on board the _Speedy_, were in opposition to his lordship's own
promotion to an earldom, as well as that of his flag-captain to
knighthood, and his other officers to increased rank and honours; for
that, in the battle from which his lordship derived his title there
was only one man killed on board his own flagship." That was language
too plain to be forgiven.

In July, 1801, the _Speedy_ was captured by three French
line-of-battle ships, whose senior in command, Captain Pallière,
declined to accept the sword of an officer "who had," as he said,
"for so many hours struggled against impossibility," and asked Lord
Cochrane, though a prisoner, still to wear it. He, however, was
refused employment as commander of another ship. Thereupon, with
characteristic energy, he devoted his forced leisure from professional
pursuits to a year of student life at Edinburgh, where, in 1802, Lord
Palmerston was his class-fellow under Professor Dugald Stewart.

This occupation, however, was disturbed by the renewal of war with
France in 1803. Lord Cochrane, though with difficulty, then obtained
permission to return to active service, the _Arab_, one of the
craziest little ships in the navy, being assigned to him. On his
representing that she was too rotten for use off the French coast, he
was ordered to employ her in cruising in the North Sea and protecting
the fisheries north-east of the Orkneys, "where," as he said, "no
vessel fished, and consequently there were no fisheries to protect."
This ignominious work lasted for a year. It was brought to a close
in December, 1804, soon after the appointment of Lord Melville, in
succession to Earl St. Vincent, as First Lord of the Admiralty.

By him Lord Cochrane was transferred from the _Arab_ to the _Pallas_,