f the prizes, an 80-gun ship,
got on shore, and was destroyed, as were also most of the Danish
gunboats, in consequence of bad weather coming on. The fleet, however,
without further accident, at the close of October, arrived safely at
Yarmouth and the Downs. Whatever opinion may be formed of the legality
or expediency of the enterprise, no one can deny that it was carried out
with ability and promptitude; and as the Danes would undoubtedly have
assisted Napoleon in his designs against England, she was certainly
justified in thus summarily preventing Denmark from injuring her.

It was at this time that the Danish island of Heligoland was captured by
the _Majestic_, 74, and the _Quebec_ frigate, but being of no possible
use, was recently handed over to Germany.

The next expedition on a large scale in which a British fleet was
engaged brought neither advantage to the country nor honour to its
leaders. The Turks having been tampered with by the French, Sir John
Duckworth, in command of a squadron, had been sent to Constantinople to
take possession of or destroy the Turkish fleet should the sultan not
give a sufficient guarantee of his friendly intentions. According to
his instructions, Sir John proceeded with his squadron up the
Dardanelles, his ships being exposed to the fire of the forts on either
hand. Altogether, the loss of the squadron amounted to 6 killed and 51
wounded. The Turks, however, were not to escape without punishment.
Not far from the Castle of Abydos lay the Turkish squadron, which had
the audacity to fire on the British ships as they passed. While four of
the latter came to an anchorage to prevent their escape, Sir Sidney
Smith, with three frigates, ran in and anchored within musket-shot of
them, when, opening his fire, he compelled one of the Turkish
sixty-fours and two frigates, and other smaller vessels, to run on
shore, the only ones which did not do so being captured, a fort under
which they had sought protection being also destroyed. Unhappily, one
of the British ships, the _Ajax_, commanded by Captain Blackwood, caught
fire during the night, and so rapidly did the flames extend, that no
efforts availed to put them out, and upwards of 250 souls, among whom
were two merchants and two women passengers, perished. It was supposed
that the fire was caused by the spontaneous combustion of some coals
stowed in the after-cock-pit.

Sir John, on arriving before Constantinople, lost a considerabl