On the Lakes 163 



ders, the boatswain, James Humble, master, Batty 

 Robinson, and four midshipmen. 



In this action both ships displayed equal gallantry 

 and seamanship. "The Java," says Commodore 

 Bainbridge, "was exceedingly well handled and 

 bravely fought. Poor Captain Lambert was a dis 

 tinguished and gallant officer, and a most worthy 

 man, whose death I sincerely regret." The manoeu 

 vring on both sides was excellent; Captain Lam 

 bert used the advantage which his ship possessed in 

 her superior speed most skilfully, always endeav 

 oring to run across his adversary's bows and rake 

 him when he had fore-reached, and it was only owing 

 to the equal skill which his antagonist displayed that 

 he was foiled, the length of the combat being due 

 to the number of evolutions. The great superiority 

 of the Americans was in their gunnery. The fire 

 of the Java was both less rapid and less well-directed 

 than that of her antagonist ; the difference of force 

 against her was not heavy, being about as ten is to 

 nine, and was by no means enough to account for 

 the almost fivefold greater loss she suffered. 



On next page is a diagram of the battle. It 

 differs from both of the official accounts, as these 

 conflict greatly both as to time and as regards some 

 of the evolutions. I generally take the mean in cases 

 of difference ; for example, Commodore Bainbridge's 

 report makes the fight endure but i hour and 55 

 minutes, Lieutenant Chads' 2 hours and 25 minutes ; 

 I have made it 2 hours and 10 minutes, etc., etc. 



The tonnage and weight of metal of the comba- 



