“Receiving the captain on the Ville de Paris’s quarter-deck, before the officers and ship’s company hearkening in breathless silence to what passed, and standing with his hat in his hand over his head, as was his lordship’s invariable custom during the whole time that any person, whatever were his rank, even a common seaman, addressed him on service, Lord St. Vincent listened very attentively till the captain ceased to speak; and then after a pause replied,—­

“’Do you mean to tell me, Captain Ellison, that you cannot command his Majesty’s ship, the Marlborough? for if that is the case, sir, I will immediately send on board an officer who can.’

“The captain then requested that, at all events, the boats’ crews from the rest of the fleet might, as always had been customary in the service, on executions, attend at this also, to haul the man up; for he really did not expect the Marlborough’s would do it.

“Lord St. Vincent sternly answered:  ’Captain Ellison, you are an old officer, sir, have served long, suffered severely in the service, and have lost an arm in action, and I should be very sorry that any advantage should be now taken of your advanced years.  That man shall be hanged, at eight o’clock to-morrow morning, and by his own ship’s company:  for not a hand from any other ship in the fleet shall touch the rope.  You will now return on board, sir; and, lest you should not prove able to command your ship, an officer will be at hand who can.’

“Without another word Captain Ellison instantly retired.  After he had reached his ship, he received orders to cause her guns to be housed and secured, and that at daybreak in the morning her ports should be lowered.  A general order was then issued to the fleet for all launches to rendezvous under the Prince at seven o’clock on the following morning, armed with carronades and twelve rounds of ammunition for service; each launch to be commanded by a lieutenant, having an expert and trusty gunner’s-mate and four quarter gunners, exclusive of the launch’s crew.  The whole were to be under the command of Captain Campbell, of the Blenheim, to whom, on presenting to him the written orders under which he was to act, Lord St. Vincent further said, ’he was to attend the execution, and if any symptoms of mutiny appeared in the Marlborough, any attempt to open her ports, or any resistance to the hanging of the prisoner, he was to proceed close touching the ship, and to fire into her, and to continue to fire until all mutiny or resistance should cease; and that, should it become absolutely necessary, he should even sink the ship in face of the fleet.’

“Accordingly, at seven the next morning, all the launches, thus armed, proceeded, from the Prince to the Blenheim, and thence, Captain Campbell having assumed the command, to the Marlborough.

“Having lain on his oars a short time alongside, the captain then formed his force in a line athwart her bows, at rather less than pistol shot distance off, and then he ordered the tompions to be taken out of the carronades, and to load.