no THE "ELPHINSTOT^E" 



The accident occurred by the steward's drawing some 

 rum from a cask in the hold, which, through inadvertence, 

 ignited. The principal part of her cargo consisting of 

 saltpetre, it soon became beyond* the power of the crew 

 to subdue the flames; and, a signal of distress being 

 made, boats were sent from the flag-ship. My brother in 

 command of one joroposed scuttling the shijD, which was 

 immediately adopted, and this fine 1,200-ton ship gradually 

 went down, giving time for all on board, including many 

 ladies, being safely sent away in the boats — my brother 

 remaining till the last, when, jumping from the tafFrail, 

 he succeeded, after being some time in the water (for he 

 was an excellent swimmer), in reaching the nearest boat. 



For this act of disinterested zeal in jDreserving the 

 lives of so many of his fellow-creatures, and the cool and 

 deliberate courage he displayed. Sir Samuel Hood — than 

 whom no admiral in command was ever more ready to 

 distinguish or reward merit — granted him his commission 

 as lieutenant. 



Although I spent much of my leisure with the friend 1 

 have already named, I found time to entertain some of 

 my old acquaintances in the Navy, among whom was one 

 who was shortly after my interview with him lost in the 

 Defence, seventy-four, of which ship he was lieutenant 

 when she and the St. George, of ninety-eight guns, were 

 lost in the Baltic, and all hands but one boat's crew 

 unfortunately perished. 



This was one of the most serious calamities that 

 occurred during the war, and much blame was attributed 

 to the ministers of the Naval department, for having kept 

 such heavily armed vessels there so late in the season, 



