This Week's Great Day

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18149, 7 May 1927, Page 18

This Week's Great Day

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By

Chales Conway

—~ may 6.— THE CAPTURE OF “EL CAMO." ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS AGO, on May G. |SOO, Admiral Thomas Cochrane, Earl of Dundonald, accomplished one of the most daring exploits cf his adventurous career. He was born in 1773, and at the age of eighteen entered the Royal Xavy, where his overbearing temper gained for him an unenviable reputation; but in spite of the insolence and contempt with which he treated his superior officers his merit ai d diligence earned him rapid promotion. In ISOO he was given the command of H.M.S. Speedy, a sloop of only 15S tons, which was so small that there was no room for a chair in his cabin, and when he shaved he had to stand on his bed. remove the skylight and use the deck as a toilet tabic. With this little craft, which cariied an armament of 12 four-pounders and a crew of fifty-one, Cochrare succeeded in capturing, single-handed, several large merchant vessels and privateers and a few small warships. On May 6 he encountered a great Spanish frigate, “ El Gamo,” and at once determined to attack her. notwithstanding the overwhelming odds against him. “El Gamo ” carried twenty-two twelve and eight eighv pounders and a crew of 319, ard as the Speedy sailed towards her without firing a gun the Spanish vessel poured out a heavy broadside, which did no damage. When Cochrane manoeuvred his little ship alongside her gigantic opponent, in which position the shots of “El Gamo flew harmlessly over the low-lying Speedy, he elevated his guns and fired a storm of shot into the side of his helpless adversary. Finding that his guns were useless, the Spanish commander decided to board the Speed}': but he was forestalled. Cochrane left the helm of his vessel in the hands of the ship’s surgeon and boarded the “ El Gamo ” with the whole of his men. most of whom had blackened thcr faces in a hideous fashion. The British sailors uttered biood-curdling yells as they swarmed over the side of the ship, and before the Spaniards had recovered from their terror at seeing what looked like a troop of demons in their midst the whole crew of 319 had been disarmed. For this feat of unparalleled audacity Cochrane was promoted to post rank. The subsequent career of the intrepid sailor was a checkered one. lie was constantly in trouble with his superiors, and becoming involved in disastrous stock exchange speculations, he was sentenced to imprisonment for fraud in 1814. This caused his dismissal from the Navy, and for over ten years he was a wanderer, serving successively in the navies of Chili, Brazil and Greece, where he performed numerous acts of reckless daring. In 1532 he secured re-instatement in the British Navy, ard once again distinguished himself, notably during the time that he was in command of the fleet on the North American and West Indian stations. Cochrane was a most versatile scientific inventor, and patented several processes and mechanical contrivances which proved of great service to the Navy. During the Crimean War he proposed a plan for the annihilation of the Russian fortress at Sebastapol, which he claimed could be effected without any damage to the attacking force. The details of his scheme have never been made public; but the British Government, which admittii g its feasibility, decided that it was of too barbarous a nature to adopt. The bold and ingenious sailor died in ISGO at the age of eighty-five, and left behind him a record of daring achievement which has never been excelled in the annals of the British Navy. [Copyrighted.] lllilllllllillllll!iiilllllllllll!liil!llllllllilillllill!llllillllillllllllllllilllilll!illlllllllllll!