434 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



pourtrays a people, who, after hav- sels, placed under the direction of 

 ing long groaned under despotic the right hon. lord Cochrane, 

 restrictions, severe bondage and op- were made as fully as the state of 

 pressive laws, are suddenly emanci- the weather wouldadmit, according 

 pated by the firmness and virtue of to his lordship's plan on the even- 

 inflexible patriots. To them do we ing of the 11th instant, and at eight 



owe tliese testimonies of gratitude 

 and joy. And who are they ? The 

 Federalists of the Eastern States, 

 who made a noble stand against an 

 unconstitutional unjust oppression, 

 and drove its authors from the ini- 

 quitous ground they had taken. 



London Gazette Exlraardinarij, 

 Admiralty Office, April 21. 



Sir Harry Neale, bart, first cap- 

 tain to admiral lord Gambler, 

 commander in chief of his majes- 

 ty's ships and vessels employed in 

 the Channel Soundings, &c. arriv- 

 ed here this morning with a dis- 

 patch from his lordship to the hon. 

 William Wellesley Pole, of which 

 the following is a copy. 



Caledonia, at Anchor in Basque 

 Roads, Ajnil 14, 1809. 



Sir — The Almighty's favour to 



o'clock on the same night, they 

 proceeded to the attack, under a 

 favourable strong wind from the 

 northward, and flood-tide (pre- 

 ceded by some vessels filled with 

 powder and shells, as'proposed by 

 his lordship, with a view to explo- 

 sion), and led on in the most un- 

 daunted and determined manner by 

 captain Wool ridge, in the Media- 

 tor fire-ship, the others following 

 in succession; but owing to the 

 darkness of the night, several mis- 

 took their course, and failed. 



On their approach to the enemy's 

 ships it was discovered that a boora 

 was placed in front of their line for 

 a defence. This, however, the 

 weight of the Mediator soon broke, 

 and the usual intrepidity and bra- 

 very of British seamen overcame 

 all difficulties. Advancing under 

 a heavy fire from the forts in the 

 his majesty and the nation has been Isle of Aix, as well as from the 

 strongly marked in the success he enemy's ships, most of which cut 

 has been pleased to give to the or split their cables, and from the 



operations of his majesty's fleet 

 under my command ; and I have 

 the satisfaction to acquaint you, 

 for the information of the lords 

 commissioners of the Admiralty, 

 that the four ships of the enemy 

 named in the margin * have been 

 destroyed at their ai.chorage; and 

 several others, from getting on 

 shore, if not rendered altogether 

 unserviceable, are at least disabled 

 for a considerable time. 



The arrangement of the fire vcs- 



confined anchorage, got on shore, 

 and thus avoided taking fire. 



At day-light the following morn- 

 ing, lord Cochrane communicated 

 to me by telegraph, that seven of 

 the enemy's ships were on shore, 

 and might be destroyed. 1 imme- 

 diately made the signal for the fleet 

 to unmoor and weigh, intending to 

 proceed with it to effect their de- 

 struction. The wind, however, 

 being fresh from the northward, 

 and the flood-tide running, rendered 



it 



* Ville de Varsovie, of SOguns; Tonnerre, of Tl guns ; Aquilon, of 74 guns ; 

 and Calcutta, of 56 guns. 



