But some idea may be given of his fighting notions by the following occurrence, of which I was a witness.
One morning despatches arrived from England.

A signal was made from the flag-ship for commanding officers to repair on board that vessel.

On our arrival there, we were asked to sit down to breakfast.

Our chief, who was opening his letters, suddenly threw a despatch over the table to S----, the admiral of the fleet, saying, 'What would ye do, mun, if ye received a letter like this ?' S----, after reading the letter said, 'If I received a letter like that, I'd attack Revel or Sveaborg if I lost half my fleet.' Our chief's answer I shall never forget.

It was: 'I haven't got nerve to do it, and I'm d----d well sure C---- hasn't.' There are many living besides myself who can vouch for the accuracy of this statement.
I shall say no more of the doings of the English fleet in the Baltic during that year.