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ON THE

MINUTES

OF A

COURT MARTIAL:

HOLDEN ON BOARD HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP

GLADIATOR,

IN PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR,

On WEDNESDAY, the 26th day of JULY, 1809, &c.

ON THE TRIAL, OF

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

JAMES, LORD GAMBIER;

ADMIRAL OF THE BLUE, &c.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. BUDD, PALL-MALL.

1810.

.

T. C. Hansard, Printer, Peterborough-Court, Fleet Street, London.

DC232 G2D8

PREFACE.

IN soliciting the attention of the public, or rather pressing upon their consideration, any point of importance, with a view to obtain their judg ment, whether in relation to the interest and honour of the nation, injured by partialities, and endangered by negligence: or whether in relation to the injustice and oppression, experienced by an individual, either from the hand of power, or the iniquitous prejudices of men placed in authority, some explanation is requisite: at once to shew the necessity of the measure; and serve as an apology for the obtrusion.

Shortly after the termination of the Court Martial, held at Portsmouth, on Admiral the Right Honourable LORD GAMBIER, on the subject of his conduct, as Commander in Chief, in the transactions of Basque Roads, and the attack upon the enemy in the Roads of Aix, two Pamphlets, purporting to contain the Proceedings that obtained on that occasion, made their appearance: but as one of them was confessedly defective; and the

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other evidently garbled; no notice was taken of either.

Shortly afterwards, however, "MINUTES OF THE COURT MARTIAL," were published: accredited by the name of W. B. Gurney, a gentleman, for whom we entertain much respect; and, as we have well founded reason to believe, at the instance of Lord Gambier. What his Lordship's motives were, in thus introducing those MINUTES to the view, and, as it were, calling for the judgment of the public upon their merits, will not admit of a doubt, when the Sentence *, pronounced by the Court, shall have been perused!

The severity and injustice which those Minutes evidence towards Lord Cochrane: and the favour and affection they breathe towards Lord Gambier, called for those comments, and those elucidations which will be found in the following pages; and which are submitted, in no other spirit, and to no other end, than to diminish the labours of the public, in forming their conclusions, and ultimately deciding upon the matters that those Minutes embrace.

The Court Martial held on Lord Gambier, is not of that number, which affects only the situation of an individual, who had violated some naval regulations, or failed in the discharge of a minor part of his duty. It is one, in which the public

* Vide the last page of the MINUTES.

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