LORD COCHRANE 97 



This unfortunately was reported to his lordship, who 

 on his arrival in port demanded a court-martial on his 

 second in command, which accordingly assembled on 

 board the Gladiator, the flag-ship of the harbour admiral : 

 Sir Roger Curtis, then port admiral, sitting as president. 

 The charge of disrespectful language to his superior 

 officer, as commander-in-chief, being fully proved, this 

 tried and gallant seaman, this brave and distinguished 

 officer, who had served his country with so much honour 

 from his youth up — was dismissed the service. 



It gave infinite satisfaction to the Navy and to the 

 country generally, when it was announced in the follow- 

 ino- Gazette that an order in council had restored Sir 

 Eliab Harvey to his rank. Upon this Lord Gambler 

 thought proper to insist upon a court-martial on himself. 

 What the specific charges were I do not recollect, but 

 I was present at the time and heard the sentence of 

 the court pronounced, " Honourably acquitted," when the 

 same flag officer who had presided at the late trial, 

 on returning his lordship's sword, gave further proof of 

 that amiable characteristic for which, through a long life 

 and much service, he had been so celebrated. 



Then came the trial of Lord Cochrane, arising out 

 of the same affair, which terminated as did that upon 

 Lord Gambler ; and the excitement which so uncommon 

 an occurrence had caused slowly and quietly evaporated. 

 About this time, from this and other causes, a number 

 of naval officers would congregate in our streets, on 

 their way to or from the Sallyport, where the different 

 captains' gigs were constantly in attendance. 



One mornino' five or six of them had o;athered round 



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