1809	Lord Gambier at Basque Roads	101

enterprise of easy execution and little risk, and having renewed his offer of command, Lord Cochrane acquiesced, conceiving that Lord Mulgrave might have considered a final refusal as originating in motives not creditable to an officer, who had expressed so decided an opinion of the practicability of the undertaking. " On the 25th the board of admiralty addressed a letter to the British admiral in Basque roads, acquainting him that they had thought fit to select Lord Cochrane, for the purpose of conducting, under his, Lord Gambier's, directions, the fire-ships to be employed in the projected attack on the enemy's fleet. This letter was delivered to Lord Cochrane ; and, as soon as that active officer could reach Plymouth, the Imp�rieuse sailed upon her destination.

On the 26th Lord Gambier received the board's letter of the 19th, directing him to endeavour to destroy the enemy's fleet in the manner described. On the same day his lordship wrote two letters in reply. In the first, Lord Gambier admits that the French fleet lay exposed to an attack by fire-vessels ; but, it the second, his lordship says : " The enemy's ships are anchored in two lines, very near to each other, in a direction due S. from the fort on the Isle d'Aix ; and the ships in each line not farther apart than their own length ; by which it appears, as I imagine, that the space for their anchorage is so confined by the shoalness of the water, as not to admit of ships to run in and anchor clear of each other. The most distant ships of their two lines are within point-blank shot of the works upon the Isle d'Aix : such ships, therefore, as might attack the enemy would be exposed to be raked by the hot shot, &c. from the island ; and, should the ships be disabled in their masts, they must remain within the range of the enemy's fire until destroyed, there not being sufficient depth of water to allow them to move to the southward out of distance. " The admiral concludes his letter thus : " I beg leave to add, that, if their lordships are of opinion that an attack on the enemy's ships by those of the fleet under my command is practicable, I am ready to obey any orders they may be pleased to honour me with, however great the risk may be of the loss of men and ships. " * It is clear from the tenour of this letter, that Lord Gambier was averse to the plan of attack by the line-of-battle ships, conceiving it impracticable, both on account of the strength of the batteries on Isle d'Aix protecting the French. anchorage, and of the supposed shallowness of the water within, or a little beyond, point-blank range of them to the southward. Hence, as the mode of destroying the French fleet in the road of Isle d'Aix was left discretionary with Lord Gambier, he chose that mode which he had himself suggested, the attack by fire-ships.

It being discovered from the anchorage of Lord Gambier in

* Minutes &c. p. 120

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