The captain, officers, and ship's company were most honourably
acquitted by the sentence of court-martial.

Brenton, in his _Naval History_, remarks, 'In support of the
reasonable conjectures of the Admiral (Lord Nelson), as to the origin
of the fire, we might adduce many instances of ships in the cotton
trade having been on fire in the hold during a great part of their
voyage from China, owing to the cargo having been wet when compressed
into the ship. Hemp has been known to ignite from the same cause; and
the dockyard of Brest was set on fire by this means in 1757. New
painted canvas or tarpaulin, laid by before it is completely dry, will
take fire; and two Russian frigates were nearly burnt by the
accidental combination of a small quantity of soot, of burnt fir wood,
hemp, and oil, tied up with some matting,'

Mr. Thomas Banks, acting-lieutenant of the Hindostan, was recommended
to Lord Nelson for promotion, by the members of the court-martial, in
consequence of his conduct on this occasion; and he was advanced to
the rank of lieutenant on the 23rd of June, 1804. This gallant officer
died in 1811. Lieutenant George Tailour was appointed to the Tigre in
1808, and was promoted for his gallant conduct in cutting out a convoy
of transports which had taken refuge in this same Bay of Rosas, where,
five years before, he had equally distinguished himself, under even
more trying circumstances.

FOOTNOTES:

[6] Clark and McArthur, vol. ii. p. 361.