A short cruise in the Basque Roads prevented Lord Cochrane from
occupying in the House of Commons the seat thus won, and in April,
1807, very soon after his return, Parliament was again dissolved. He
then resolved to stand for Westminster, with Sir Francis Burdett for
his associate. Both were returned, and Lord Cochrane held his seat for
eleven years. In 1807, however, he had only time to bring forward two
motions respecting sinecures and naval abuses, which issued in violent
but unproductive discussion, when he received orders to join the fleet
in the Mediterranean as captain of the _Imperiéuse_. Naval employment
was grudgingly accorded to him; but it was thought wiser to give him
work abroad than to suffer under his free speech at home.

This employment was marked by many brilliant deeds, which procured
for him, on his surrendering his command of the _Imperiéuse_ after
eighteen months' duration, the reproach of having spent more sails,
stores, gunpowder, and shot than had been used by any other captain in
the service.

The most brilliant deed of all, one of the most brilliant deeds in
the whole naval history of England, was his well-known exploit in the
Basque Roads on the 11th, 12th, and 13th of April, 1809. Much against
his will, he was persuaded by Lord Mulgrave, at that time First
Lord of the Admiralty, to bear the responsibility of attacking and
attempting to destroy the French squadron by means of fireships
and explosion-vessels. The project was opposed by Lord Gambier, the
Admiral of the Fleet, as being at once "hazardous, if not desperate,"
and "a horrible and anti-Christian mode of warfare;" and consequently
he gave no hearty co-operation. On Lord Cochrane devolved the whole
duty of preparing for and executing the project. His own words will