Memoirs and Correspondence of Admiral Lord de Saumarez Volume I Part 27

I perceive he is resolved to become a favourite of yours by his attention. The order for the Caesar to anchor in Torbay for twenty-four hours, on her way to Portsmouth, will not lessen his favour with you. After this, I suppose I cannot do less than invite you to take a pa.s.sage in the s.h.i.+p with your two dear little companions; but it must be on condition that the weather is propitious to my views.

The station off the Black Rocks had hitherto been considered tenable only by frigates during the winter; on which service three or four were annually employed; but which, like the Channel fleet, occasionally took refuge in Torbay. It had been, however, resolved upon by Earl St. Vincent to form an advanced squadron of six sail of the line; and Sir James, as we have before stated, was the officer selected to proceed on this arduous and important undertaking. None but professional men who have been in that anxious and perilous service can have any idea of its difficulties. In such a situation the commanding-officer must consider himself constantly in the scene of action, surrounded by dangers of every description, exposed to the violence of storms, and sailing amidst a mult.i.tude of rocks and variable currents, in the longest and darkest nights, and often on a lee-sh.o.r.e on the enemy's coast, while the whole of their fleet is near, and ready to take advantage of any disaster, or change of wind or circ.u.mstance that might arise in their favour.

It has already been shown that Sir James performed this duty to the entire satisfaction of the n.o.ble Earl, and to the country. No storm ever obliged him to leave his station, which has justly been denominated _the post of honour_.

We cannot conclude this chapter with more satisfaction than by subjoining the following interesting correspondence between Sir James and Earl Spencer, which no longer need be characterised as "secret."

_Secret and confidential._

Caesar off Ushant, 20th June 1800.

At this time, when a proper example should be set to the seamen of his Majesty's fleet, and a due sense of religion and the practice of it kept up in the royal navy, permit me to suggest to your lords.h.i.+p the propriety of a strong recommendation from the Board of Admiralty to the commanders-in-chief on the different stations (more particularly the Channel fleet) that they will cause the public wors.h.i.+p of Almighty G.o.d to be duly and regularly performed on board the s.h.i.+ps under their command, and that nothing but the most pressing exigency shall prevent Divine service from being publicly read every Sunday on board the respective s.h.i.+ps.

It is from the too flagrant neglect of this most essential part of our duty that I have been impelled to write _in confidence_ to your lords.h.i.+p on the subject, with the hope that proper means will be adopted to rectify it.

We have signals to denote that the s.h.i.+p's companies will have time for dinner or breakfast; why should there not be one to signify that they will have time for the performance of Divine service? Were such a signal to be made from the s.h.i.+p of the commander-in-chief on Sunday morning, it would be generally followed by all the fleet, as they would then know the Admiral's intention to give time for that purpose.

I trust that your lords.h.i.+p will do justice to the motives that have induced me to write on the present subject, which I have long had in contemplation, and which I have now decided upon from the apprehensions that seem to be entertained of disturbances among the seamen of this fleet, as I know nothing that will contribute more to keep them in the right line of their duty than a proper attention to religious principles, the example to which should be set them by their officers.

I have the honour to be, with the greatest regard, Your lords.h.i.+p's most faithful and obedient humble servant, JAS. SAUMAREZ.

The Right Hon. Earl Spencer, &c. &c. &c.

DEAR SIR,

I have to acknowledge your letter of the 20th instant, and am much obliged to you for the hint contained in it. You must be aware how delicate a matter it is for me to interfere in a detail of this description. I shall not, however, fail to make such use of the suggestion as may appear to me to come within the bounds of propriety, and may very probably produce the desired effect.

I trust that the present alarm, which has been excited by several circ.u.mstances of a suspicious nature, may prove groundless; and I feel very strongly that nothing can more probably contribute to make it so than every precaution being taken in time to prevent an evil, which experience has already proved to us, if suffered once to begin, is so very difficult to remedy.

I am, dear sir, Your very obedient humble servant, SPENCER.

Admiralty, June 1800.

The Caesar arrived at Torbay on the 14th December, and on the 21st reached Spithead, where she remained during the rest of the year 1800.

CHAPTER XIII.

1801.

Sir James Saumarez is promoted to the rank of Rear-admiral.--Appointed to command the advanced squadron.--Proceedings at the Black Rocks.--Douvarnenez Bay.--Returns to England.--Appointed to command a squadron on a very particular service.--His secret orders, &c. and letter of approbation.--Ready for sea.--Is created a Baronet of the United Kingdom.

On the 1st of January 1801, a promotion of flag-officers took place, in order, it was said, to include the name of Sir James Saumarez; and this flattering compliment was immediately followed by a further honour, in his being ordered forthwith to hoist his flag on board his old s.h.i.+p, the Caesar; while Lieutenant Henryson, who was senior in that s.h.i.+p, was promoted to the rank of commander. Sir James being ordered to fit for the same service in which he had lately been so successfully employed, Captain Jahleel Brenton, who had been recommended by Earl St. Vincent, and who had been a volunteer during the last cruise, was appointed to the Caesar as his captain.

On the 6th of January the s.h.i.+p came out of harbour, and having received her guns, and her stores and provisions for six months, the flag of Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez was hoisted on the 24th; and on the 25th of February he sailed to resume the command of the in-sh.o.r.e squadron off Brest, but joined the Channel fleet at Torbay on the way thither. On the 7th March he arrived off the Black Rocks, where he relieved Admiral Thornbrough, and soon afterwards reconnoitred the harbour of Brest. On the 20th, the severe equinoctial gale forced the squadron into Douvarnenez Bay, where the s.h.i.+ps anch.o.r.ed in eighteen fathoms, just out of reach of the enemy's shot.

Here they remained, as much at their ease in the enemy's harbour as they would have been at Spithead, and were never molested. On the 25th March, after two attempts to work out of the bay, the squadron resumed their station at the Black Rocks.

The following is extracted from a letter from one of the officers of the Caesar, dated 26th March:

Our advanced squadron of the Channel fleet, commanded by Sir James Saumarez, never quitted the French coast during the late stormy weather. We anch.o.r.ed during the late violent gales in Douvarnenez Bay, which is, in my opinion, one of the finest in the universe. It is sheltered from every wind but those from W.

1/2 N. to W. 1/2 S.; and even that opening is protected by a reef of rocks. Although the height of the gale was in the worst direction it could have been, yet, having no very considerable sea, we rode it out remarkably well. We lay, much to the disappointment of the enemy, just out of gun-shot of the forts.

They favoured us, however, with some sh.e.l.ls. We found, upon our re-appearance off Brest, that six Spaniards had equiped themselves, in addition to six Frenchmen, probably with a design to attack us.

The Government having been relieved from their anxiety for the safety of the in-sh.o.r.e squadron by a despatch from Sir James, Earl St.

Vincent, who was now First Lord of the Admiralty, wrote to him the following letter of approbation:

Admiralty, 1st April 1801.

MY DEAR ADMIRAL,

The manner in which you have conducted the advanced squadron calls upon me to repeat my admiration of it. Your taking the anchorage in Douvarnenez Bay during the late equinoctial gales has been of the utmost importance, and prevented the crippling of one or more of your squadron. I heartily hope you continue in good health, for which and every other blessing you have the fervent wishes of Your very sincere and obedient servant, ST. VINCENT.

To R.A. Sir James Saumarez.

During the whole of this month, Sir James kept his squadron generally within three or four miles of the entrance of Brest, from which it was never further than as many leagues. In this situation, and by frequently reconnoitring in his own s.h.i.+p, he was enabled to watch the preparations of the enemy, and to frustrate their designs to attack his squadron with a superior force; while he so completely blockaded their port that, as when he formerly commanded, no square-rigged vessel ever entered it, thereby preventing the necessary supplies of stores and provisions from reaching the depot of their navy. Nor did a single vessel escape the unwearied vigilance and perseverance of the advanced squadron during the whole time it was under his command.

Early in May, letters reached him from Guernsey, intimating the great apprehension his countrymen were under of invasion by the enemy; when he wrote to Sir Thomas Troubridge, then one of the Lords of the Admiralty, who sent the following answer:

Admiralty, 17th May 1801.

MY DEAR SIR JAMES,

Many thanks for your kind letter of the 6th instant. I am sorry our _French friends_ do not come out, that you may teach them _English_. The Gazette[26] will show you that our soldiers are getting into the habits of fighting.

We heard of the miscreants' intentions on the islands; and I have sent over several gun-brigs, gun-barges, frigates, sloops, &c. and a few additional troops. There are 5,000 regulars at Jersey, and some more going soon, so that I think they have little chance of success if they make the attempt; but it appears to me that the different powers cannot look on without interfering, and stopping the progress of the villains. In short, I hope to see them soon weighed down in a congress.

Lord St. Vincent's cough is better, and the warm weather will re-establish him. I beg you to give my best compliments to Brenton. Believe me

Yours most faithfully, THOMAS TROUBRIDGE.

To Sir James Saumarez.

[26] Battle of Alexandria.

Thus released from the painful anxiety for the safety of the Channel islands, where so many of his dearest connexions resided, he wrote the following letter to his brother, Sir Thomas Saumarez, who was at that time in command of the local force in Guernsey:

Caesar, off Ushant, 30th May 1801.

I have received your kind letter of the 17th, and am happy to hear that a considerable force has been sent for the protection of Guernsey and the other islands. They cannot be too well taken care of, when we consider the infinite mischief they would do to Great Britain, should they fall into the enemy's hands.

I am in daily expectation of being relieved by Admiral Thornbrough, after a fourteen weeks' cruise, which is rather a longer period than the Earl intended when I sailed from Spithead. Brenton is everything that can be desired. I have found in him a most excellent officer and a most agreeable companion.

It appears by his journal, that on the following day he received the welcome orders which put an end to his long and hara.s.sing cruise; also a private letter of importance from Earl Spencer: and, being relieved by Admiral Thornbrough on the 1st of June, he arrived on the 2nd at Cawsand Bay. Having reported the return of the Caesar, he received in answer the following letters from Earl St. Vincent and Mr. Nepean:

MY DEAR SIR, Admiralty, 4th June 1801.