Dated 13 Green Street, March 11th, 1814.
I, SIR THOMAS COCHRANE, commonly called Lord Cochrane, having been
appointed by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to active
service (at the request, I believe, of Sir Alexander Cochrane) when I
had no expectation of being called on, I obtained leave of absence to
settle my private affairs previous to quitting this country, and
chiefly with a view to lodge a specification to a patent, relative to
a discovery for increasing the intensity of light. That in pursuance
with my daily practice of superintending work that was executing for
me, and knowing that my uncle Mr. Cochrane Johnstone went to the City
every morning in a coach, I do swear on the morning of the 21st of
February (which day was impressed on my mind by circumstances which
afterwards occurred) I breakfasted with him, at his residence in
Cumberland Street, about half-past eight o’clock, and I was put down
by him (and Mr. Butt was in the coach) on Snow-hill about ten o’clock;
that I had been about three quarters of an hour at Mr. King’s
manufactory, at No. 1 Cock Lane, when I received a few lines on a
small bit of paper, requesting me to come immediately to my house; the
name affixed, from being written close to the bottom, I could not
read; the servant told me it was from an army officer, and concluding
that he might be an officer from Spain, and that some accident had
befallen to my brother, I hastened back, and found Captain Berenger,
who, in great seeming uneasiness, made many apologies for the freedom
he had used, which nothing but the distressed state of his mind,
arising from difficulties, could have induced him to do; all his
prospects, he said, had failed, and his last hope had vanished of
obtaining an appointment in America, he was unpleasantly circumstanced
on account of a sum which he could not pay, and if he could that
others would fall upon him for full 8000_l._ He had no hope of
benefiting his creditors in his present situation, or of assisting
himself; that if I would take him with me, he would immediately go on
board and exercise the Sharpshooters (which plan Sir Alexander
Cochrane I knew had approved of[106]); that he had left his lodgings
and prepared himself in the best way his means allowed. He had brought
the sword with him which had been his father’s, and to that and to Sir
Alexander he would trust for obtaining an honorable appointment. I
felt, very uneasy at the distress he was in, and knowing him to be a
man of great talent and science, I told him I would do everything in
my power to relieve him, but as to his going immediately to the
_Tonnant_ with any comfort to himself, it was quite impossible; my
cabin was without furniture, I had not even a servant on board. He
said he would willingly mess anywhere; I told him that the ward-room
was already crowded, and besides, I could not, with propriety, take
him, he being a foreigner, without leave from the Admiralty. He seemed
greatly hurt at this, and recalled to my recollection certificates
which he had formerly shown me from persons in official situations:
Lord Yarmouth, General Jenkinson, and Mr. Reeves, I think, were
amongst the number. I recommended him to use his endeavour to get them
or any other friends to exert their influence, for I had none, adding
that when the _Tonnant_ went to Portsmouth, I should be happy receive
him, and I knew from Sir Alexander Cochrane that he would be pleased
if he accomplished that object. Captain Berenger said that not
anticipating any objection on my part, from the conversation he had
formerly had with me, he had come away with intention to go on board
and make himself useful in his military capacity. He could not go to
Lord Yarmouth or to any other of his friends in this dress (alluding
to that which he had on), or return to his lodgings, where it would
excite suspicion (as he was at that time in the rules of the King’s
Bench), but that if I refused to let him join the ship now, he would
do so at Portsmouth. Under present circumstances however he must use a
great liberty, and request the favour of me to lend him a hat to wear
instead of his military cap. I gave him one which was in a back room
with some things that had not been packed up, and having tried it on,
his uniform appeared under his great coat, I therefore offered him a
black coat that was lying on a chair, and which I did not intend to
take with me; he put up his uniform in a towel, and shortly afterwards
went away, in great apparent uneasiness of mind, and having asked my
leave he took the coach I came in, and which I had forgotten to
discharge, in the haste I was in. I do further depose, that the above
conversation is the substance of all that passed with Captain
Berenger, which, from the circumstances attending it, was strongly
impressed upon my mind; that no other person in uniform was seen by me
at my house on Monday, the 21st of February, though possibly other
officers may have called (as many have done since my appointment); of
this, however, I cannot speak of my own knowledge, having been almost
constantly from home, arranging my private affairs. I have understood
that many persons have called under the above circumstances, and have
written notes in the parlour, and others have waited there, in
expectation of seeing me, and then gone away; but I most positively
swear that I never saw any person at my house resembling the
description and in the dress stated in the printed advertisement of
the members of the Stock Exchange. I further aver, that I had no
concern, directly or indirectly, in the late imposition, and that the
above is all that I know relative to any person who came to my house
in uniform on the 21st day of February, before alluded to. Captain
Berenger wore a grey great coat, a green uniform, and a military cap.
From the manner in which my character has been attempted to be
defamed, it is indispensably necessary to state that my connection in
any way with the funds arose from an impression that in the present
favourable aspect of affairs, it was only necessary to hold stock in
order to become a gainer, without prejudice to anybody; that I did so
openly, considering it in no degree improper, far less dishonourable;
that I had no secret information of any kind, and that had my
expectation of the success of affairs been disappointed, I should have
been the only sufferer. Further, I do most solemnly swear, that the
whole of the omnium on account which I possessed on the 21st day of
February 1814 amounted to 139,000_l._, which I bought by Mr. Fearn (I
think) on the 12th ultimo, at a premium of 28¼; that I did not hold on
that day any other sum on account, in any other stock, directly or
indirectly, and that I had given orders when it was bought to dispose
of it on a rise of 1 per cent, and it actually was sold on an average
at 29½ premium, though on the day of the fraud it might have been
disposed of at 33½. I further swear, that the above is the only stock
which I sold, of any kind, on the 21st day of February, except
2000_l._ in money which I had occasion for, the profit of which was
about 10_l._ Further, I do solemnly depose, that I had no connection
or dealing with any one, save the above mentioned, and that I did not
at any time, directly or indirectly, by myself or by any other, take
or procure any office or apartment for any broker or other person for
the transaction of stock affairs.