the signal 'in want of
assistance', and engaged three line-of-battle ships. On seeing this
several ships were sent to our assistance, but before they came up, one of
the men-of-war hauled down her colours and was taken possession of by us.
The ships that came up engaged and captured the two other French
men-of-war, while another was deserted by her crew and set on fire.

[Illustration: COCHRANE SCATTERS THE FRENCH FLEET IN THE BASQUE ROADS BY
HIS TERRIBLE EXPLOSION-SHIP.]

"The signal for our recall was now hoisted by the admiral, and was obeyed
by most of the other ships, a frigate and four brigs, however, taking upon
themselves to remain with the _Imperieuse_. However, they were prevented
from destroying the vessels that still lay at their mercy by another
peremptory order of recall. That brought the service of the _Imperieuse_
and my service to an end, and the service of Cochrane also. We were
ordered back to England, and Lord Gambier's despatch as to the affair was
so scandalously untrue that Cochrane denounced it in parliament. Gambier
demanded a court-martial, and as he had the support of an utterly
unscrupulous government, a scandalously partial judge, and false witnesses
backed by forged charts, the result was a certainty. The public
indignation was excited to the highest pitch by the shameless manner in
which the trial was conducted, and although Cochrane's career in the
service was ruined, he became perhaps the most popular character in the
country.

"He was, as you know, afterwards imprisoned and expelled the house, and
has suffered persecutions of all kinds. Westminster, however, has remained
faithful to him, and has returned him at every election, and he has never
relaxed his strenuous efforts to obtain naval reforms and to vindicate his
own character. On both points I need hardly say that I am heart and soul
with him, and so terrible is the persecution to which he has been in a
variety of ways exposed, that I cannot blame him if his zeal has at times
outrun his discretion. Most other men would, like poor Parker, have sunk
under such treatment as he has received. As I told you, we did not get
anything like a tithe of the prize-money we should have received for our
captures, and his share of it was more than spent in his litigation with
dishonest officials. Fortunately, I laid out a portion of my share of the
prize-money in buying this house, and invested the remainder in the funds,
and it has enabled me