HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



227 



CHAP. XIV. 



British Affairs, Naval and Colonial.— Destruction of the French in the 

 Roads of Aix by a Squadron commanded by Lord Cochrane, detached 

 from the Fleet under Lord Collingrvood. — Destruction of a French 

 Squadron with Transports on their IVay to relieve Barcelona. — The 

 Government of the Seven Islands restored by a British Force, Naval 

 and Military, in Zante, Cephalonia, Ithaca, and Cerigo. — Reduction 

 of Martinico and the City of St. Domingo — Affairs in India. 



THE operations of Great Bri- 

 tain were this year, as usual, 

 more prosperous at sea and in 

 islands than on the continent of 

 Europe. A French fleet, consist- 

 ing of nine or ten sail of the line 

 and some frigates lay in the 

 Roads of Aix under the protection 

 of the forts of that island. In 

 the evening of the 11th of April 

 lord Cochrane, who was under the 

 orders of admiral lord Gambler, 

 proceeded to attack this fleet thus 

 stationed, with a number of fire- 

 ships, frigates, and other vessels, 

 under a favourable strong wind 

 from the northward, and the ad- 

 vantage of flood tide. On the ap- 

 proach of our squadron to the 

 ships of the enemy> it was disco- 

 vered tiiat a boom was placed in 

 front of their line for a defence. 

 This, however, tise weight of the 

 Mediator fire-ship soon broke; 

 and the usual intrepidity of Bri- 

 tish seamen, led by such a com- 

 mander as lord Cochrane, advanc- 

 ing under the fire of both the forts 

 and the ships, overcame all diffi- 

 culties. The greater part of the 

 French ships cut or slipt their 

 cables, and the anchorage being 

 confined, avoided explosion by 

 running on shore. These, how- 

 ever, were afterwards either to- 



tally destroyed or rendered alto- 

 gether unfit for service, while four 

 ships of the line were taken and 

 blown up at their anchorage.* At 

 daylight the following day lord 

 Cochrane communicated to admi- 

 ral lord Gambier by telegraph, 

 that seven of the enemy's ships 

 were on shore, and might be de- 

 stroyed. The admiral immedi- 

 ately made the signal for the fleet 

 to unmoor and weigh, intending 

 to proceed with it to effect their 

 destruction. The wind, however, 

 fresh from the northward, and the 

 flood tide rendered it, in the judg- 

 ment of the admiral, too hazard- 

 ous to run into the shallow waters 

 of Aix Roads : he therefore cast 

 anchor again at the distance of 

 about three miles from the forts of 

 the island. 



In the Mediterranean, towards 

 the end of October, a French 

 squadron, consisting of three sail 

 of the line and four frigates, with 

 twenty large transports, from Tou- 

 lon for the relief of Barcelona, 

 was destroyed by a division of 

 tlie fleet under lord Collingwood. 

 The transports separating from 

 the ships of war, ran for shelter to 

 the Bay of Rosas ; where they, 

 too, though under the protection 

 of some armed ships and gun- 

 boats, 



London Clazette Extraordinary. Appen. Chrok. p. 434, 



