terranean,to assume the command of the fleet on that station, vacant by the recent demise of the gallant Collingwood[1].
At this period Vice-Admiral Purvis had an application from the British minister, to put in execution a plan proposed by Admiral Valdez, to make an attack on the enemy’s works, with the ships of his Britannic Majesty. Our officer replied, that the risk of their destruction was too great to allow him to acquiesce, the effect of the hot shot lately experienced, independent of what he had seen on other occasions, being sufficient to deter him from the trial; but nevertheless, if the Regency placed so much dependence on the success of the enterprize, and would direct as many of their ships to be placed at his disposal, he would man them and hold himself responsible for their being rendered as effective on the service required as if they had been British ships. On the very day Sir Charles Cotton arrived at Cadiz, the Vice-Admiral received another application respecting the employment of the vessels under his orders against the batteries, which he submitted to the Commander-in-Chief, who desired him to say he was clearly of opinion that an attack on the well constructed field works of Trocadero, by the ships, could not have the effect which Admiral Valdez had stated in his plan, whilst the ships must necessarily be exposed to almost certain destruction. Soon after the termination of this correspondence, the Vice-Admiral returned to England, after serving four years on the Cadiz station, the principal part of which time he was employed, first in blockading, and afterwards in contributing to the defence of that important place. He became a full Ad- Aug. 12, 1819.
Our officer married, Aug. 2, 1804, Elizabeth, daughter of the late Admiral Sir Archibald Dickson, Bart., and relict of
- ↑ Lord Collingwood died on board his flag-ship, the Ville de Paris, March 7, 1810, two days after his departure from Minorca, on his return to England for the recovery of his health, which had long been in a very reduced state. A portrait and biographical memoir of this estimable and distinguished officer will be found in the fifteenth volume of the Naval Chronicle, p. 353, et seq. His Lordship’s remains were deposited in the very stone coffin which Cardinal Wolsey had prepared for himself. It had remained, as lumber, in a room adjoining St. George’s Chapel, Windsor; and for its last purpose was given as a present by his late Majesty.
