Sir John Ross

“ If I am kept out much longer, and have the duty of an admiral without my flag, I fear I shall grow sulky and impatient. It is not improbable Captain Sutton may relieve me in the charge of this squadron, as I doubt Sir Edward Pellew being yet ready. I fear the second return of the fleet will have again set your heart palpitating, and caused you another disappointment at the Cæsar not being with it. ”

“ The Trinidad was attacked the whole afternoon by a three-decker, and three ships of 74 guns, that raked her fore and aft at pistol-shot; and notwithstanding her having upwards of two hundred men killed and wounded, she still continued the action for a full hour longer. Such was the dreadful situation of the Trinidad at six o'clock, after an uninterrupted engagement, when the San Pablo and Pelayo, that in the morning had been detached by my orders, and crowded every sail from the moment of observing the action, now reached the squadron. ”

“ My dear Sir James,
I am not very anxious to receive any persons of the description you mention; they will all eat our meat, and drink. As they choose to serve the French, there let them remain. I have not a line from home, all lost in L'Aigle. You will get off in good time, I dare say. I am sure you will not lose a moment off Cape Bronte; the shoal extends six miles. If you favour me with a line, direct it for Naples, where I am going to join the Portuguese squadron. Zealous, Swiftsure, and the two frigates, I have kept here as long as possible. ”

“ Alas! how seldom it is that we see the characters of the hero and the philosopher blended in one! When the head monopolises the spirits, the heart often wants courage; and, if the heart is strong, the head is weak. But, as no part of you has yet betrayed signs of weakness, endeavour to preserve yourself the same in future as
you have been in the past, however your fortunes may alter.
God bless you, my dear brother! and God bless also Captain Brenton, and all the heroes that are with you, and bring you safe back again to enjoy the favours of your grateful country! ”

“ The British merchants having petitioned for a ship of war to be stationed in the Mediterranean for the protection of the trade, the Levant was ordered on that service, and for fourteen months remained in that inactive position, which young Saumarez used to say he considered a blank in his existence. Having no books to relieve the spirits, no letters to cheer the heart, life wasted away without profit or satisfaction. ”

“ Length of time and badness of the weather rendered both our ships leaky; this, joined to our mortality, the scurvy raging amongst us as much as ever, obliged us to destroy the Gloucester, which ship was ready to founder, and receive the men on board, who were all sick and dying. It is impossible to represent the melancholy circumstances wherein we were involved previous to our arrival at these islands. We anchored at one called Tinian, uninhabited, but abounding with wild cattle, hogs, fowls, and fruits: we could not have fallen in with a better place. ”

“ We are now fourteen sail of the line, with La Mutine brig only; our present anxiety is to gain information of the enemy's fleet, and to find them where we can attack them. I hope to give you soon good intelligence of them, and speedily be the bearer of the good news in person, as Sir H. Nelson has orders to send the Orion home, when he can spare her. What a blessing if our present endeavours should be crowned with success, and I have the good fortune to proceed to England immediately after; which at present is really intended, having seen the order from the commander-in-chief. ”

“ The noble and liberal conduct of the squadron in admitting the Pompée and Hannibal to partake of their prize-money is an honourable and beautiful contrast to the bickerings which have arisen lately respecting joint captures, and must ensure success to every claim that can be made out; but I am afraid we shall not be able to find a precedent for anything beyond head-money being given for ships which have been blown up in action. ”

“ 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 multitude of rocks and variable currents, in the longest and darkest nights, and often on a lee-shore 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 circumstance that might arise in their favour. ”

“ On the 16th we were busily employed rigging jury-masts. Towards the evening it moderated, and about four in the morning of the 17th we had the cheering happiness to find she had swung to her anchor. The hands were instantly turned to the capstan, and we hove short on the sheet cable. The night signal was then made for the assistance of boats, and having happily succeeded in warping her into deep water, we made sail (with which we steered her) with a fine breeze from the eastward, and anchored near the convoy in eleven fathoms. ”

“ Had the Crescent at once boarded the Réunion, which was in her power, and carried her sword in hand, as in the case of the Nymphe and Cléopâtre, it would have been perhaps better calculated to excite feelings of admiration in the general reader, who is not acquainted with naval affairs; but this mode of attack is one which, we must acquaint them, might readily be made by any officer moderately skilled in naval tactics. It is where the commander of a ship, by his presence of mind and skilful manœuvring, succeeds in the defeat and capture of an enemy, that the superiority is manifest ”

“ All our forces on the southern coast being in the necessity to be drawn up to the northern parts of the country for repelling the attack of the Russians, the coasts on this side will be without sufficient defence. It is only in your excellency I may fix my confidence, convinced as I am by the good intelligence that subsists between both nations, and his Britannic Majesty's benevolence towards Sweden, your excellency will not omit to protect, as far as possible, the trade from Gothenburg and through the Baltic, and prevent all hostile enterprises. ”

“ We cannot but remark that, in the various accounts of this action, justice has been but barely done to the commander of the Orion, who is only mentioned as one of the six captains who prevented the junction of the enemy's separated squadron. If any act of heroism displayed on that occasion was designed to be particularly recorded in the public despatches, surely the fact that the Orion was the last ship that engaged and took possession of the Salvador del Mundo, and then made the Santissima Trinidada strike her colours and hoist the English flag over the Spanish, deserves a place. ”

“ It was the misfortune of the gallant Admiral on that day to lose one of the ships under his command; but the officers and crew of that ship defended her until they had lost half their numbers. Sir James Saumarez was not disheartened, as must always be the case with men of true courage and vigour. He waited for an opportunity to make amends for his failure; that opportunity offered; and he availed himself in a manner worthy of him who had been the companion of, and sharer in the glory of, Lords St. Vincent and Nelson on the 14th of February and in the Bay of Aboukir. ”

“ The anxiety inseparable from this cruise is very considerably alleviated from knowing the fleet is in port, which must prove of the greatest benefit both to officers and men, and to the service in general. I find the rumours of peace are vanished, and that war is determined upon. I trust events will be favourable to this country. There is no doubt the French are much distressed for provisions in the neighbourhood of Brest, and that discontent prevails among their troops, who are ill-paid, ill-fed, and badly clothed. ”

“ His renowned knowledge as a statesman has astonished every body; his mildness and compassion, even to an enemy, have gained him the respect and affection of all ranks. Separated from the misfortunes which have hitherto attended Swedish warriors, we must judge of the Prince with the most tender sensations, and with them he will use the sword. ”

“ We were rapidly approaching them, and orders had been sent down to the officers at their quarters to fire as soon as the guns would bear.
"I was at this time standing on the poop ladder, near the Admiral, when he seized me by the shoulder, and, pointing to the flames bursting out, exclaimed, 'My God, sir, look there! the day is ours!' A more magnificent scene never presented itself, as may be easily imagined, than two ships of such immense magnitude as the Spanish first-rates, on board of each other in flames, with a fresh gale, the sea running high, and their sails in the utmost confusion. ”

“ I beg to offer to you my sincere congratulations on the successful issue of an enterprise, so honourable to yourself; and request you will accept the tribute of my perfect approbation of the ardent zeal and determined resolution which animated you on that important occasion; and that you will communicate my full satisfaction and approbation to all the captains and officers, seamen and marines, of the ships of the squadron under your orders, who, by so eminently distinguishing themselves, have merited and obtained yours. ”

“ After one of the severest engagements on record, the British squadron, in the short space of five days, had repaired its damages, and sought the enemy, whose force had been nearly tripled by the junction of six ships and three frigates from Cadiz. With such men, and in such a cause, victory seemed certain, notwithstanding the great disparity of force between the belligerents, and the exertions of the enemy proved, that he expected a tremendous struggle. Every circumstance contributed to render the approaching contest more eventful. ”

“ I shall be thankful to your excellency for any information you will be pleased to honour me with that can tend to the advancement of the great and good cause in which we are engaged; and I am happy in profiting by the present opportunity to transmit an official bulletin which I received last Friday, giving an account of a most important victory over the French army, commanded by Buonaparte in person. This glorious event, it is to be hoped, will unite the powers in the northern parts of the Continent totally to extirpate the atrocious tyrant, who has been so long the scourge of the human race. ”

“ We were at this time close to the shoals off the coast, on which the Venerable got aground; but she was afterwards got off, and was taken in tow by the Thames. I fear she has sustained great loss in men. What a surprising change, my dear Richard, to the events of last Monday! To the Divine mercy I entirely ascribe this signal success, who never forsakes those who place their confidence in him! I mean to send the Louisa, which joined me yesterday from Minorca, with Phil. Dumaresq, and doubt not but he will be a welcome messenger. We see the remainder of the enemy's squadron. ”