulties.—Injurious Results to myself both Abroad and
at Home.—Opposition to my Plans inexplicable.—Their Social
Effect.—The Subject of Fortifications: these greatly
overrated.—-Reasons why.—The Navy the only Reliance 227
CHAP. XXXV.
NAVAL AND OTHER DISCUSSIONS IN PARLIAMENT.

Sinecures.—Admiralty Expenses ill directed.—What might be
done with small Means.—Flogging in the Army and Navy
attributable to a bad System: nevertheless,
indispensable.—National Means wrongly applied.—Injurious
Concessions to the French.—Denied by the
Government.—Explanations of my Parliamentary Conduct on
the Dissolution of Parliament.—Letter to my
Constituents.—Appointment of Officers by Merit instead of
political Influence the true Strength of the Navy.—My
Re-election for Westminster.—Address to the
Electors.—Ministerial Views.—Treatment of an Officer.—My
Interference 246

CHAP. XXXVI.
MY MARRIAGE.

Romantic Character of my Marriage.—Unforeseen
Difficulties.—Family Results 269

CHAP. XXXVII.
NAVAL ABUSES.

Greenwich Hospital.—Droits of Admiralty.—Pensions.—My
Efforts fruitless.—Contradiction of my Facts.—The
Manchester Petition.—Naval Debates.—Resolutions
thereon.—Mr. Croker’s Reply.—Remarks thereon.—Sir Francis
Burdett.—My Reply to Mr. Croker.—Resolutions negatived
without a Division.—Sir Francis Burdett’s Motion.—Mr.
Croker’s Explanation.—-His Attack on me confirming my
Assertions.—The Truth explained.—Another unfounded
Accusation.—Official Claptrap of his own Invention.—My
Reply.—Its Confirmation by Naval Writers.—Lord
Collingwood’s Opinion.—My Projects adopted in all
important Points.—Official Admissions.—The Result to
myself 273

CHAP XXXVIII.
THE STOCK-EXCHANGE TRIAL.

Necessity for entering on the Subject.—Lord Campbell’s
Opinion respecting it.—Lord Brougham’s Opinion.—His late
Majesty’s.—My Restoration to Rank.—Refusal to
Reinvestigate my Case.—The Reasons given.—Extract from
Lord Brougham’s Works.—My first Knowledge of De
Berenger.—How brought about.—The Stock-Exchange
Hoax.—Rumours implicating me in it.—I return to Town in
consequence.—My Affidavit.—Its Nature.—Improbability of my
Confederacy.—My Carelessness of the Matter.—De Berenger’s
Denial of my Participation.—Remarks thereon.—Significant
Facts.—Remarks on the alleged Hoax common on the
Stock-Exchange 317

CHAP. XXXIX.

Admiralty Influence against me.—Appointment of Mr. Lavie as
Prosecutor.—The Trial.—Crane, the Hackney
Coachman.—Indecision of his Evidence.—Lord Ellenborough’s
Charge, and unjustifiable Assumptions.—Report of the Trial
falsified; or rather made up for the Occasion.—Evidence,
how got up.—Proved to be positive Perjury.—This confirmed
by subsequent Affidavits of respectable Tradesmen.—Another
Charge in Store for me, had not this succeeded.—The chief
Witness’s Conviction.—His subsequent Transportation and
Liberation.—Affidavits of my Servants, Thomas Dewman, Mary
Turpin, and Sarah Bust.—My second Affidavit.—Appeal from
my Conviction refused.—Expulsion from the House.—Minority
in my Favour. 344

CHAP. XL.

Remarks on Lord Ellenborough’s Directions.—Proofs of this
Fallacy.—His Assumption of things not in Evidence, and
unwarrantable Conjectures, in positive Opposition to
Evidence.—His Desire to Convict obnoxious Persons.—Leigh
Hunt, Dr. Watson, and Hone.—Lord Ellenborough a Cabinet
Minister at the time of my Trial.—My Conviction a
ministerial Necessity.—Vain Attempts to get my Case
reheard.—Letter to Lord Ebrington.—The Improbability of my
Guilt.—Absurdity of such Imputation.—Letter of Sir Robert
Wilson.—Letter of the late Duke of Hamilton.—Mr. Hume’s
Letter.—Causes for my Persecution.—Treatment of the
Princess Charlotte, who fled to her Mother’s
Protection.—Sympathy of the Princess for my Treatment—My
Popularity increased thereby.—Mine really a State
Prosecution.—Restoration of Sir Robert Wilson.—My
Restoration incomplete to this Day 372

APPENDICES 401

DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER.

Chart A _to face page_ 15
” B ” 101
” C ” 24
” D ” 37

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SEAMAN.

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