Many of the people lay apparently lifeless on the decks from suffocation. The crisis was fast approaching, when human fortitude could do no more. Had not the officers been steady, all must have perished: the mizen mast was set on fire in the captain's cabin, and the flames bursting from all the lee ports. At 5 o'clock they ran the ship on shore, about a mile from the beach, in the bay of Rosas. The Spanish boats came off to their assistance, but were afraid to approach near enough to be of any service. At 5-30 she was on fire fore and aft, when, with an heroic self-devotion, which can never be sufficiently extolled, they first sent away the women, the children, the sick, and the foreigners; after which, the good and gallant captain with his brave adherents, quitted the Hindostan, and had scarcely reached the shore when she blew up."

In a letter to Earl St. Vincent, dated April 19, 1804, Lord Nelson, speaking of Captain Le Gros, says :

'If his account be correct (he is now on his trial), he had great merit from the order in which his ship was kept. It must have arisen either from some of the medicine chests breaking, or from wet getting down, which caused things to heat. The preservation of the crew seems little short of a miracle. I never read such a journal of exertions in my life.”

By the sentence of the court-martial, the captain, officers, and crew of the Hindostan were all most honorably acquitted; and it is scarcely necessary to add, that much credit was given to them for fighting so long with the flames.

Lieutenant Tailour was subsequently appointed second of the Excellent, 74, Captain (nowVice-admiral) Frank Sotheron, under whom he served at the defence of Gaeta and capture of Capri, in 1806*.

We next find him first of la Nereide frigate, Captain Robert Corbett, and accompanying the expedition under General Whitelocke to Buenos Ayres. In the following year, 1808, he joined the Tigre, 80, Captain Benjamin Hallowell, on the Mediterranean station.

The very gallant exploit for which Lieutenant Tailour was promoted to the rank of Commander has been briefly noticed at p. 483 of Vol. I. Part II., and is thus fully described by Lord Collingwood, in an official letter to the Admiralty, dated November 1, 1809:

"When the enemy's convoy was chased on the 23d ultimo†, their trans

ports separated from the ships of war, and under the protection of an armed store-ship, two bombards, and a xebec, made for the bay of Rosas. When the ships of war were disposed of, as related in my letter of yesterday, the transports and their escort became the object of my attention; and on the 29th, the Apollo was sent off Rosas, to examine what vessels were there, and how far they were in a situation assailable.

"The next day I appointed the ships and brigs as per margin* for this service, under the orders of Captain Hallowell, to bring them out if the wind was favourable, or otherwise to destroy them. The state of the wind and sea would not permit this operation until last night; when, after dark, the detachment bore up for the bay, and anchored about five miles from the castle of Rosas; under the protection of which work, of Trinity fort, and of several other newly-erected batteries, the convoy, consisting of 11 vessels, 5 of them armed, were moored.

"The boats being arranged in separate divisions, the whole were put under the orders of Lieutenant Tailour, first of the Tigre, and proceeded to the attack of the enemy; who, although he could have had no previous intimation of such an enterprise against him, was found vigilant, and completely on his guard. The ship, which was a smaller sort of frigate, was enclosed in boarding-nettings, and a gun-boat advanced a-head of her for the look-out. On being hailed, and the alarm gun fired, our boats stretched out, the crews at the highest pitch of animation, filling the air with their cheers; each division took the part previously allotted to it: the armed ship was boarded at all points, and carried in a few minutes, notwithstanding the spirited and sturdy resistance which the enemy made; all their armed vessels were well defended, but the British seamen and marines, determined to subdue them, were not to be repelled, even by a force found to be double that which was expected; and, besides the opposition made by the vessels, the guns from the castle, the forts in the bay, the gun-boats and musketry from the beach, kept a constant fire on them. On the opening of day, every ship and vessel was either burnt or brought off, aided by the light winds which then came from the land.

"I cannot conclude this narrative without an expression of the sentiment which the execution of this bold enterprise has inspired me with, and the respect and admiration I feel for those who performed it."

“In the first place, success greatly depended upon the previous arrangement which was made by Captain Hallowell, with a judgment and foresight that distinguishes that officer in every service he is employed on; the division of the boats, the preparation of fire materials, and providing them with every

• Tigre; Cumberland 74, Captain Hon. Philip Wodehouse; Volontaire 38, Captain Charles Bullen; Apollo 38, Captain Bridges Watkinson Taylor; Topaze 36, Captain Henry Hope; Philomel 18, Captain George Crawley; Scout 18, Captain William Raitt; and Tuscan 16, Captain. John Wilson.

implement that contingency could require, established confidence throughout the whole; and in this, he was ably assisted by the experience and zeal of Captains Wodehouse, Bullen, Taylor, and Hope. The brigs were under sail, as near the vessels attacked as the light winds would allow, and Captain Hallowell speaks in high terms of praise of their commanders. Lieutenant Tailour led to the assault in a most gallant manner, and was followed by the other officers, as if each was ambitious of his place, and desired to be first; the whole party bravely maintained the character which British seamen have established for themselves.

"I am sorry I have to add, that the loss has been considerable *. Lieutenant Tait, of the Volontaire, an excellent and brave young officer, and Mr. Caldwell, master's-mate of the Tigre, a youth of great promise, were the only officers slain.

66

Many officers in the fleet were desirous of being volunteers in this service. I could not resist the earnest request of Lieutenants Lord Viscount Balgonie, the Hon. James Ashley Maude, and the Hon. William Waldegrave, of the Ville de Paris, to have the command of boats, in which they displayed that spirit which is inherent in them.

"I transmit Captain Hallowell's letter relating his proceedings, with lists of the officers who commanded boats, and had appointments in this service; and of the vessels burnt and captured."

Captain Hallowell, in his report to the commander-in-chief, acquainted his lordship, that the spirited manner in which Lieutenant Tailour led the boats on to the attack, "commanded the admiration of every one present." The officers employed in the boats under him were as follow::

In the TIGRE'S,-Lieutenants Augustus William James Clifford, Edward Boxer, William Waterface, Gawen William Hamilton, John Brulton; Messrs. James Caldwell, Joshua Kynson, (mates); Dey Richard Syer †, Hon. Robert Cavendish Spencer, Henry Fawcett, George Francis Bridges, George Sandys, James Athill, Hon. George James Perceval, James Montagu, Frederick Noel (midshipmen); and Alexander Hosack, assistant

surgeon.

CUMBERLAND'S,-Lieutenants John Murray, Richard Stuart †, and William Bradley (the latter acting); Captain Edward Bailie (R. M.); Messrs. John Webster (mate ), Charles Robert Milbourne, Henry Wise, William Hollinshed Brady ‡, and Annesley Blackmore, midshipmen.

VOLONTAIRE'S,-Lieutenants Dalhousie Tait, Samuel Sison, Hon. James Ashley Maudet, William Burton, and Duncan Campbell (the two latter R. M.); Messrs. John Bannatyne, Thomas Randall (mates); Richard Stephens Harness, Henry John Leeke, and John Armstead‡, (midshipmen (the latter belonging to the Ville de Paris).

APOLLO'S,-Lieutenants James Begbiet, Robert Cutts Barton, and

* Grand total 15 killed and 55 wounded.
Slightly wounded.

† Severely wounded.

John Forster*; Messrs. Henry William De Chair, William Plant (mates); James Dunderdale, Henry Lancaster (midshipmen); and John Oliver French, clerk.

TOPAZE'S,-Lieutenants Charles Hammond, James Dunn, William Rawlins, Viscount Balgonie, (and William Halsted, R. M,); Messrs. Alexander Boyter (mate), Joseph Hume, Hungerford Luthill, and Harry Nicholas, midshipmen.

PHILOMEL'S,-None reported.

SCOUT's,-Lieutenants John Tarrant and Hon. William Waldegrave; Mr. Davy, midshipman of the Ville de Paris.

TUSCAN'S, Lieutenant Pascoe Dunn†, Messrs. John M'Dougall, Charles Gray (mates, both belonging to the Ville de Paris); and John Stiddy, midshipman.

List of the French vessels.

La Lamproie, of 600 tons, pierced for 22 guns on the main-deck, mounting 16 long 9-pounders, with a complement of 110 men; la Victoire, bombard, of 14 long 6-pounders and 80 men; one government store-vessel, and four transports :—burnt.

Le Normande, xebec, of 10 long 4-pounders and 48 men; le Grondeur, bombard, of 8 long 6-pounders and 45 men, laden with biscuit; and two transports, of 200 tons each :-brought out.

While in the act of boarding la Lamproie, Lieutenant Tailour was very severely wounded in the head, near the temple, notwithstanding which he continued among the foremost in the fight. His commission as a commander was dated back to Nov. 1, 1809.

Towards the end of 1810, Captain Tailour received an appointment to the Regulus troop-ship, in which he continued, on very active service, till his advancement to post rank, Oct. 26, 1813. In 1815, he commanded the Comus 22, on the coast of Africa, under the orders of Commodore Thomas Browne, whose successful exertions in suppressing the slave trade have been noticed at p. 708 et seq. of Vol. II. Part II.

Captain Tailour's last appointment was, Nov. 6, 1815, to the Tonnant 80, bearing the flag of Sir Benjamin Hallowell, at Cork; where he is said to have had two ribs broken by missiles, while attempting to quell a riot, in 1817. He continued to serve as Sir Benjamin's flag-captain, until the expiration of that officer's command on the Irish station.

Agent.-J. Copland, Esq.

Severely wounded.

Slightly wounded.

JOHN SMITH, (A.) Esq.

A Companion of the Most Honorable Military Order of the Bath.

A NATIVE of Aberdeen. This officer served as acting master of the Egmont 74, at the defeat of the Spanish fleet, off Cape St. Vincent, February 14, 1797;* and was first lieutenant of the Africa 64, at the ever-memorable battle of Trafalgart: his commission as a commander bears date December, 24, 1805.

Captain Smith's subsequent appointments were to the Devastation bomb, Magnet brig, and Beagle of 18 guns. The latter vessel formed part of the squadron under Sir George R. Collier, at the reduction of St. Sebastian, in 1813. He obtained post-rank October 27, in the same year; and was nominated a C. B. December 8, 1815.

Agent.-J. Dufaur, Esq.

GORDON THOMAS FALCON, Esq.

RECEIVED his first commission in May, 1800; served as lieutenant under the late Hon. Sir. George C. Berkeley, in the Leopard 50, and Barfleur 98, on the Halifax and Lisbon stations§; was made commander, into the Melpomene troopship, March 13, 1811; advanced to post rank October 29, 1813, and appointed to the Cyane, rated at 22 guns, but mounting 32, in March 1814. His very gallant defence of that ship against the Constitution, an American forty-four, has been recently described in our memoir of Captain the Hon. George Douglas||.

Captain Falcon's next appointment was, June 24, 1817, to the Tyne 26, fitting for South America; from whence she