Page:A biographical dictionary of eminent Scotsmen, vol 8.djvu/199

Rh The peace of Amiens occasioned the return of the Ajax to England in February, 1802, and Cochrane, with the true restlessness of a landed sailor, as well as the true patriotism of a good British subject, still wished to do something for his country. He accordingly turned his attention to Parliament, and became a candidate for the representation of the united boroughs of Stirling, Dunfermline, &c., at the general election that had now occurred. As the votes for Sir John Henderson, his antagonist, and himself were equal, a contest ensued that was followed by petition, and the result was that in 1804, after a long investigation, Cochrane's election was confirmed. Two years after the wind completely changed, for at the election of 1806 Henderson was elected. The quarter-deck, and not the hustings, was the proper arena for Cochrane. Fortunately for him that arena he continued to occupy even during this period of political altercation; for the peace, or rather hollow truce of Amiens was at an end while the ink was scarcely dry upon the paper, and in 1803 he was appointed to the command of the Northumberland, 74; and in the following year he was sent out, with the rank of rear-admiral, to watch the port of Ferrol, in anticipation of a war with Spain. In 1805 he was commissioned to pursue a French squadron that had stolen out of the blockaded port of Rochefort. Its destination was unknown, but the most serious consequences were apprehended, as it consisted of five ships-of-the-line, three frigates, two brigs, and a schooner, and had 4000 troops on board. Cochrane went off with six ships-of-the-line in pursuit of these dangerous fugitives, and after a long cruise, in which the coasts of France and Spain, and the West India Islands, were successively visited and explored, he found it impossible to come in sight of his nimble fear-stricken adversaries: all that he could learn of their whereabouts was in the instances of a few paltry captures they had made of British merchantmen, and their throwing a supply of troops into the town of St. Domingo. The timidity of this flying squadron was rewarded by a safe return to Rochefort, which they effected in spite of the British cruisers that were sent in all directions to intercept them. Admiral Cochrane then assumed the command of the Leeward Islands station, and joined Lord Nelson in his active pursuit after the combined fleets of France and Spain. In the following year (1806) he formed a junction with Vice-Admiral Sir John G. Duckworth, for the pursuit of a French squadron that had sailed from Brest to relieve the town of St. Domingo. On this occasion the French were overtaken, and in the action that followed, and which lasted nearly two hours, they were so utterly defeated, that of their five ships-of-the-line two were burnt, and the other three captured: nothing escaped but two frigates and a corvette. On this occasion Cochrane's ship, the Northumberland, which had been in the hottest of the fire, had by far the greatest number of killed and wounded, while himself had a narrow escape, his hat being knocked off his head by a grape-shot. So important were his services on this occasion, that he received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, and of the corporation of London; while the latter, not confining itself to verbal acknowledgments, presented him with the honour of the city, and a sword of the value of a hundred guineas. This was not all; for the underwriters at Barbadoes presented him with a piece of plate valued at ₤500; and the committee of the Patriotic Fund at Lloyd's with a vase worth ₤300. The honour of knighthood crowned these rewards of his highly-valued achievements, and on the 29th of March, 1806, he was created Knight of the Bath. Nothing could more highly attest the estimation in which his exploit at St. Domingo was held,