e thus suddenly buried
in the ocean. These calamities excited a deep concern throughout the
whole nation, and the fate of the brave Kemperjfelt was deeply deplored.

[Illustration: 171.jpg SIEGE OF GIBRALTER]

SIEGE AND RELIEF OF GIBRALTAR.

At this time the siege of Gibraltar, and the resolute defence of
its garrison attracted the attention of all Europe. After the relief
afforded to the garrison in the preceding year by Admiral Darby, the
Spaniards opened a dreadful cannonade and bombardment, from batteries on
land and from large gun-boats in the bay. Under cover of this fire they
continued their approaches and nearly completed their fourth line; but
on the night of the 26th of November, a detachment under the orders of
Brigadier General Ross, and accompanied by General Elliot, the governor,
made a sortie, succeeded in spiking all the artillery, and then having
dug mines and laid trains, they blew the fourth line of the Spaniards
into the air. Previous to this, General Elliot had so improved his
ownformidable works that they were stronger than they were at the
commencement of the siege, and the Spaniards for a time were lost in
amazement, and relaxed their exertions against the wonderful rock.
In the month of April, however, the Duke of Grillon, the conqueror of
Minorca, arrived to take the chief command of the besieging army and
their efforts were renewed. The Duke brought with him a numerous body of
skilful artillery and engineer officers, and he was likewise joined by
about 20,000 French and Spanish troops to aid him in the enterprise. The
whole besieging force on land now amounted to full 40,000 men, and de
Crillon had more artillery with him than had ever been collected on
so narrow a point. Success seemed certain, and princes of the House of
Bourbon, with along retinue of French and Spanish nobles, were present
to witness the final triumph. Some time was spent in deliberating upon
the plan of attack. A thousand projects were proposed and some were
adopted and failed. At length the Chevalier d'Arcon, a French engineer,
proposed a plan which seemed to ensure a complete triumph. This was the
employment of floating batteries so constructed as to be impervious to
shot and indestructible by fire. The bottoms of these batteries were
made of massive timber, and their sides were secured with a rampart or
wall composed of timber and cork, with an interstice between, filled up
with wet sand. Raw hides were fastened