“But what was still more distressing, every thing was wanting at once: cables to tow off the batteries in place of accident, and boats to receive the wounded. The attack was to have been supported by ten ships, and upwards of sixty gun-boats. Neither boats, gun-boats, nor ships, made their appearance.
“Lastly, according to the projected position, the gun-boats were to have been seconded by the one hundred and eighty pieces of cannon at the lines of St. Roch. This co-operation was rendered impracticable. Near four hundred pieces of artillery were to have opened at once upon North Bastion, Montagu Bastion, and Orange Bastion. With a superiority of nearly three hundred pieces, D’Arçon flattered himself that he should be able to silence the artillery of the fortress. What was his consternation when he found that the besiegers had no more than sixty or seventy pieces, to oppose to more than two hundred and eighty belonging to the besieged.
“The combined squadron remained quiet spectators of this tremendous scene: Guichen, who commanded the French ships, sent to offer assistance to Moreno; who replied that he had no occasion for any.
“Matters continued to grow worse; and no remedy could be devised. Eight of the batteries were at too great a distance to do or to sustain much injury. The two others bore in their bosoms the elements of destruction. Moreno, despairing of being able to save any of them, and resolving that they should not fall into the hands of the English, directed that those which were already in flames should be suffered to burn, and that all the others should be set on fire. I have seen the original order to this effect. Such was the result of that day, on which were annihilated ten vessels—the masterpieces of human ingenuity—the building of which cost three millions of livres, and whose artillery, anchors, cables, rigging, &c., amounted to two millions and a half more.
“D’Arçon, in the first moment of his consternation, acknowledged that he alone was to blame for the fatal issue of the day. I had for a considerable time in my possession the original of the short, but emphatic letter, which he wrote to Montmorin the ambassador, from the very shore of Algesiras, amid the dying sound of the artillery, and by the light of the burning batteries. It was as follows: “I have burned the Temple of Ephesus; every thing is lost, and through my fault. What comforts me under my misfortune is, that the glory of the two kings remains untarnished.” But on recovering from the shock, D’Arçon wrote a learned memoir, in which he took great pains to modify the confession which had escaped him; and to prove that he had more than one partner; or rather that circumstances, the most untoward and imperious, constituted his only fault.
“Scarcely had Gibraltar foiled beneath its walls, this formidable attempt, when in sight of our armies and our squadron, the place was re-victualled by Admiral Howe, who afterwards, with his thirty-six ships, boldly entered the Mediterranean. He was seen from Buena Vista passing from one sea to the other; every spectator supposed that he was running into the jaws of destruction. The fifty-two ships which were in the bay, weighed anchor, and pursued him; but Howe baffled our endeavours, as fortune had done our plans; and returned through the Streights in the same security as he had entered them.” Such is the account given by M. Bourgoing. He had access to know the facts, and they are probably correct; but there is, evidently, a French polish over the whole detail.
[C] The existence of this gateway, and the story connected with it, are perhaps known to few, but were identified in the researches made to verify this history. The gateway is at the bottom of a great tower, at some distance from the main body of the Alhambra. The tower had been rent and ruined by gunpowder, at the time when the fortress was evacuated by the French. Great masses lie around, half covered by vines and fig trees.—Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada.