water to grapple the hostile flag-ship; but with the
_Marlborough_ lying disabled and alone, the admiral himself acting with
indecision, and the _Dorsetshire_ hanging aloof, the attempt was little
short of hopeless. Still it was made, and the _Anne Galley_--such was
her odd name--bore down, passing close by the _Dorsetshire_.

It became doubly the duty of Burrish to act, to push home whatever
demonstration was in his power to make; the fire-ship, however, went by
him and was permitted to pursue her desperate mission without his
support. The _Real_, seeing the _Anne_ approach, bore up out of her
line, and at the same time sent a strongly-manned launch to grapple and
tow her out of the way. This was precisely one of the measures that it
was the business of supporting ships to repel. The captain of the
fire-ship, thrown upon his own resources, opened fire, a most hazardous
measure, as much of his priming was with loose powder; but the launch
readily avoided injury by taking position directly ahead, where the guns
would not bear. The crew of the _Anne_ were now ordered into the boat,
except the captain and five others, who were to remain to the last
moment, and light the train; but from some cause not certainly
demonstrated she exploded prematurely, being then within a hundred yards
of the _Real_. It is necessary to say that the Court-Martial acquitted
Burrish of blame, because he "had no orders to cover the fire-ship,
either by signal or otherwise." Technically, the effect of this finding
was to shift an obvious and gross blunder from the captain to some one
else; but it is evident that if the _Dorsetshire_ had occupied her
station astern of the _Marlborough_, the fire-ship's attempt would have
been much facilitated.

The Court decided unanimously that Burrish "ought to have borne down as
far to leeward as where the admiral first began to engage,
notwithstanding that the admiral might be hauled off before the
_Dorsetshire_ got so far to leeward." The point upon which the line
should have been formed was thus established by the Court's finding. The
subsequent proceedings of this ship need not be related. She now came
slowly into close action, but that part of the enemy's order was already
broken, and their rear vessels, the fear of which had controlled her
captain, passed by as they came up without serious action.

How far Burrish's example influenced the captains immediately behind him
cannot certainly be affirmed. Such