that the spirit of mutiny never
appeared in the Orion, or in any ship Sir James commanded. The proper
degree of discipline which was always maintained--the attention that
was invariably paid to the wants and the comforts of the crew,--the
excellent regulations of his ship, which were subversive of every kind
of vice and immorality,--his own unaffected piety, and, lastly, the
example he himself set before his officers and men,--established in
his ship a feeling of respect for, and warm attachment to, the captain
which could not be shaken by any artifice of the wicked; for every
officer and man looked up habitually to their commander as their
_best_ friend and adviser. There may, indeed, have been some ships,
wherein the crews were made up from the metropolitan and other
prisons, that no treatment would have brought under proper discipline;
but we may confidently assert, that had all the ships in His Majesty's
fleets been commanded by such officers as Saumarez, the disgraceful
spirit of insubordination would never have been so seriously and
generally diffused. The Orion's crew treated all attempts to seduce
them with just indignation!

Earl St. Vincent being well aware of the confidence that could be
placed in the Orion at this critical time, kept her, for the safety of
his fleet, constantly at the post of honour in the advance; and it was
during this period of active and arduous service that a circumstance
occurred which does honour to all concerned, while it particularly
displays the humane character of Captain Saumarez, who was not one of
those that desired or permitted his officers and men to risk their
lives on any dangerous or desperate enterprise without a mature and
compassionate consideration of the consequences.

Near the fortifications of Cadiz, as if to guard the entrance of the
harbour, about twenty gun-vessels had been placed, which it appeared
to Earl St. Vincent might be cut out by the boats of the advanced
squadron; and accordingly an order was sent by the commander-in-chief
to Captain Saumarez, directing him to proceed in _person_ with the
boats of each ship to make the attempt. It was sufficiently evident to
Captain Saumarez, who, from the position of the Orion, had a better
view of the gun-vessels, that they were moored there on purpose to
provoke an attack for which the enemy were well prepared; but, having
received the order to command in _person_, he could not make known his
opinions without appe