The Goliah being found very defective, was paid off at Chatham in Oct. 1814; and on the 15th of the ensuing month, Captain Maitland was appointed to the Boyne, a second rate, fitting at Portsmouth for the flag of Sir Alexander Cochrane, comniander-in-chief on the coast of America[1]. In Jan. 1815, he proceeded to Cork, and collected a large fleet of transports and merchant vessels; but owing to a continuance of strong westerly winds, was detained at Cove till the return of Napoleon Buonaparte from Elba, when his orders were countermanded, and he was removed to the Bellerophon of 74 guns. Captain Maitland sailed from Cawsand Bay. in company with a squadron under Sir Henry Hotham, May 24, 1815; and was soon after sent by that officer to watch the motions of two French frigates and two corvettes, lying at Rochefort, off which place he detained a transport, having on board nearly 300 soldiers from Guadaloupe.
The battle of Waterloo terminated the military career of Buonaparte, who, it mil be remembered, fled from the scene of carnage, leaving his unfortunate partisans to shift for themselves. Finding on his arrival at Paris that a speedy retreat from the French territory was the only means of ensuring his personal safety, the usurper proceeded from the metropolis to Rochefort, where he formed numerous plans for bis escape by sea; the whole of which were happily frustrated by the vigilance of Captain Maitlaud and the detachment under his orders. The hopes of Napoleon being now at an end, he endeavoured to stipulate for his future treatment, but in vain; Captain Maitland informing him that he had no authority whatever for granting terms of any sort; and that he could do nothing more than convey him and his suite to England, to be received in such a manner as H.R.H. the Prince Regent might think proper. Thus situated, the fugitive at length resolved to throw himself on the generosity of “the most powerful, the most constant, and the most generous of his enemies[2];” and accordingly surrendered unconditionally to Captain Maitland, on the 15th July.
