se_. Naval employment
was grudgingly accorded to him; but it was thought wiser to give him
work abroad than to suffer under his free speech at home.

This employment was marked by many brilliant deeds, which procured
for him, on his surrendering his command of the _Imperieuse_ after
eighteen months' duration, the reproach of having spent more sails,
stores, gunpowder, and shot than had been used by any other captain in
the service.

The most brilliant deed of all, one of the most brilliant deeds in
the whole naval history of England, was his well-known exploit in the
Basque Roads on the 11th, 12th, and 13th of April, 1809. Much against
his will, he was persuaded by Lord Mulgrave, at that time First
Lord of the Admiralty, to bear the responsibility of attacking and
attempting to destroy the French squadron by means of fireships
and explosion-vessels. The project was opposed by Lord Gambier, the
Admiral of the Fleet, as being at once "hazardous, if not desperate,"
and "a horrible and anti-Christian mode of warfare;" and consequently
he gave no hearty co-operation. On Lord Cochrane devolved the whole
duty of preparing for and executing the project. His own words will
best tell the story.

"On the 11th of April," he said, "it blew hard, with a high sea. As
all preparations were complete, I did not consider the state of
the weather a justifiable impediment to the attack; so that, after
nightfall, the officers who volunteered to command the fireships were
assembled on board the _Caledonia_, and supplied with instructions
according to the plan previously laid down by myself. The _Imperieuse_
had proceeded to the edge of the Boyart Shoal, close to which she
anchored with an explosion-vessel made fast to her stern, it being my
intention, after firing the one of which I was about to take charge,
to return to her for the other, to be employed as circumstances might
require. At a short distance from the _Imperieuse_ were anchored
the frigates _Aigle_, _Unicorn_, and _Pallas_, for the purpose of
receiving the crews of the fireships on their return, as well as to
support the boats of the fleet assembled alongside the _Caesar_, to
assist the fireships. The boats of the fleet were not, however, for
some reason or other made use of at all.

"Having myself embarked on board the largest explosion-vessel,
accompanied by Lieut. Bissel and a volunteer crew of four men only,
we led the way to the attack. The night was dark, and, as the w