sure rendered necessary by the rapid advance of the French army. This was a service of considerable difficulty, the ships being in every respect unfit for sea. They had only a few days’ water, provisions, and fuel; their masts, yards, and sails, were not trust-worthy; they were leaky from decay, and had even shot-holes unstopped. Their bottoms were so foul that they could not work to windward even in moderate weather; and they were fully officered, and actually loaded with refugee passengers of high rank, although they were destitute of useful men to assist in navigating them. After thirty-eight days’ exertions, however, Captain Codrington, assisted by the Norge 74, succeeded in conducting them to Port Mahon, where they were safely moored and delivered up to the Spanish Commodore. Sir Richard G. Keats, who at that time commanded the squadron engaged in the defence of Cadiz, in answer to the report of their safe arrival, says, “I beg to assure you I am quite sensible of the successful and satisfactory manner in which by your able management, and by the exertions of the officers and men under your orders, you have been enabled to execute the arduous service entrusted to your care.”
The Blake, on her return to the Cadiz station, was actively employed in co-operation with the Spanish patriots; she subsequently joined the fleet under Sir Charles Cotton in the Mediterranean; and from April 1811, till April 1813, Captain Codrington, as already stated in his memoir at p. 636, was entrusted with the command of a detached squadron on the eastern coast of Spain. Various documents expressing the gratitude of the besieged and the confidence of the population, were the immediate consequences of the assistance afforded by him during the brave and protracted defence of Tarragona; the commandant of which place, General Contreras, in his exposition of the siege, after detailing the aid which he received from the British, observes, “I may say then with truth, that if I had been assisted by the army on shore (Spanish) as I was seconded by the squadron of Commodore Codrington, Tarragona certainly would not have fallen.”
Besides the many flattering expressions of approbation conveyed to Captain Codrington from Sir Charles Cotton’s successor, the present Viscount Exmouth, during the time he was employed under his orders, the order he received from that officer to return to England, concluded with the following;
“I cannot refuse myself the satisfaction of expressing to you on this occasion my sincere thanks for the zeal and readiness with which you have always met my instructions, in performing the duties of your station, and my high sense of the ability and judgment with which you have conducted the many difficult and arduous services which have been entrusted to your execution. It has been my care that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty should be frequently apprised of your services on the coast of Catalonia.” And in his letter to the Admiralty, accompanying the despatches with which Sir Edward Pellew charged our officer, he says, “I refer their Lordships to Captain Codrington, who is most competent to satisfy their enquiries. I much regret the departure of this very zealous and valuable officer.”
