1609. ] 
the operations of his Majesty’s fleet under my 
command; and I have the satisfaction to ac- 
quaint 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 anchorage, and 
several others, from getting on shore, if not 
rendered unserviceable, are at least disabled 
for a considerable time. 
The arrangement of the fire vessels placed 
under the direction of Captain the Right Hon. 
Lord Cochrane was made as fully as the state 
of the weather would admit according to his 
lordship’s plan, on the evening of the 1ith 
inst; and at eight o’clock on the same night 
they proceeded to the attack under a favour- 
able strong wind from the northward, and 
flood tide, (preceded by some vessels filled 
with powder and shells, as proposed by his 
lordship, with a view of explosion, ) andled on 
in the most undaunted and determined man- 
ner by Captain Wooldridge, in the Mediator 
fire-ship, the others following in succession, 
but owing to the darkness of the night several 
mistook their course and failed. 
On their approach to the enemy’s ships, it 
was discovered that a boom was placed in front 
of their line foradefence.. This however the 
weight of the Mediator soon broke, and the 
usual intrepidity and bravery of British sea- 
men overcame all difficulties. Advancing 
under a heavy fire from the forts in the Isle of 
Aix, as weil as from the enemy’s ships, most 
of which cut or slipt their cables, and from 
the confined anchoraye got on shore, and thus 
avoided taking fire. 
At daylight the following morning, Lord 
Cochrane communicated to me by telegraph, 
that seven of the enemy’sships were on skore, 
and might be destroyed. Timmediately 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 run- 
ning, rendered it too hazardous to run into Aix 
roads, (from its shallow water), I therefore 
anchored again at the distance of about three 
miles from the forts on the Island. 
As the tide suited, the enemy evinced great 
activity in endeavouring to warp their ships 
(which had grounded) into deep water, and 
succeeded in getting all but five of the line lo- 
wards the entrance of the Charente before it 
became practicable to attack them. 
I gave orders to Captain Bligh, of the Va- 
liant, to proceed with that ship, the Revenge, 
frigates, bombs, and small vessels, named in 
the marginf, to anchor near the Boyart 
Shoal, inreadiness forthe attack. Attwenty 
* Ville de Varsovie, of 80 Guns; jon- 
nérre, of 74 Guns; Aquilon, of 74 Guns ; 
and Calcutta, of 56 Guns. 
+ Indefatigable, Aigle, Emerald, Pallas, 
Beagle, AZtna Bomb, Insolent gun-brig, Con- 
fict, Encounter, Fervent and Growler, 
Destruction of the Brest Fleet. 395 
minutes past two P.M. Lord Cochrane advan= 
ced in the Imperieuse with his accustomed 
gallantry and spirit, and opened a well-di- 
rected fire upon the Calcutta, which struck 
her colours to the Imperieuse; the ships and 
vessels above mentioned scon after joined in 
the attack upon Ville de Varsovie and Aqui- 
lon, and obliged them, before five o’clock, after 
sustaining a heavy cannonade, to strike their 
colours, when they were taken possession of 
by the boats of the advanced squadron, As 
soon as the prisoners were removed, they were 
set on fire, as was also the Tonnérre, a shoré 
time after by the enemy. 
I afterwards detached Rear-Admiral the 
honourable Robert Stopford in the Czesar with 
the Theseus, three additional fire ships (which 
were hastily prepared in the course of the 
day), and all the boats of the fleet, with Mr. 
Congreve’s rockets, to conduct the further 
operations of the night against any of the 
ships which lay exposedtoamattack. Onthe 
morning of the 13th, the Rear-Admiral re- 
ported to me, that as the Czesar and other 
line of battle ships had grounded and were in 
a dangerous situation, he thought it advisable 
to order them all out, particularly as the re- 
maining part of the service could be performed 
by frigates and small vessels only ;,and I was 
happy to find that they were extricated from 
their periJous situa-ion. 
Captain Bligh has since informed me, that 
it was found impracticable to destroy the 
three decked ship, and the others which were 
lying near the entrance of the Charente, as 
the former, being the outer one, was pro- 
tected by three lincs of boats placed in ade 
vance from her. 
This ship and all the others, except four of 
the line anda frigate, have now moved up 
the river Charente. If any further attempt to 
destroy them is practicable, 1 shall not fail to 
use every Means in my power to accomplish 
It. 
I have great satisfaction in stating to their 
lordships how much I feel obliged to the zea- 
lous co-operation of Rear-Admiral Stopford, 
under whose arrangement the boats of the 
fleet were placed; and I must also express to 
their lordships the high sense I have of the as- 
sistance I received from the abilities and ugre- 
mitted attention of Sir Harry Neale, bart. the 
captain of the fleet, as well as of the anima- 
ted exertions of the captains, officers, seamen, 
and marines under my command, and their 
forwardness to volunteer upon any service that 
might be allotted to them} particularly 
the zeal and activity shewn by the captains 
of line-of battle ships in preparing the fire 
vessels. 
I cannot speak in sufficient terms of admi- 
ration and applause, of the vigorous and gal~ 
lant attack made by Lord Cochrane, upon the 
French line of battle ships which: were on 
shore, as well as of his judicious manner of 
approaching them, and placing his ship in the 
position 
= 
Oe en ee 
le 
