Annotation:Admiral Gambier's Waltz

Admiral Lord James Gambier (1756-1833), 1st Baron Gambier, was a career Royal Navy officer, first attaining his Captain's rank during the American Revolution. During the wars with Napoleon, Gambier served in the Channel Fleet, as Governor of Newfoundland, Lord of the Admiralty, and in various actions including the 2nd Battle of Copenhagen and the Battle of Basque Roads. In the latter action Gambier (who had command of the Channel Fleet) refused to commit his force to shelling the French fleet which had been driven aground by Lord Cochrane. The latter was furious and made such a fuss that Gambier demanded a court martial to clear his name. At the time of Goulding's 1808 publication Gambier had just been awarded the thanks of Parliament and a peerage, becoming Baron Gambier of Iver.