CHAP. VII. ADMIRALTY RELUCTANCE TO PROMOTE ME. LETTER FROM SIR ALEXANDER COCHRANE. SECOND LETTER FROM SIR ALEXANDER.-BOTH WRITTEN UNKNOWN TO ME.-RELUCTANCE OF LORD ST. VINCENT TO PROMOTE ME. -LETTER FROM MY FATHER TO LORD ST. VINCENT, URGING MY RIGHT TO PROMOTION. -LORD ST. VINCENT'S REPLY. ITS FALLACY. HIS LORDSHIP'S REASONING A SUB TERFUGE. MY PROMOTION OF MY FIRST LIEUTENANT REFUSED. IMPRUDENT REMARK TO LORD ST. VINCENT, WHO BECOMES MY ENEMY. FURTHER EFFORT TO PROMOTE LIEUTENANT PARKER. ADMIRALTY REFUSAL ALSO. LIEUTENANT PARKER'S EVENTUAL PROMOTION, AND SUBSEQUENT SHAMEFUL TREATMENT. It has been already stated that not only was the action with the Gamo for some time unnoticed in the customary manner, but the post rank to which the rule of the service entitled me from the result of the action, was withheld. My friends, being naturally surprised at the retention of what was no favour on the part of Lord St. Vincent, but my unquestionable right, respectfully pointed out to his lordship the nature of the services rendered. The subjoined letter addressed to Lord St. Vincent by my kind uncle Sir Alexander Cochrane, in reference to the Speedy's escape from a Spanish frigate (see page 100), was written previous to that relating to the capture of the Gamo, but is worthy of record on grounds generally connected with the naval service. 136 LETTER FROM SIR ALEXANDER COCHRANE. "MY LORD,--Yesterday we received accounts of your Lordship's being placed at the head of the Admiralty, on which occasion I beg to offer my congratulations. I never subscribed to the opinion that a naval officer ought not to be First Lord of the Admiralty, and from your Lordship's thorough knowledge of the service, we may now hope for that support on many occasions which we could not look for from those who-not having borne the brunt of the day, or being bred to the Navy — could be but bad judges either of officers' characters, or the motives which on many occasions actuate them. "Doubtless your Lordship has already received numerous weighty applications for the promotion of young men in the service, nor would I presume to add to their number but from the obliging expressions your Lordship once made me in favour of Lord Cochrane, had you remained longer on this station. I have the less reserve on this occasion, as I think his Lordship has a claim to be made post, from the presence of mind by which he lately saved H.M.'s sloop Speedy, which he at present commands. This I beg leave to recount. "He had taken several prizes off Carthagena, when, one morning, he found himself close under the guns of a Spanish frigate. "His only chance of escape was, either to board the frigate, in the hope of finding her unprepared, or to pass off the Speedy as a Danish sloop of war. "With one of these objects he stood towards her under Danish colours, but, on a near approach, found her too formidable to be carried by the few hands he had on board. On being hailed to know what brig it was, he gave, through the medium of a Danish quartermaster, the name of a Danish brig lately arrived on the station. On being ordered to come on board the frigate with his commission, he informed the Spaniards that his orders from the court of Denmark were not to send a boat on board any foreign man of war, but that if they had any doubts of his not being a Danish sloop of war, they were at liberty to board him. SECOND LETTER FROM SIR ALEXANDER. 137 "On this a boat left the frigate, but just as they were almost alongside the Speedy, they were informed that she was in quarantine, being only a few days from Algiers, where the plague at that time existed. On this the Spanish officers in the boat refused to touch a rope, and returned to the frigate, when her captain told Lord Cochrane that he knew his brig, and wished him a pleasant voyage.* "I have ever been of opinion that rewards for bold services cannot be too great, and I must confess that where one of his Majesty's ships is saved by presence of mind similar to what I have related, great praise is due to her commander. "Your Lordship will, I hope, excuse me for trespassing a little longer in favour of my nephew, who is now twenty-five years old, a time of life that promotion can only be of use. His father has expended his whole fortune in discoveries which will be of great use to the public-but the real sufferer is Lord Cochrane. The liberality of your Lordship's mind will see this in its true light, and also plead my excuse for the liberty I have taken. 66 Hoping that your Lordship's health is reinstated, &c. &c. "The Right Hon. Lord St. Vincent." I was not aware till recently that Sir Alexander had kindly made this application on my behalf. At the time the preceding letter was written he did not know of the capture of the Gamo; the Ajax, which he commanded, being then before Alexandria. On learning our success, he again wrote to Lord St. Vincent as follows: * As the reader is aware, we had. previously painted the Speedy in imitation of the Danish brig. 138 BOTH WRITTEN UNKNOWN TO ME. "Ajax, off Alexandria, June 10th, 1801. "MY LORD, I some time ago wrote your Lordship in favour of my nephew Lord Cochrane, recommending his being made post. "I hope your Lordship received my letter, and that you viewed Lord Cochrane's conduct in the light I did. But if my persuasions were not then judged of sufficient weight, I may now with much confidence come forward and claim for my nephew the palm of victory in both ways, by an act hardly equalled in this war of naval miracles, considering the great inequality of force between the Speedy with fifty-four men, and a xebec frigate of thirty-two guns and 319 men. "Well knowing that nothing gives your Lordship more pleasure than having an opportunity of rewarding merit, let the rank of the person be what it may, I am confident your Lordship will, on the present occasion, do every justice to Lord Cochrane, though should his promotion have arisen from his former exploits it would be more grateful to my feelings more especially as his subsequent conduct will do honour to your Lordship's appointment. "I believe I told your Lordship, in my former letter, that Lord Cochrane has the world before him. He has three younger brothers to take care of, one of whom boarded at his side* when the Spaniard was carried. Unfortunately he has not served his time; if he had I daresay your Lordship would think him worthy of promotion for his conduct on that occasion. “It will give me much pleasure to hear that your Lordship s health is quite re-established, and that you may long live to enjoy it, is the sincere wish of "Your Lordship's "Most obedient and humble servant, "P.S. I wish I could give your Lordship any pleasing intelligence from this quarter; but ever since the death of * Archibald. RELUCTANCE OF LORD ST. VINCENT TO PROMOTE ME. 139 Sir R. Abercromby, procrastination has been the order of the day. Never was a gallant army so lost as the present. God grant some man of sense may come out to command them, and save the remnant from destruction. Delay in this climate is worse than death; five men fall a sacrifice to disease for one in the field, and yet I don't think it unhealthy; our troops suffer from being encamped on burning sands." Even this request from a distinguished officer-preferred unknown to me-failed to obtain what was no favour, but my right according to the invariable rule of the service. There was even then clearly some sinister influence at work, of the real cause for which I am to this day ignorant, and can only surmise that it might have arisen from my, no doubt, freely expressed opinions on being appointed to convoy the wretched packet which led to my capture; or perhaps from the still more indiscreet plainness with which I had spoken of the manner in which the French fleet had been unfortunately permitted to escape Lord Keith. Brenton, in his Life of Lord St. Vincent, thus alludes to the delay in my promotion: "Lord St. Vincent was so much pressed on the subject of Lord Cochrane's promotion for taking the Gamo, that it became almost a point of etiquette with the earl not to make him a captain! An illustrious person is reported to have said, 'My Lord, we must make Lord Cochrane "post," to which Lord St. Vincent replied, 'The First Lord of the Admiralty knows no must."" There is no doubt that Captain Brenton received this account from Lord St. Vincent himself, and as the object of his book was to shield his lordship in ques |