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 ^\ UNIVER%. ^lOS ANCElfj: 
 
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 i!(^
 
 SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LAST W A R, &c 
 
 Price Two Shillikcjs and Six-p2i- -h.
 
 A 
 
 SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS 
 
 OF T S 
 
 LAST WAR; 
 
 IK ORDER TO PROVE 
 
 THAT THE FRENCH NATION NEVER GAVE SUCH SLENDER 
 
 PROOFS OF MARITIME GREATNESS AS 
 
 DURING THAT PERIOD j 
 
 OBSERVATIONS ON THE DISCIPLINE. 
 
 AND 
 
 HINTS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT, 
 
 OF THE 
 
 BRITISH NAVY. 
 
 THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 BY AN OFFICER. 
 
 « 
 
 L o N don: 
 PRINTED FOR J. MURRAY, N '. 32, FLEET-STREET. 
 
 M,DCC,XC.
 
 
 ■^ PREFACE. 
 
 In order to difpel a notion extremely 
 prejudicial to the honour of this country, 
 ^ that the French have not only equalled, 
 (^^sO but furpaiTed us as a maritime nation, 
 whether in manoeuvering, failing, or fight- 
 ing a fleet, I have taken up the pen. 
 The idea has no doubt been zealouHy pro- 
 pagated by our induflrious natural enemies, 
 who well know, that if fuch an opinion 
 ' j were once generally embraced, it would 
 ^^ produce the very efFed:s they wifli to flow 
 from it. Permit the French to have the 
 REPUTATION of fupcrior genius, courage, 
 and abilities, and you immediately damp 
 the fpirits of our ofhcers and fcamen; v/ho, 
 in that cafe, would not plough the ocean.
 
 VI PREFACE. 
 
 as they have done, in qucd of the enemy, 
 with elated courage, and in ccnfidcnce ofvic^ 
 tory-y would not boldly attack, but timidly 
 dtj'cnd ; and be fatisiied, if, inftead of 
 ftriking the flags of their adverfaries, they 
 themfclves efcaped being captured. 
 
 Defpondcnce is pernicious to the ag- 
 grandifement of any nation; andlliould be 
 held in particular detcftation in this ifland, 
 where a humid atmofphere deprefles the 
 animal fpirits, and naturally encourages it. 
 Upon the lead failure of fuccefs, men, 
 otherwife of good fenfe and courage, in- 
 dulge too much in gloomy apprehenfions 
 for the fate of their country. They thus 
 aid the evil they lliould remedy ; and do 
 not confider, that temporary, or occa- 
 fional difafters, are common to all nations ; 
 and that, to counteradl or overcome them, 
 confidence in their refources, and firmnefs 
 and ardour in combat, are abfolutely re- 
 quifitc. Under every misfortune, the Ro- 
 mans
 
 PREFACE. Vll 
 
 mans remained firm and undaunted; and 
 to this fortitude, as much as to their 
 valour, were they indebted for their con- 
 quefts. 
 
 That the notion, or opinion, which I 
 have mentioned, in favour of the French, 
 and degrading to England, foolifl:ily pre- 
 vailed during lafl war, no perfon in the re- 
 colledion of the period will be hardy 
 enough to deny. I have made it my bufi- 
 nefs to iliew, from fadts, how unfounded 
 it was ; and to prove, that at no aera what- 
 ever did they exhibit fo little prowefs to 
 boaft of. 
 
 If I am able to eflablifh this point, the 
 confequences may prove beneficial to my 
 country. For, inftead of harbouring, in 
 future, unmanly notions of ourfelvcs, it 
 Will ferve to illuflrate, that unanimity, and 
 good conduct, are all that are neccflary to 
 render Great Britain fiourifliing, and tri- 
 umphant, over the world. 
 
 Refpcdting
 
 VUl PREFACE. 
 
 Rcfpeifcing the compolitlon of the foU 
 lowing pages, I confcfs it to be vcrv 
 faulty ; and, w ithout rekrve, I abandon it 
 to the critics. If, however, when they con- 
 demn my violatioi: of the rules of gram- 
 mar, they give me credit for the motives 
 that prompted tlie publication, viz. a de- 
 fire to do honour to my country, and to 
 remove a popular error, unpropitious to 
 her glory, I fhall remain fatisficd. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 A SHORT
 
 A 
 SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LAST WAR, 6cc, 
 
 1 HERE feems to be|^n opinion (and 
 that but too general) prevailing, that our 
 fleets are not what they were formerly ; 
 and that the naval power of France has 
 equalled, if not furpalTed, that of Great 
 Britain. 
 
 Without inquiring whence this^ error 
 originates — for an egregious error it cer- 
 tainly is — from what quarter propagated, 
 the fort of people it is favoured by; 
 
 A or
 
 2 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THK 
 
 or whctlicr it proceeds from ignorance, 
 or niirchicf ; let us examine liow well the 
 irentleinen who favour this opinion arc 
 founded in their afiertions. 
 
 It is acknowledged, I believe, that the 
 bell wav to arrive at truth is by invcfli- 
 '^atin^: fa<^s, from authentic evidence. — 
 I fhall therefore, in the liril place, fet 
 out \Nitii aficrting, in dl-ctfl oppofi- 
 tion to wiiat thcfe gentlemen advance, 
 ' That at no time fincc Great Britain was 
 
 * a maritime jxjwer, h;.s ihe had Inch 
 
 * folid reafons to be fatisfjed with her 
 *- naval prowefs and fupcriority, as from 
 
 * the events of lalt war.' — I am far 
 from being averfc to the going into the 
 proof of what I advance, or afhanwd of 
 comparing the adioni> of lafl war with 
 thofe oi the war which preceded it, or any 
 the moll glorious war that is upon record, 
 and v/hoic brilliant naval adtions grace the 
 annals of this nation. 
 
 Let
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST WAR. J 
 
 Let US then, firfl, rccollc6t how the lafk 
 war commenced with the French, and 
 what, in all probability, was the grand ob- 
 jed: of that nation. Is it imagined that it 
 was the difmemberment of America from 
 this empire ? Can the wifeft, the ableft 
 politician in the world, pretend to have 
 forefeen, that America would atchieve (af- 
 fifted as fhe was) her independance * ? It 
 was never imagined, their moft fanguine 
 enthulialls in the caufe never expedted, 
 that in fo fhort a time it could have hap- 
 pened. But there arofe out of this cruel 
 and unnatural war, an objedl which our 
 natural enemy could not be otherwife than 
 tempted to look at. The profpedt was 
 more alluring, more flattering to their am- 
 
 * I believe four men in five are of opinion, thatj had 
 the Britifh army in America (the fincft troops, for their 
 numbers, that ever were brought into the field) been com- 
 manded by a Duke of Erunfwick, the burthen, with the 
 glory of American dependance, would have been fccured 
 to Great Britain, 
 
 A 2 bitious
 
 0f A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THB 
 
 bitious views, than any that had been 
 prefented to them fince the two nations 
 had been rivals. I will therefore alk, if 
 there can be any doubt, but that the de- 
 flrudion of our navy v/as their grand aim ? 
 Confidering that their chief attention had 
 beendiredlcd to their ov,'n navy during the 
 peace; that there was a profped (though 
 it proved delufive) that we lliouid not be 
 able to man all our fliips, from being de- 
 prived of feamen which formerly v.e had 
 drawn from the American trade; that, 
 inftead of the aid of thefc feamen, they 
 would fight againfh us ; confidering the 
 complexion of the times, that the nation 
 was in a flate of fadtious ferment at home, 
 and that the fever of party had ever 
 tainted the difcipline of our fleets ; that 
 the French had got to fea before us, with 
 a fuperior fleet, fanguine in their projeds, 
 prefumptuous in confidence, with a prince 
 of the blood, to gather ])romifcd laurels, 
 
 and
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST' WAR. 5 
 
 and to fliare expeded triumphs: — upon 
 the whole, can it be doubted for a mo- 
 ment, what was their grand, and always 
 favourite objed ? or can we wonder, that 
 thev were f^nguine in their expeftations 
 of pulling down the bulwark of this 
 ifland ? 
 
 It is indeed almoft needlefs to inquire, 
 how far they have fucceeded. It ought to 
 be as animating to Englifhmen, as it is hu- 
 miliating and difgraceful to our rival, to be 
 convinced^ that the war terminated without 
 the enemy having in their pofTefiion one 
 fmgle line of battle (hip taken from the 
 Britifh fleet; whilft every harbour in 
 England is adorned vvith the floating caf- 
 tles of ciur enemy. Tv/enty fail of tht line 
 were captured in the courfe of the war, 
 with a greater number of large frigates 
 than was ever taken in any former war. 
 And though we were unfortunate in lofing 
 ibme Ihips by ftorms and hurricanes, parti- 
 A 3 cularly
 
 6 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 cuLirly the ViHe de Paris, which had been 
 borne into the harbour uf Jamaica in glori- 
 ous triumph, and afterwards graced an 
 EngHlh hnc of battle ; yet thcfc unfortu- 
 nate events do not diminilli the luftre of 
 our conquefls. But let us as concifely 
 as pofTible examine this naval war. 
 
 The firll blood drawn, was in a fevere 
 action between the Arethufa, commanded 
 by Captain Samuel Marflial, and the 
 French frigate La BcIIc Poule. The 
 greateil gallantry was evinced on both 
 fides. The Englifh frigate was inferior 
 in fize, number of men, and weight 
 of metal ; yet, if wc were to judge from 
 tlic difference in the lill of killed and 
 wounded, being more than five to one in 
 favour of the Englilh frigate, fuperior 
 prowefs was evident. 
 
 Soon after thisadlion, wc fliall find upon 
 record the ever memorable 27th of July, 
 I778,difgraceful to both nations — but cer- 
 tainly
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S. OF THE LAST WAR. 7 
 
 tainly moft fo to the French ; and infinitely 
 more difcouraging, and at this period mor- 
 tifying and humiliating, if they will allow 
 us to believe, that they expedied nothing 
 lefs than that the firft ellliy of their grand 
 fleet would be crowned with decided vic- 
 tory. However artfully they have concealed 
 their feelings ; however they might en- 
 deavour to impofe upon the eyes of Eu- 
 rope a fdlacious account of the battle, 
 they could not deceive their own officers 
 and feamen who returned to that harbour 
 of Breft, from which they had failed a few 
 days before with a confident fpirit, cherifli- 
 ed to that ardor and madnefs for battle, 
 which Frenchmen are acknowledged to 
 polTefs, equal to any nation, when fight- 
 ing in the prefence of thtir princes : — 
 they returned, I fay, with that depreiTion, 
 which ardent and prefiimptive fpirits feel 
 when mortified by difippointment. I am 
 fare there is not a man who ferved on that 
 A 4 day
 
 A M1<*/KT ACCOrVT OF THP 
 
 day in tlie Eritifn licet, who is 1:0 1 con- 
 vinced, that if the French Admiral had 
 not taken the advantage of the night tore- 
 treat, the Britilli fleet would have renewed 
 the battle the following morning. With- 
 out going further into the fubjed:, which 
 we have been already furfeited with, how- 
 ever every man in that fleet; in his own 
 mind, is convinced that the enemy Ihould 
 have been followed to the harbour's mouth 
 of Brefl ; ftill I will venture to aiiirm, 
 that a Britifli feaman had never a more 
 contemptible opinion of his cncniy, than 
 from the condu(ft of the French Admiral 
 on the 27th and 28th of July: and fuch 
 an o^^inion, at the beginning of a war, was 
 furciy no immaterial circumflance ; for, 
 notwithilanding the aClion was not deci- 
 five, there were exhibited thofe bold and 
 daring proofs of valour, which have fo of- 
 ten confounded our enemies. Single fliips 
 were feen rulhing into adion againil a wall 
 
 of
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST. WAR, 9 
 
 of fire, unfupporteJ J they f^.w the fignal 
 for battle fiying, and jicvcr looked behind 
 them ; one fliip cut through their line *, 
 which evinced that the force aj:d provvefs 
 of each iliip, was fuch as rccj[uired only vi- 
 gour and prefence of mind to have com- 
 bined the whole, and to have condud:ed 
 the fleet to certain vidiory. 
 
 Let us at once pafs on to the next cir- 
 cumftance of great moment ; which hap- 
 pened in the home feas 3 when we fliali fee 
 (what iudeed for many years England had 
 not been accuflomed to b.ehold) the 
 united fleets of France and Spain in the 
 Britifli Channel, commanded by the 
 Comte d'Orvilliers and Don Cordova, of 
 62 fail of the line, and our own fleet of ^6 
 -fail, commanded by Sir Charles Hardy, 
 retiring hefore it; either to draw the ur.- 
 wieldy fleet of the enemy into the narrpw 
 
 • Tlie Courageux, commanded by Lord Mulgravr. 
 
 3 P'^rt
 
 lO A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 part of the Channel, wlicrc it would have 
 been cxpoled to great danger, had they 
 met with bad weather ; or, what is more 
 probable, the Britifli Admiral did not 
 tinnk it prudent to hazard a battle againfl 
 fuch odds, when there was fo much at 
 ^akc. The nation, fpoilt I may lay by 
 the fucccfs of the former war, without 
 conlidcring the caufes, went at once inio 
 a flame ofdifcontcnt ; they were ready to 
 believe that, had it happened in the year 
 ffty-ninc, \\c Hiould have attacked and 
 deflroyed any lleet, whatever might have 
 been its numbers. — But I v ill ailc, whe- 
 ther any adion of that war, or any war 
 we have ever had wi^h the French, can 
 juftify fuch prefuii ption ? There feems to 
 have been inrlvcd a confidence of this kind 
 *:-. the reign of King William ; for, when 
 Tourville* with a fuperior fleet came into 
 
 • Eaiilc of Bcacliy Head. The French fleet was 60 line of 
 battle fhip^ ; the EnglUh combined with the Dutch was 41. 
 
 1 tilC
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THF. LAST WAR. II 
 
 the Channel, Lord Torrington had pofi- 
 tive orders to give the enemy battle. 
 Great Britain was in alliance at that time 
 with the Dutch 3 of whofe fhips part of 
 our fleet was compofed, and who fought 
 with an obftinacy at that time peculiar to 
 their charadler. The event of the battle 
 was unfuccefsful ; fuperior numbers pre- 
 vailedi feveral of the Dutch fhips were 
 funk, wuth two Englifh of the line : a to- 
 tal overthrow was only prevented by the 
 Englifh Admiral judicioufly anchoring his 
 fleet on the tide of ebb ; which f^parated 
 the two fleets, and fecured him a fafe re- 
 treat into our harbours upon the next 
 flood tide. 
 
 This event encouraged TourvlUc, the 
 following year, to attack * with 44 of his 
 vidlorious fliips the largefl fleet that was 
 
 • The battle of La Hogue. 
 
 ever
 
 12 \ !110i1T ACCOUNT OF THK 
 
 c\<.T coinmajidcd by ua Ln.gliih AdniiraJ, 
 ;:nd, cojilidcring the iizc of tlic lliips, the 
 moll: formidable force that had ever been 
 affcmbled by aiiy nation. It confilled c/f 
 63 Britilh ihips of the Vine, (fix of which 
 were of 100 guns, bearing togetlicr 4600 
 men, and ten of 90 guns), with the Dutch 
 fquadrcn of 36 fail (19 of which were firil 
 aiid fecond rates) ^ making in tjic whole a 
 line of battle of 99 fail. With fiich miglity 
 odds, can it be wondered at that the fleet 
 of France was worllcd in the lirft day's 
 battle ; or that it was purfued, and x great 
 part of it deflroycd in a dcfencelefs bay * 
 on the fecond } Our wonder is more ]\\i\^ 
 ly excited, that the Frencli A(inural /hould 
 havehadihe temerity tohavc attacked it at 
 
 • Perhaps if ihc French had had an harbour at tlut 
 time ii C'licrbourg, thcy.VoulJ not h.-nc Toft a fTngle (Tlip. 
 This is perhaps, as flrong a circunilbuicc as can he pro- 
 duced, of whai importance to tlut nr.t'wn it will be to 
 complete that haibour. 
 
 all;
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 13 
 
 till ; and that, having once involved himfelf 
 in battle, he fliould have elcaped even to 
 liave run any one of his fhips on fhore. 
 But let it be obferved, en the fubje(^ of 
 this battle, though the confequences 
 were moil fortunate to England, in dimi« 
 nifliing the naval pov\^er of France, yet, as 
 to the vidlory, I am inclined to believe, 
 we have been, as a warlike nation, rather 
 too vain, for we vv^ere more than two Hiips 
 to one. And when we boafl of the glo- 
 rious ninety-two^ we 'are ignorant of the 
 circumflances attending the adlion. 
 
 But to return to my fubjed:, and con- 
 ned: Vvdth it my obfervations on thefe two 
 battles: I take with me, I think, fome de- 
 gree of proof, that it is not H^ill or courage 
 that can infure fuccefs again ft a fleet 
 greatly fuperior. It fhould be remembered 
 that, in the vidories obtained in the year 
 1747, Admiral Anfon's fleet was 14 fail of 
 the line ; the enemy's only 5 : in the 
 
 fame
 
 I^ A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 fame year, Admiral Hawkc's fleet was 14 
 to 8 of the enemy : that, in our fuccelTcs 
 in the year 1759* Admiral Bofcawen's vic- 
 tory was obtained over the French Admi- 
 ral De la Clue, when his fleet was 14 fail 
 of the line, the enemy's only 7. Yet it is 
 from a recollection of thefe fuccelfes, when 
 our fhips were two to one againfl: the ene- 
 my, in former wars, that it was expeded, 
 in the lall war, that the enemy was to be 
 attacked, and beaten, when nearly two to 
 one againfl us *. Ihc vidory obtained by 
 
 Sir 
 
 • Ofihc clrcumftances that might be brought in proof, 
 that the (hips of France fought cither with greater oblli- 
 lucy, or that our (hips were not fo formidable, in former 
 wars, tlicrc is one that evidently flicws it; which i,, by 
 comparing v\'hat the nation expcdkd of the navy at the 
 different periods. We find, in the reign of King William, 
 that Admiral Herbert had a battle with the French fleet iu 
 Bantry Bay. The fleets were nearly equal ; that is, wc 
 had 22 fill of the line, and the enemy's line of battle was 
 24. There Wis not any fliip taken on cither fide; but our 
 
 hifloriaus
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 15 
 
 Sir Edward Hawke over Conflans, was not 
 in confequence of a battle. The French 
 Admiral never attempted to try the 
 ftrength of his fleet, but fled before a fhot 
 was fired; having orders, as it is faid, to 
 avoid a battle, and purfue the objedt for 
 which Jj'is armament had been equipped, 
 the making a defcent in Ireland. Yet no 
 Admiral's character has ever flood fo high 
 for intrepidity as Sir Edward Hawke's; 
 whofe firm heart, braving the dangers 
 which threatened him, refolved on the 
 deflirudion of his country's foes, his fpirit 
 impelled him in the purfuit, amidft rocks 
 and Ihoals, on their own coafl:, on a lee- 
 Ihore, in the month of November. 
 
 In the fame fortunate war, we fee the 
 Admirals Pocock and Stevens, in the Eart: 
 
 hiftorians are rather inclined to admit, that we had the 
 worftofit. Yet Admiral Herbert was created a Vifcount, 
 feveral of the Captains wer« knighted, and the fc-amca 
 rewarded with a bounty of ten Ihillings each. 
 
 Indies,
 
 l6 A 3TrCRT ACCOCN'T OF THE 
 
 Indies, with great bravery engage tlie 
 French fleet commanded by Monf. d* Ache 
 ill three feveral battles — no lliips taken 
 on either lide : and this was the only quar- 
 ter of the globe where the enemy had 
 Ihips to contend with us. The renown 
 •vve had acquired from our ruccelfes at 
 home, and in other quarters of the globe, 
 had no doubt animated our fleets, and 
 damped the ardor of the enemy. But in 
 India, after long and bloody contcfts, we 
 were obli'^ed to be contented with drawn 
 battles; — the French line of battle having 
 a fuperiority of two fliips *. And thefc cir- 
 cumllances continue the proof, that the 
 intoxicating fucceffes of that popular war, 
 do not juflify us in the fobriety of reflec- 
 tion 
 
 • III the fird and fccond oflion wiili Monficur d'Achc, 
 it appear; wc had a line of battle (hip more than the enemy, 
 and that thry brought two fiiips of 44 guns and a frigate 
 into the line : 
 
 Englifli
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR, IJ 
 
 tloii to believe, that we may always rilque 
 a battle when the enemy is fo greatly fii- 
 perior in numbers as the combined fleets 
 were, commanded by Comte d'Orvilliers 
 
 Englifli Line of Battle. 
 
 Typcr 
 
 Salillniry 
 
 Elizabeth 
 
 Yarmouth 
 
 Cumberland 
 Nc-.vca.llc 
 W'ty mouth 
 
 Guns Captains 
 
 60 Thomas Latham 
 JO John SomcrCctt 
 ^rCummoJorc Stevens 
 ■-Captain Kcmpclfclt 
 j^TAdmiralPocock 
 
 Ljohn Harrifon 
 56 William Brereton 
 SO Gie)' L<:gc;e 
 60 Nicholas \'in£ent 
 
 French Line of Battle. 
 
 Guns Captains 
 
 BJcn Aime <;8 Mnnf. do la Palliw* 
 
 Vcngcur 54 Monf. Eouvttt 
 
 Conde 44 Monf. du Roibau 
 
 Due d'Orleans 50 Monf. dc Surville 
 
 Zodi..que ^rCom.d-Achc 
 
 LChev.de Montcill 
 Saint Louis ' 50 Monf. Joannis 
 
 "^oras 44 Monf. Bee de Lievre 
 
 Sylphidc ;6 Monf. Mahc 
 
 Due dc Bourgogne 56 Monf. Apret " 
 
 Ships in the kft aaion of Admiral Pocock's with Monfieur 
 d'Ache, which appears, from the number of men klUed 
 aad wounded, to have been very cblHnate. 
 
 Englirti Line. 
 
 ri;/abcth 
 Ncwcafllc 
 Tyger 
 
 Grafton 
 
 Varmouth 
 
 Cumbcrlar.d 
 JaJid'.ry 
 Sunderland 
 W'cyinokUi 
 
 Guns 
 
 Captains 
 
 64 Richard Tiddcman 
 50 Captain Michic 
 60 William Brereton 
 ^rRcar Admiral Stevens 
 
 L Richard KcmpelMt 
 gjjpicc Admiral Pocock 
 
 Ljohn Harrifon 
 56 John Somerlctt 
 50 ligby Dent 
 SO James Culvill? 
 Co iir Wiliiim B^d 
 
 Killed 
 and 
 V\ oHn. 
 
 French Line. 
 
 77 
 
 Aflif 
 
 64 
 
 III 
 
 Minotaur 
 
 74 
 
 16S 
 
 Due d'Orleans 
 
 60 
 
 >J 
 
 S.iir.t Louis 
 
 50 
 
 J 
 
 Ven/rur 
 
 64 
 
 ].-9 
 
 Z.^lia^uc 
 
 74 
 
 J 
 
 Cmnndc Pro>encc74 
 
 Si 
 
 Due (le Buurj.ogfK 56 
 
 i6 
 
 llluftre 
 
 64 
 
 2 
 
 Fi r:unx 
 
 fc 
 
 e 
 
 C.niaur 
 
 64 - 
 
 £ 
 
 and
 
 j8 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 and Don Cordova, which had VLMitured^ 
 we may lav, into the narrow Teas; for their 
 conduct evinces that it was nothing more 
 tlian a venture. We can I'carcely call it 
 infulting our coafl; for, except giving the 
 panic tofomeold Well Country women of 
 both fcxesy they were perfedlly harmlefs. 
 I lliould believe, that there can be no 
 greater proof of the imbecility of the 
 French councils, or the timidity of their 
 Admirals, than the inoffenfive ufe they 
 made of this wonderful armament — which 
 limply failed up the Channel, and then 
 failed back again. It did not appear by this 
 manojuvre, that we were at all difcouraged 
 in our future projects; iur the intrepid fpirit 
 of our feamen, under the command ol the 
 fortunate Sir George Rodnev, foon blazed 
 forth and was crowned with fuccefs, by the 
 capture of fevcral Spanilh line of battle 
 fhips; and the liA: of the prifoners taken 
 was graced by the name of their Admiral 
 3 Don
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. I9 
 
 Don Langara. Our fleet was fuperior; 
 but the wind blowing flrong upon the 
 lliore, and the weather hazy, made the 
 purfuit and attack exceedingly hazardous. 
 But fuch was the ardor of our command- 
 ers, that it appears the enemy's fleet was 
 beaten, and taken, before they had con- 
 fidered the rifque they had run ; for the 
 following day many of them were in dan- 
 ger of being driven in the enemy's port of 
 Cadiz. The defence that the Spaniards 
 made rather evinced obftinacy than fkill, 
 fo that our (hips received very little da- 
 mage. 
 
 About this time an adion between two 
 fingle fliips materially claims our notice; 
 the Quebec frigate of 32 guns, nine and 
 fix pounders, commanded by. Captain 
 Farmer, and the Surveillant of 36 guns, 
 fourteen and fix pounders, commanded 
 by Monfieur Coudie. The aclicn was 
 gallantly maintained on both fides, until 
 « 2 the
 
 20 A SHORT ACCOUNT Qt 1U£ 
 
 the malls of tlic French frigate came by 
 ' the board, and ihe was filcnced, and en 
 ihc point of fiirrcndcring ; at this critical 
 moment the forc-maft of the Quebec fell 
 aft upon the quarter-deck ; and the guns 
 tiring at the fame time, the fails caught 
 t\vc in an inflant. The flames fpread fo 
 rapidly, that the fhip was prefently in a 
 blaze, fore and aft ; the main and mizen 
 mail came alfo by the board. The enemy, 
 encouraged by the accident, returned to 
 tlieir quartern, and increafed the confu- 
 lion. Ail attempts to extinguifli the fire 
 were vain : the Ilnp burnt to the water's 
 tdgc, and blew up with her gallant com- 
 mander, colours Hying, uneonquered. — 
 Many of the oflicers and feamen fwam to 
 the enemy's ihip, where they were re- 
 ceived \'. ith iliat humanity which is fo 
 often to be fou!id with heroic qualities; 
 yet the utmofl: precaution was necclTary 
 in rcceivii.g them on board, fuch was the 
 
 deplorable
 
 KAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST V/AH. 2J 
 
 deplomble flatc of the French frigate, in a || 
 
 linking condition, and the decks filled 
 with mangled and dead bodies. 
 
 Whilfb the heart expands with adnaira- 
 tion at this animating examnlc, which, 
 even in the midft of horror, kindles a fpirit 
 of emulation, let us not forget an action 
 which does the nation equal credit. Capt. 
 Richard Pearfon, commanding the Serapis 
 of 44 guns, having with him an armed 
 Ihip of 20 guns, commanded by Captain 
 Piercy, by the mofb intrepid gallantry 
 and perfeverance, iaved a valuable convoy 
 of rich fhips from the Baltic. The enemy 
 were greatly fuperior, confilling of the 
 Bon Homme Richard of 44 guns, and 
 two large frigates of 36, with a brig of 16 
 commanded by Paul Jones, a defperate '^;,J^^ , 
 Engliili outlaw. The battle raged furi- *^,^^J.* 
 oufly for a length of time ; the Serapis '^^^^^ 
 lying along- fide and on board the Bon 
 Homme Richard, whilft one of the 
 B 3 French
 
 21 A SH^R r ACCOUNT CP TFIF 
 
 French filiates raked the Serapis fort end 
 aft by repeated broadfides. This unequal 
 conteil was heroically maintained until the 
 convoy were all in fafety; and the main 
 mail of the Serapis falling, /he was obliged 
 to furrender to the fliip fhc had demolifhed; 
 the defperado Jones being under the ne- 
 celnty of quitting his Ihiittered finking 
 fhip, and removing the remains of his 
 crew to the Serapis. The merit of this 
 action arifes from the little probability 
 there v/as of conquering. The apparent 
 objecft with the Britifh otncers feems to 
 have been that of rifquing their lives, 
 until the trading wealth of this country 
 was in fafety i and it ihould not be for- 
 gotten, that the enemy lull a ihip qf 
 equal force in the contcft. 
 
 Let us now carry our inveiTigation to 
 the Wcfl Indies, and obfcrve what hap- 
 pened there, to evince this fo much talked 
 pf im/TOvcd fpirit uf bravery in our ene- 
 my.
 
 NAVAL ACTION'^ OF THE LAST WAR. 2^ 
 
 jiiv. There wc find Admiral Barrington, 
 at the Cul de Sac at St, L>ucia, December 
 2r>, 177S, with 7 failof ihips, mcfl of them, 
 of 50 guns, refiil: the attack of 12 fail of 
 iieavy ihips of the line commanded by 
 Comte d'Ellaing, and fecure the conquefl 
 of that ifland -, though there is not the 
 fmallefl doubt, had the French Admiral 
 employed only half the good condudt 
 and determined bravery in his attack, that 
 was evinced by the Britifh Admiral in the 
 defence of the little Englidi fquadron, the 
 latter would have been deftroyed, and 
 the iOand of St. Lucia fecured to France. 
 Yet the French pride themfelves upon the 
 daring qualities of this officer. But no- 
 thin 2: can fo much urovc the difference 
 there is in the charader of the two na- 
 tions, as the fati.sfadion the French have 
 Ihewn at the merely vapouring condud 
 of fome of their Admirals. Let us exa- 
 mine if Monf. d'Eftaing acquitted himfclf 
 B 4 better
 
 44 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 better at the battle of the Circnades, the 
 8th oi July 1779, when Admiral Byron, 
 joined by Admiral Harrington, attacked the 
 enemy's luperior lleet. Tlie liritilh Ad- 
 miral, it Teems, had been deceived, either 
 by ignorant or treacherous intelligence, 
 which defcribed the enemy's fleet to 
 be much inferior; fo that, inftcad of 
 combining his whole force in a line 
 of battle, he made the fignal to chace, 
 and engage as the fhips came up with 
 the enemy. Admiral Barringto7i in the 
 Prince of Wales, Captains Sawyer m the 
 Boync, and Gardner 'u\ the Sultan, were 
 the firfl: up with the enemy ; being follow- 
 ed by the Lion, Captain CornwaUis^ the 
 Grafton, Captain Collingivoody Mon- 
 mouth, Captain Fanjkaw, and the Corn- 
 wall, Captain Eihcards. Thefe oflicers, 
 though they found the enemy greatly 
 fupcrior, ditl not hefitate to attack, and 
 performed prodigies of valour — refifling 
 
 the
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST ^VA^?. 2$ 
 
 the v/holc Frencli fleet until the reH: of 
 our ihlps dre\v up. And then, notwitii- 
 llaiuling thole which Ihid flrfl: engaged 
 were greatly difabled, and the Lion fj- 
 parated by the enemy's line from our fleet; 
 yet it would feem, that the boldnefs of 
 the ihips whieh had engaged efred:ed fuch 
 an impreffion, that the Freneh y\dmiral 
 was dif})ofed to ad: entirely on the defen- 
 five; not even molefting the fliips which 
 were already cut ofi, and two others, the 
 Grafton and Cornwall, which muil have 
 fallen, with but moderate exertions. 
 
 Let us continue in thefe feas, and view 
 the condud of the enemy's Adm.irai, Comte 
 de Guichen, who was met by an inferior 
 fleet, commanded by Sir George Rodney, 
 tht 1 9 th of May, 1 780, to leeward of Mar- 
 tinique. Here the Britilh fleet was fcpa- 
 rated, and thrown into confuhon, by the 
 fignals of the Admiral not being clearly 
 comprehended ; yet the enemy were fo 
 
 roughly
 
 2h A tllORT ACCOl'NT OF THE 
 
 rou^flilv Ii.iiullcd, that th.^v Ibuiilit a 
 port ; and in t\'. o acflions afterwards con- 
 vinced us, that tlicy wifhcd rather to avoid 
 a battle than h'^ht it out. — In this place 
 I ihall take occalion to Ipeak of an old 
 ollicer, whofe charader was thi^ratencd by 
 a letter *, which appeared in the public 
 papers, from Sir George Rodney to him. 
 Captain Carkctt had dillinguiihed himfelf 
 in the preceding war, and Sir George 
 Rodney had appointed him in this bat- 
 tie to lead the Britilh fleet. This vete- 
 ran had the old Fighting InArudions im- 
 printed on his mind. Sir George Rodney 
 had made additions to thefe Inllrudions. 
 He had fignals which announced, ihat it 
 \N'as liis intention to attack cither the van, 
 centre, or rear, lie had made one ol 
 
 • A IcucT from Sir George RoJnry to Capftin Carkctt, 
 
 ptirporting that, as l»r difapprovcd of liis" conHufl on the 
 
 day of battle, thotigh he brlicvi-d him to be a brave man, 
 
 l,c h.id appointed another C:tpiain lo lead i!ic liritifli fleet 
 
 under his command. 
 
 thefe
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 27 
 
 thcfe fignals on this 19th of May; but 
 after the lignal had been made, the fleet 
 had chanj^cd tacks, occalioncd bv the ma- 
 nceuvres of the enemy. The Fighting 
 Inllrudlions exprefsly fay, that, when in a 
 line of battle oppofed to the enemy, the 
 van fhip is to ftecr with the fhip of the 
 enemy's van, and each fhip is to engage 
 his opponent in the enemy's line of battle. 
 On this day Sir George Rodney, after 
 feveral manoeuvres, made the iignal for 
 his fleet to bear down and engage — every 
 fliip his opponent. The van of the ene- 
 my, it feems, at this time was far extend- 
 ed a-head of our van ; and Captain Carkett 
 thought it his duty to llretch a-head, and 
 engage the van fhip, agreeably to the old 
 Fighting Inilrudions imprclled on his 
 mind. The fliips in the van divifion, and 
 part of the centre, foUov/ed him ; which 
 feparated them from the centre. Each 
 pian thought he was doing his duty. And 
 
 I n-iuH
 
 28 A riir.RT ACCOL'NT 01 THL 
 
 I mull obk-rvc, that it required more gal- 
 lantry in Captain Carkctt's pcrkvcring to 
 engage the vin llii}>, receiving the lire of 
 other Ihips as he palled, than to Jiave bore 
 down, and to have engaged the ihip that 
 happened to be, at the time the lignal was 
 made, oppofed to him. Thougli it un- 
 doubtedly was the intention of Sir George 
 Rodney, as the French line was extended, 
 to have made an impreffion on the centre 
 with his v/hole force. — I will not prelume 
 to fay, that there was a want of precifion 
 in the Admiral's fignals ; but certain it is, 
 that the language of fignals, efpecially that 
 which innovates upon cllablilhed princi- 
 ples, fliould be not only perfedly clear 
 in its meaning, but well marked by points 
 of time. Be it as it \s ill, il there was any 
 advantage to be taken ol thefj nullakes, 
 it is evident that the enemy had not the 
 courage, or fkill, to attem])t it. 
 
 Let
 
 1<JAVAL ACTIONS OF THE'LAST WAR. 2g 
 
 Let US continue in thefc leas, and remark 
 upon what happened, wlien Sir Samuel 
 Hood was fent with a reinforcement of live 
 fail of the line to join Sir George Rodney. 
 The furprife and capture of the ifland of St. 
 Euftatius, as a military achievement, is 
 not worth notice *, nor has it added one 
 
 fmgle 
 
 * The taking pofTcfTion of St. Euftatius was certainly a 
 great objeft, as it fometimes happened, that the French had 
 no other means of being fuppHcd, either with provihons 
 or naval ftores, than from the magazines of this ifland ; 
 and, to the eternal difgrace of Commerce, it was difcoverod 
 that many Engllfh merchants were concerned in this traffic, 
 facrlficing the interefls of their country to their own feliilh 
 views. People who play fo defperate a game deferve every 
 misfortune that can befal them ; and they of all others 
 fiiould have hnd the Icaft claim to confideration, when 
 the property and (lores of the merchants were fclr.cd 
 by the Commanders in Chief The Brltifh failors, who 
 were protedling their country, and who in the line of bat- 
 tle fliips received nothing bvit hard blows, (and bit for 
 whofe bravery, on the 12th of April, no one can fay that, 
 with any dcg-ec of (afety to Great ]'rit:;in, the wr.r would 
 have been brought to an IfTue), were gracloufly promife4 
 
 the
 
 ^3 A SH..'. r ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 linplc leaf to the laurels of the Command- 
 
 o 
 
 crs in Chief. There being only thirty in- 
 valids to defend it againfl: a fleet of 14 fail 
 of the line and 1 500 troops, approach- 
 ing with as much caution as it tlierc had 
 been to be furprifcd a llrong garrifon, time 
 was loft by u.fclefs feints and preparations, 
 Inftead. of the fleet proceeding immedi- 
 ately, it was brought to the leeward of 
 Martinique — as it was faid, to create an 
 alarm there ; whilft Sir Samuel Hood was 
 difpatchedwitli five fail of the line to wait 
 for the fleet oil the illand of Nevis, and 
 to prevent intclhgence being fent to St. 
 Euftatius. By this delay, the Durch Ad- 
 
 the plunder of this iflAiiJ — of this ncil of commercial 
 traitors. In.lcad, however, of its being f;curcd to tJicm 
 by the Courts of L.iw, tl>c claimants met with fuch encou- 
 ragement from the decrees in Uicir favour, that many have 
 profccutcd for property feiAcd at St. KuJlaiius who never 
 hsd a f.x'-pcnce upon the idand; the Civilian and the 
 claimant making a job of it, fccure in a iltrrcc of rcfli- 
 tution, to llic ruin of tJiC capiors. 
 
 miral
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THF LAST WAR. 3 1 
 
 miral killed with the convoy from the 
 roail ; though, by good fori iinCy the wliole 
 were afterwards captured. 
 
 Soon after the rcdudion of the ifland. 
 Sir Samuel Hood was fent with his fqua- 
 dron of 17 fiil of the hne, to cruife to 
 the leeward of Martinique ; and, on the 
 28th of April, 1 78 1, he defcried the 
 enemy's fleet, of 20 fail of the line, 
 commanded by Comte de GraiTe, fbeer- 
 ifig round the Diamond Rock: thefe 
 were foon joined by four men of v/ar 
 from Port Royal — making in the whole 
 24 fail of the line. The Britiili Admiral, 
 undaunted by their fuperior numbers and 
 the weight of their Iliips, inftantly drew 
 his fquadron into a clofe line, and offered 
 the enemy battle ; which, however, was 
 cautioufly accepted by the French Ad- 
 miral, who, having the weatlier gage, had 
 it always in his pov/er to choofe his 
 diftance. But he kept aloof, and iired 
 
 oniv
 
 32 A SHORT ACCOITN'T OF THE 
 
 only at llich a diftance as evidently 
 llKWcd he had no intention to fight the 
 Iv.iitle out, hut tlhit liis delign was to 
 anuiie and diTahle our ihips. Sir Samuel 
 made many judicious evokitions, to gain 
 the wind nnd clofe with the enemy; 
 nnd. Litter perieverin<j for kneral days to 
 no purpol"", (and one of liis fliips being 
 unable to keep tlie line), he was per- 
 mitted to join Sir George Rodney, who 
 was lying at this time at St. EuAatius, 
 with the Sandwicli, Triumph, and Pan- 
 ther. 
 
 Wheji we ohferve, that it was in tlie 
 power of the French Admiral, for three 
 days, tcj hear down, to clofe with, and 
 engage the IJritilli ikct, I'u much infe- 
 rior in k>rce, who can hefitate to deter- 
 mine, that fuch condu(!l does not give 
 us rocMn to believe, tlvat our natural 
 encn V h'S improved either in naval fkill 
 ur eour.ige : Lkit, if we compare tliis 
 
 avltion
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 33 
 
 Jldlion with the battles fought by Tour- 
 Ville (either his firft, when our fleet, com- 
 manded by Lord Torrington, was defeat- 
 ed, or with the fecond off La Hogue, 
 when he bore down with 44 fhips of the 
 line to attack 99, and fought a whole day 
 without lofing a fhip), or with the won- 
 ders perform.ed by the Counts Fourbin 
 and Du Guay Trouin *, we may reafon- 
 ably conclude, that, notwithflanding the 
 number of their iliips, the great maritime 
 requilites have been upon the decline. 
 
 Let us now go back, and examine how 
 well the enemy has fuftained this pre- 
 tended charadier of improvement in North 
 
 * In the Memoirs of the Counts Fourbin and Du Guay 
 Trouin, their exploits are certainly overtold, with great 
 miftakes. Yet the trade of England never fufFered fo 
 much as from the adivity and intrepidity of thcfe Dun- 
 kirk heroes ; and it is furely a difgraccful circuinftance to 
 the boafled glorious reign of Queen Anne, that not only 
 our merchants were ruined, but feveral fliips of the line of 
 80 and 70 guns were taken by thcfe adventurers. 
 
 c America.
 
 2^ A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 America. llcre wc meet again our 
 inveterate and diilionourable * enemy, 
 D'Eftaing, who appeared off the Bar of 
 New York with 1 2 lail of the hne of 
 two decks, whlhl: liis adverfary. Lord 
 Howe, commanded within the Bar fix fail 
 of Ihips of 64 guns, three of 50, and two 
 of 44. The French Admiral's condud, for 
 feveral days, threatened to pafs the Bar, 
 and attack the Britifli fquadron. The 
 temptation was certainly great ; th.; prize 
 was worth contending for : for, it tlie 
 cnterprife had been crowned with fuccefs, 
 not only the men of war, with all the 
 tranfports and viduallers, mufl: have 
 fallen into his hands, but the moft 
 fatal blow would have been given to 
 all our operations in that part of the globe. 
 The Count's refolution, however, appears 
 to have failed him, at the inftant that 
 
 • Comtc d'Eftaing broke his parole of honour when ^. 
 prifoncr. 
 
 Fortune
 
 Kaval actions of the last war. 35 
 
 Fortune feemed peculiarly to have fa- 
 voured him with a fair wind, and a 
 higher tide upon the Bar for his great 
 fliips, than had almoft been ever remem- 
 bered. The opportunity was lofl. Pru- 
 dence, or a fort of circumfpedlion which 
 does not deferve the name, brought the 
 French Admiral to paufe upon his de- 
 fign. Perhaps the reputation of the Bri- 
 tifh Admiral, his known, determined, 
 cool-blooded courage, the judicious ar- 
 rangement of his fhips, the animation 
 of the Britifli crews, which had been 
 flrengthened by a thoufand volunteers 
 from the merchant iliips ; all thtfe cir- 
 Gumftances, and the recollection that there 
 was no retreating if he failed, were, it 
 may be prefumed, magnified in the mind 
 of Comte d'Eftaing, and overfet at once 
 the boldnefs of his projeds; 
 
 Does the Count make a more refpedl- 
 
 able figure at Rhode Ifland, when lie 
 
 c 2 came
 
 3t) A SHORT ACCOUNT VF THE 
 
 caine out \\ ith a grcatlv llipcrior fleet 
 to attack that commanacd by Lord 
 ilowc ? Docs he dart upon it with the 
 conlidcnce of luperiority ? Docs he at- 
 tempt to bring his advcrlary to adion 
 by his bell lulling l]:iips, which (from 
 liis rlect being lb greatly fupt^rior) he 
 ought to have done, and which a Bri- 
 tilli Admiral, lb circumilanccd, would moil 
 certainly have done ? or. Does he come 
 on with the How and cautious advance 
 of a line of battle, until his adverlary 
 takes from him the advantage of the \n ca- 
 thcr-^a^e ? We arc too well convinced of 
 the latter, to have any great opinion of 
 this French Admiral's conduct ; and that, 
 by his dilatory manauvres, the weatlier 
 at length deprived him of thofe advan- 
 tages he could only have had from his 
 great fuperiorlty of force. And I believe 
 I fliall not be thought prefumptuous in 
 faying fo, when it Is recoUeded, that foon 
 
 after
 
 NATAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 37 
 
 lifter the florm which icattcrcd the two 
 fleets, one of the French fhips (Le CcLir) 
 of 74 guns, fell in with the Ifis, a 50 
 gun lliip, which flie attacked, appa- 
 rently contemning her force. Here we 
 fee all tlie wonders that may be per- 
 formed by a well commanded, well ap- 
 pointed, and well difjiplined Britifli fliip 
 of war; and of which, indeed, I can- 
 not find any thing that bears a com- 
 parifon, or refembLmce, in any of the 
 adions of former wars. The two ihips 
 were alone. The French fliip outfailed 
 the Ifis: yet the flcill of Captain Ray- 
 ner, his feaman-like and judicious ma- 
 noeuvres, in taking thofe advantageous 
 pofitions which confounded his adver- 
 fary, the punifli^al obedience of his oiii- 
 cers and crew to his orders, trained to 
 a degree of perfeiflion in tlie manage- 
 ment of the lails, as well as the exer- 
 cifc of the guns, confpired, more, per- 
 c 3 - haps.
 
 J% A SHORT ACCOUNT OF Tllfi 
 
 haps, than their undaunted courage, to 
 defeat a ihip oi 74 guns and 800 men, 
 by one of qo guns and -^^o men *. The 
 enemy's ihip was adually beaten, and 
 efcaped only by f^iperior failing. I be- 
 lieve I have no occafion to afk, if tliis 
 is a circumrtance which proves cgua/ 
 fkill and bravery in our enemy in the 
 laft war ? 
 
 Though our fliips individually were in 
 better order, and in higher condition of 
 health and good trainmg for battle, than 
 they had ever been at any former period ; 
 yet I would not undertake to defend at all 
 times the condu(il: of the Admirals \vho 
 were entrulled to command tliem. It hae 
 been faid, that there are heaven -born Ge- 
 nerals. If fo, it is a fort of profanenefs 
 not to employ them ; it is prefumption, 
 and llying in the face ot Heaven, to en-. 
 
 ♦ Tlir Ifis had only two mrn killed.
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST WAR. 39 
 
 truft thofc with the command of oiir ar- 
 mies at lea, who have never been fuccefs- 
 fiil. We have no occafion to inveftigate 
 the arcana of Defhiny; but to be fatisfied, 
 as the greateft nations have been before 
 us, that it is the wifeft and befl pohcy to 
 honour, encourage, and employ thofe Ge- 
 nerals who have ever been fortunate. 
 But I proceed to continue my obfervations 
 on the fuppofed adive and gallant condudt 
 of our enemy. 
 
 Do the French claim any credit from 
 the condud of their Admiral Monfieur 
 Deftouches Treville, who engaged the 
 Admirals Arbuthnot and Graves off the 
 Capes of Virginia ? Though we have not 
 much to be proud of in this battle, except 
 jn the gallant conduct of the particular 
 /hips which were engaged, efpecially the 
 Robuft, commanded by Captain Croiby ; 
 yet the French Admiral's condu<fl evinced 
 that he was worfted, bccaufc he aba'o- 
 c 4 doaed
 
 doiicci liic app.ircnt cdj^ll tct wnich he 
 had rifqued a battle, of cntriiig the Capes 
 of Viri^inia, in order to co-opeiv.te with 
 the Americans. 
 
 And what is there in the condu<5t of 
 Monf. de GralTe, when he left his ancliors 
 off the Capes of Virginia, in Lynn-FIa- 
 ven-Bay, to attack the fleet commanded 
 by Admiral Graves, that is not equivocal; 
 except it is admitted, that a French fleet, 
 greatly fuperior, is entitled to credit for 
 merely hazarding an onfet, and that their 
 obje(ft is never to fight a battle out? It 
 was evidently in the power of the French 
 Admiral, Comtc de Cirallc, to renew the 
 adion for fcveral days. It is a fid that 
 he avoided it, and rcturncil to his llution 
 in Lvnn-Hav^n-Iiav, It has been often 
 faiil, in the courfc of ilie lad: war, that 
 when tlic French had any object in 
 view, they did not fuffer themfelves to 
 be materially diverted frcMn it. J)Ut 
 
 thi§
 
 NAVAL "actions QF THE LAST WAR. 4.I 
 
 this cautious fvilcm docs not corre- 
 fpoud with the French charadler, as it is 
 defer ibed to us, of impatient ardour and 
 impetuofity. Heroes, it is certain, arc 
 tempted by the immediate occafion and 
 opportunity which offer; and except the 
 French oiHcers, during the laft war, were 
 impreffed with a convI6lion of fuperiority 
 in the Britlfli naval charad:er, their fyftem 
 would have been, to have attacked our 
 fleets v/herever they met them, and with 
 a determined refolution to have con- 
 quered, or be defeated; efpeciaJly v/hen 
 they were greatly fuperior. But what 
 inclines me to think, that in no vrar v. hat- 
 cver Britifli courage had ever made a 
 greater imprefiion on th.c cntcrprifmg 
 charadler of the French nation than tlie 
 laft, was their fuffering Admiral Graves 
 (after the battle off the Capes of Virginia, 
 when it was found expedient to burn the 
 Terrible of 74 guns) to go over the Bar 
 
 at
 
 ^2 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 at .Ncu York. We find, on Mor.f. dc 
 CJradc's return to his anchorage within the 
 Capes of \'irginia, that he was joined by 
 the Iquadron of Moni'. de Earas, liis fleet 
 being made with this reinforcement 33 or 
 34. fliips of the hne. The Britilli tieet 
 confifted only of 1 8 faih There could not 
 have been a more inviting opportunity. It 
 is well knov/n, that the Bar of Nev/ York 
 forbids an entrance to large fliips, unlefs 
 the wind is favourable, and at the top of 
 high- water fpring-tides. The Britifli fleet 
 arrived off the Bar, and was detained tliere 
 a d<\\' or two; when only a part of it failed 
 in. There v/as more than futhcient time 
 fuj" a great fleet to have foUowcci at 
 leifure; and thjs required lefs fkill and'rc- 
 Ibiution th..i:i it is faid C'omte dc CJraffe 
 polfclK-d, to have attac!:ed the Dritilh 
 fleet wiih that profpe-fl of deflroyini^ it, 
 which is alw;iys fair and probable, when 
 tlie fliips which attack are two to one. 
 
 Ag;iin.
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF TITK LAST \VAR. 43 
 
 Again, when our fleet returned off 
 the Capes of Virginia, with an intention 
 of forcing its way to York, for the reHef 
 of Lord CornwalUs, but arrived too late, 
 the Engliiii garrifon having previoully 
 Surrendered; fluflied as we may fuppofc 
 the French Admiral to have been with 
 their conquell;, with a mighty fleet of 
 fliips, with the temptation of deitroying 
 an army * which had been embarked on 
 board of it for the relief of Lord Corn- 
 wallis ; the enemy remained merely fpec- 
 tators of this little Englifli fleet, which 
 had come to attack them, to brave them, 
 and in fadl did really bully them. 
 
 Let us now traverfe the feas, and notice 
 what during this period happened at home. 
 Here at once it appears, that there was ex* 
 hibited the fame inadivity, tlic fame appa^- 
 {■ent imbecility in cur enemy. Nothing 
 
 ** 5000 chofen troops, 
 
 can
 
 cm furcly l^.c more iiunuiiating to tliis 
 fiiperb nation, which presumes to hoiiil of 
 miiritlme greatncfs, than to take a rctro- 
 Ipedtive view of their condud through this 
 war. Superior to us every where, in al- 
 liance with Spain, Holland, and the rebel 
 Americans, we fee their fleets traverling 
 the fcas as tranfports, or riuing in their 
 harbours; for the moil part ading upon 
 the dcfenfivc, or often iiifultcd by an in- 
 ferior force. Admiral Darby, with a fleet 
 cf 19 fiil of the line, fell in with the 
 enemy's fleet of -^^^ fail, without any at- 
 t-mpt o\\ the part of the enemy to defcry 
 his force, or brin^; him toa'fHon. W^e fee 
 that excellent olhccr Admiral Kcmpclfclr, 
 v.hofe flvill and judgment in his profefiicn 
 were or,]y equalled by his bravery, com- 
 manding II fail of fiiips, attack, dcflroy, 
 and take a number of merchant-men, v/ith 
 troops, in the face of a fuperior fleet ol 
 I 9 Lil of the line, 5 of which were firft 
 
 rates.
 
 iCAVAL ACTIONS OF TIIL LAST WAR. 45, 
 
 tafes. lie perceived immediately what vv-.\s 
 to be done, and without hefitation pudied 
 into the fleet between tlie men of war and 
 merchant ihips; did all that was praciica- 
 ble, and retired with his prizes. How 
 would this have Hit upon the ftomaciis of 
 the Englilh nation (had the cafe been re- 
 verfed), to have had its trade deilroyed in 
 the fight of a fleet fuperior to the enemy ? 
 Not to lofe time, let us take a view of 
 what was performed in the Eaft Indies. 
 Here the French fleet was commanded by 
 a man who pofiefTed great naval talents. 
 The firfl time that Monf. SuiFrein made 
 himfelf confpicuous, was in his attack 
 upon our fleet commanded by Commo- 
 dore Johnfione, in Porto Fraya Bay, in 
 the neutral ifland of St. Jago, belonging 
 to the Portugueze; wher-e, though we 
 cannot boafl: that the conduc5t: of our Com- 
 modore was faultlcfs, yet the event of the 
 ■battle, at the fame time tliat it evinced 
 
 undaunted
 
 46 A SHOUT ACCOUNT OF T!Ig 
 
 undiuintcd rclbl'dtioii in the Commodore, 
 in our oniccrs and failors of every defcrip- 
 tion, in mercliant*mcn as well as men of 
 war, betrayed, un the part of the enemy, 
 ♦Treat want of maritime kno\vlcd;:^e, of 
 difcipline and I'kill. The Brltiih nien of 
 war were intermixed \vith tlie merchant 
 rtilps, ha\ing anchored as they catTie into 
 the Bay, without any form or order; fo 
 that fonie of them could not hrc at the 
 enemy, \\ithout hurting our own lliips. 
 Add to this, our Commodore was fur- 
 prifed : not that it appears from his Let- 
 ter, he had any conhdence tlie French 
 Commodore would pay refpeft to the law 
 of nations, but that he apprehended an 
 attack fo foon as he could difcern that the 
 Ihips were a fquadron of the enemy's- 
 Though he had little time to prepare for 
 battle, and feveral of his feamen were on 
 ihore with the boats watering; yet, not- 
 withllanding thefe difadvantages on th« 
 
 fide
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF Tlin LAST WAR. 47 
 
 lide of the Britifli fleet, the apparent con- 
 fufion of the enemy was fuch, the unfea- 
 man-like manner in which they brought 
 their fhips up to the attack, expofed them 
 to the well-dire6led fire of thofe fliips of 
 the EngUfh which could bring their guns 
 to bear, and they were beaten out of the 
 Bay with lofs and difgrace: and there can 
 be little doubt that, had our fleet been 
 moored in the befl pofition of defence that 
 the Ihape and anchorage in the Bay admit- 
 ted, moft of the enemy's fliips would have 
 fliared the fate of the Hannibal *, and 
 perhaps have been captured. 
 
 After this adtion, we next And Monf. 
 Sufirein commanding a fleet in the Eaft 
 Indies, oppofed to the Britilli fleet com- 
 manded by Sir Edward Hughes. Here we 
 fee him brave, fkilful, and pcrfcvering. 
 He never met our Admiral, who appears 
 
 * Hannibal of" ;'4 guns difmaftetl. See Commodore john- 
 ftone's Letter. 
 
 to
 
 4tJ A snJRT ACCOUNT OF TllE 
 
 to have been every way worthy of fucH 
 an opponent, that he did not fairly join 
 with him, v.ith that arJor fur battle 
 which evinced the foul ot hcroifni. It is 
 generally acknowledged by the officers 
 who were prefent (and Englillimcn above 
 all others arc ever ready, perliaps too 
 ready, to praife their enemies when their 
 conduct is praife-worthy) — I fay, it is ac- 
 knowledircd bv thofc who were witnelfes 
 in the days of battle, that Monf. Suftrein 
 did every thing, made every exertion, that 
 was polTible in the power ot a great Ad- 
 miral, to defeat oar fleet. But, in doing 
 juRicc to the enemy, let ui; not defcend 
 from thofe heights of pride to which every 
 Englilliman ihould be elevated when he 
 becomes a fpcdator of thefe battles. Let it 
 be remembered, that this gallant French- 
 man commanded a fleet always, except in 
 the \.\'i\ battle, greatly fuperior to Sir 
 Edward Hughes; and that fuch v/as the 
 2 fteady
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 49 
 
 ileady and uniform gallanty of the 
 Britilli fleet, never more than half manned, 
 that though attacked with uncommon 
 fpirit, it remained unfliaken in its firm- 
 nefs; and it is acknowledged, that one of 
 the enemy's fliips ftruck — though from 
 change of winds fhe was not taken poffef- 
 fion of. 
 
 From the _Eafl let us traverfe the 
 Equator again, and view the condud: of 
 Comte de-Grafle, who we find had landed 
 an army under the command of the Mar- 
 quis de Bouille at the illand of St. Chrifto- 
 pher's, which had capitulated, except the 
 fortrefs of Brimilone Hill, which held out, 
 although inverted on all fides by an army 
 of 7 or 8000 men; whilfl the French Ad- 
 miral, with a fleet of 3 1 fail of the line *, 
 
 had 
 
 * Lift of the Comte de Grafle's Squadron at St. Kilt's. 
 
 Guns Guns 
 
 La Ville de Paris no Lc Langucdoc 84 
 
 La Coronne 84 L'Augulle 84 
 
 B Guns
 
 50 A SHORT ACCOUST Or THE 
 
 had anchored In Baflctcrrc Road, to co- 
 operate with the land forces. Sir Samuel 
 Hood, who commanded at this time the 
 Britiih fleet, confining of 22 fail of the 
 line, fails from Antigua with the refolu- 
 tion of attacking the enemy's fleet at an- 
 chor ; but the enemy anticipating his dc- 
 
 G 
 
 uns 
 
 
 Guns 
 
 Le St. Efprit 
 
 H 
 
 Le Conqucrant 
 
 74 
 
 Le Due de Eouigogne 
 
 84 
 
 Lc DcHn 
 
 74 
 
 •Le Triomphant 
 
 H 
 
 Le Palmier 
 
 74 
 
 Le Neptune 
 
 80 
 
 Le Sceptre 
 
 74 
 
 Le Hercule 
 
 7+ 
 
 Le Bien Aime 
 
 74 
 
 Lc Pluton 
 
 74 
 
 Lc Magnifique 
 
 74 
 
 •Le Brave 
 
 74 
 
 Lc Dauphin Royal 
 
 74 
 
 Lc Hef^or 
 
 74 
 
 Lc Bourgngne 
 
 74 
 
 Lc Ccfar 
 
 74 
 
 Lc .'-cipion 
 
 74 
 
 Lc Magnanimc 
 
 74 
 
 Lc Marfcillois 
 
 74 
 
 Lc Souvcrain 
 
 74 
 
 L'Kvi-llIc 
 
 64 
 
 Lc Citoycn 
 
 74 
 
 L' Ardent 
 
 64 
 
 Lc Gloricux 
 
 74 
 
 w' Le Jafon 
 
 64 
 
 Lc Zcle 
 
 74 
 
 Lc Sagittaire 
 
 5^ 
 
 Lc Northumberland 
 
 74 
 
 
 
 • Joined at St. Kitt'i. 
 
 fign«
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 5 J 
 
 iagn, flood out to fea. Sir Samuel ma- 
 noeuvres all night to keep the wind, and at 
 break of day, being a-brcafl of the ifland 
 of Nevis, makes the fignal for the line of 
 battle, {landing in fliore; which obliged 
 the French Admiral, who with his fleet 
 was to leeward, to do the fame, and of 
 courfe to form by their leewardmofl fliips. 
 This increafed the diilance of the two 
 fleets, and opened to the Britifh the road 
 of Bafleterre. It appears that the temp- 
 tation inflantly operated upon the judge- 
 ment of the Britifh Admiral. He feized 
 the opportunity (the only one pofiible 
 of gaining any advantage over a force fo 
 greatly fuperior) and indicated, by fignal, 
 his intention of flieering for the anchorage. 
 Some little time was loll by the leading 
 fhips not clearly comprehending the fig- 
 nals; fo that the fleet wasbrought-to, and 
 a frigate difpatched to explain to every 
 ihip in the van the Admiral's intentions. 
 D 2 This
 
 52 A SHORT ACCOUS'T OF THE 
 
 This delay permitted the French Ad- 
 nnral to approach; and our (hips being o- 
 bhged to bear away in ("uccefTion, in order 
 to round the point of Nevis, the two 
 fleets drew within gun-fliot of eacli other. 
 The French Admiral, at this time pene- 
 trating the delign of Sir Samuel Hood, 
 made all the fail he could fet, and fell furi- 
 oufly upon the rear of our fleet ; which, 
 however, proceeded fleadily on ; each 
 (liip anchoring in fuccclTion, in a line of 
 battle, agreeably to the fignal flying ; the 
 Britilli Admiral havin^^ twice backed liis 
 main top-fail for the rear to clofe, and at 
 the fune time to give the fliips in the van 
 time to be placed at their anchorage. This 
 allowed the enemy to range up a-breafl: of 
 the centre. Tiie conduct of Comte de 
 GralTc at this period feemed to be that 
 of an angry man, rather than that of a great 
 Admiral occupied how he Hiould beft cm- 
 ploy the force of afupcrior fleet, to defl:roy 
 
 an
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 53 
 
 an audacious intruder. He came on with 
 a prefs of fail, pafling many of the lead- 
 ing fliips of his line, and firing furioufly 
 at every Ihip he approached. However, 
 when he haa penetrated as far as the 
 Bartieur, Sir Samuel Hood's fliip, his 
 wrath abated, and he bore up out of the 
 Bay, each ihip following their Admiral. 
 But the Britifh fleet, being nearly placed 
 before the rear of the enemy's Ihips, came 
 up; thefe had alfo a fhare in the adion, by 
 firing as they palfed at our fliips at 
 anchor. 
 
 The anchora2:e of our fleet was mofl: 
 judicious; the fliips occupying the whole 
 fpace from the Salt Pans, at the head of 
 the Bay, to the outer part of Bafleterre 
 Road; the van fliip being anchored fo 
 near the flioi'e, that it would be impoflible 
 for the enemy to weather her; and fo 
 nearly upon the edge of the bank, that 
 the enemy's ileet could not anchor with- 
 D 3 out
 
 54 
 
 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 out it, and beyond the range of a fliell 
 from the batteries at BalTeterrc, at this 
 time in the enemy's pofil'fllon. This bril- 
 liant manoeuvre was at once fo mortify- 
 ing and diftrefTing to the enemy, that 
 Monf. de Grallc feemed determined the 
 following morning to try tlie weight of 
 his fleet, againft the advantage of por- 
 tion, and advanced accordingly, his van 
 fliip leading in with the greateft gallan- 
 try. The attack lafted for upwards of two 
 hours. Each lliip, firing along our line 
 from the van, and palling under the fcern 
 of the lafl: fhip in the rear, flood in towards 
 our frigates at anchor in ihore; then wore, 
 Aood out again, and prepared for a fecond 
 attack. In the mean time Sir Samuel 
 Hood flrengthened his rear, and anchored 
 it more in the form of a crefcent; which 
 was no fooner done, than the enemy 
 renewed the attack upon the centre, and 
 rear. But finding it impollible to make 
 
 any
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 55 
 
 any imprelTion, having lofl a number of 
 men, and many of their fliips being dif- 
 ablcd, they defiftcd from all further at- 
 tempts, and were obliged to keep the 
 fea, much harafTed, often difaftered by 
 fqualls of wind, to the amufement of 
 the Britifh failors, who remained in com- 
 fort with their (Ivps at anchor. This 
 manoeuvre, which had been a fubjed: of 
 admiration, even to the enemy, was un- 
 doubtedly the faving of Jamaica. The 
 force which had been landed from the 
 French fleet, to afTift in the various la- 
 bours of a fiege, was of courfe with- 
 drawn, and fent on board their fliips ; 
 and a great part of the French army was 
 alfo diverted from giving their afliilance 
 at the fiege *, for the protedion of the 
 town of BafTeterre, which was always 
 threatened by the Britiili fleets — befides 
 
 * Brimftone Hill is 9 miles diftant from the town of 
 Baff<;terre. 
 
 D 4 the
 
 5$ A SllORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 the encouragement it had given to the 
 bra\ e garrifon, the veteran General Frafcr 
 adviling Sir Samuel Hood, that he did 
 not defpair of being able to dclcnd the 
 Hill ; and which he certainly did to the 
 lall:, having held out ^5 days; though 
 the Marquis de Bouille, the French Ge- 
 neral, had declared, that if he had not 
 expected to have taken it in as many 
 hours, lie would not have landed. Had 
 it furrcndered ten days fooner, Jamaica 
 muft have fallen; and De Grafle, greatly 
 fuperior to tlie Britifli fleet, would have 
 formed a junction \Nith the Spaniards at 
 Cape Francois, before the arrival of Sir 
 Georire Rodnev. It would have been a 
 fortunate circumflance, indeed, if Sir 
 George had arrived three or four days 
 fooner, fo as to have joined Sir Samuel 
 Hood. St. Kitt's would have been favcd, 
 and the IVeiich Admiral compelled to 
 fight, or to have abandoned the army 
 
 on
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 57 
 
 on (liore. — I have been more particular 
 in detailing the circuniftances of this ce- 
 lebrated manoeuvre, becaufe there had 
 been the fame malignant Ipirit of envy at 
 work, to detrad from its merit, that we 
 every where in hiftory find purfuing the 
 charadlers of illuilrious men. But to 
 proceed : 
 
 The garrifon of Brimftone Plill is at 
 length obliged to furrender, the Britlfh 
 fleet ftill at anchor: when it anfwerins; no 
 purpofe to remain longer where he was. 
 Sir Samuel Hood notified to his fleet his 
 intention of failing. The enemy had been 
 reinforced by the Triomphant of 84, and 
 the Brave of 74 guns — now making -^-^ 
 fail of the line. The French General, 
 the Marquis de Boiiille, fpeaking from the 
 ardor of an enterpriflng and perfevering 
 fpirit, told an Englilh oflicer who was 
 fent with a flag of truce, that he reckoned 
 upon the certain defl:ruc5tion of the Bri- 
 • 1 tilh
 
 jg A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 tilli fleet. Now let us read the naval hif- 
 tory of this country, and examine if the 
 condud of the French hcfore had given 
 lis rcafon to believe, they would on fuch 
 an occafion as tliis have fuffered a Britifli 
 Admiral to depart without an adion ? 
 Certain, however, it is, that io foon as 
 the Hill furrcndered, the French Admiral 
 witlidrew his fliips and anchored in the 
 road of Nevis, at the dillance of four 
 leagues, and to the windward ot our fleet, 
 not leaving a fingle frigate or boat in the 
 way; in order, as it were, to open the 
 door as wide as poffible, for a troublefome 
 intruder to depart — in want of bread, in 
 want of water, and, v.hat v/as worfe, in 
 want of powder *. Sir Samuel joined Sir 
 George Rodney a few days after, who 
 had arrived (as 1 have faid before) only a 
 few days too late. 
 
 • Some of the flilps in ilic rear hari fired away all their 
 powder, in the three attacks of the enemy's fleet. 
 
 ^ Wc
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 59 
 
 Wc (hall now follow Monfieur dc GraiTe 
 to Fort Royal, Martinique, and notice the 
 preparations of an armament avowedly 
 dertined to form a jundion with the Spa- 
 niards for the conqueft of Jamaica. Not- 
 withftanding the late fhabby behaviour of 
 their fleet at St. Kitts, there feemed a fort 
 of inconfiftent confidence in our enemy at 
 this period.- They did not think it at all 
 neceflary to conceal their intentions ; and 
 in fight of our fleet, which was now fupe- 
 rior, they failed the moment they were 
 ready. The Britifh fleet was at anchor at 
 this time at Gros Illet, St. Lucia; and on 
 the 8th of April our cruifers announced, 
 that the French fleet was under fail in 
 Fort Royal Bay. Sir George Rodney in- 
 ftantly made the flgnal to weigh ; and in 
 a very fliort time he was at fca, and in 
 purfuit of the enemy. Before night, the 
 fternm.ofl of the French were feen from 
 the mafl-heads. The purfuit continued ; 
 
 and.
 
 60 A fHORT ACCOUNT OF TKC 
 
 and, before break of day, their lights were 
 fcen by all the fleet. Unluckily, our fleet 
 was too foon brought-to; lor, when day- 
 light came, it was obferved, that, if we 
 had continued the piirfuit half an hour 
 longer, we fliould have furrounded ievcn 
 fail of the line, and a large fleet of mer- 
 chant fliips, which were a-ftern of the 
 body of the enemy's fleet five or fix leagues. 
 The ad ion that wi'.s afterguards broaght on 
 upon this day, the 9th of April, has been 
 very properly related in Sir George Rod- 
 ney's Letter. It is fuflicicnt for Engliili- 
 men to kno.v, th.it our van refilled the 
 whole force of the French fleet for many 
 hours. After this day's acftion, the French 
 Admiral induftrioufly endeavoured to avoid 
 a bittlc, plying to the windward between 
 the illonds of Dominica and Guada- 
 loupc. In doing this, on the night of 
 tlie I [ th, one of his (hips loft her fore- 
 niait, by running foul of another; and 
 
 at
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 6l 
 
 at day-light fhe was obferved to leeward, 
 towed by a frigate. Four ililps were im- 
 mediately difpatched in chace * ; and the 
 French Admiral was obliged either to give 
 her up, or rifque a battle. He determined 
 on the latter, and immediately bore down 
 on the Britifli fleet. Our Ihips in chace 
 were recalled -, each fleet formed into a 
 line of battle, and met on contrary tacks ; 
 the Britifh on the fl:arboard tack, with an 
 inverted line ; Admiral Drake and his di- 
 vifion leading, inftead of Sir Samuel 
 Hood ; occafioned by feme of the fhips 
 of the latter having been difabled on the 
 9th. The water was perfectly fmooth, the. 
 fky ferene and clear, with a fine command- 
 ing breeze of wind; and the relative pofl- 
 tion of the two fleets approaching to the 
 battle, beautifully grand and animating. 
 To an obferver not perfonally concerned 
 
 » The Valiant, Monarch, Centaur, of 74 guns; and the 
 JBelliqueux, of 64. 
 
 in
 
 62 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 in the contiitft:, the impending Ihock muil 
 have been awful and tremendous. At 
 length, at hah pail fe\\.n, the llgnal was 
 dilplaycd on both fides for battle, and foon 
 after for clofe acftion. The van divifion, 
 which was gallantly commanded by Ad- 
 miral Drake, inftantly received and re- 
 turned the broadfides of the enemy ; and 
 in an inflant all was involved in fmoke. 
 The fleets advancing, and the adlion be- 
 coming general, nothing is heard for hours 
 but the repeated vollies of broadfides. 
 Towards ten o'clock tlie fmokc began to 
 clear away; the battle raged with lefs fury; 
 and it was obferved that one of the enemy's 
 fliips * was totally difmafted, and that the 
 Prince George had loll her foremafl. It 
 was ahb perceived, that the Britifli (liips 
 a- head of Sir Geors^e Modnev in the line, 
 lij-d palled to leeward of the whole of the 
 
 • The GIorLcux. 
 
 enemy's
 
 KAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LA3T WAR. Cj 
 
 enemy's line i that Sir George had f.iilcd 
 through their line, four (liips a-flcrn of 
 their Admiral in the centre; and that Sir 
 Samuel Hood in the rear had failed through 
 the enemy's line alfo, leaving Monfieur de 
 GrafTe to leeward of him, and keeping 
 nine fail of the enemy to the windward of 
 him. Here the battle continued to rage, 
 the wind having been lulled by the din of 
 cannon to a perfed calm, fo that fome of 
 the fhips of this divifion got out their boats 
 to tow ; and the adion lafhed until feveral 
 of the fliips had fired away all their pow- 
 der ; particularly the Monarch, which had 
 tacked, and was engaged with the laft fliip 
 of the enemy that had pafTed to the wind- 
 ward of our rear divifion. At this time 
 Sir Samuel Hood fent a boat on board 
 the Centaur, with orders for her to fuilain 
 the Monarch, and attack the ihip flie was 
 eno-aged with. At the fame time he made 
 the fignal for each lliip oi' his divilion to 
 
 crowd
 
 ^4 ^ SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 crowd fail after the enemy, to prevent them 
 from uiMtiiK'; with their Admiral, who at 
 this time was endeavouring to rally his 
 fliips, which were fometimcs retreating, 
 and ibmctimes turning their broadiides to 
 the Britilh fhips that approached them ; 
 but they all appeared in panic and confu- 
 fion, and greatly dilablcd. At four o'clock 
 the Celar furrendered to the Centaur, after 
 an obfiinatc defence, and not before ihc 
 was run on board, and the colours Hruck 
 by the Britilli failors ■^. The Hedor 
 flruck foon afterwards to the Canada and 
 Alcidc; and at half pafl five the Bclliqucux 
 ran along-fide the Ardent who furrcndered 
 immediatel} . The impetuous courage of 
 Sir Samuel Hood in tlie Barlieur, pufliing 
 into their fleet with his lludding fails fet, 
 
 • TIic Ccfar caught fire at eight o'clocic, and blew up nt 
 Un. Two hundred French prifoncrs pcriflicd ; and two 
 licaicnant', a liruicnant of marines, boatfwaiii, and thirt\ - 
 fc\cu fcanicu belonging to the Centaur. 
 
 had
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 65 
 
 had advanced him before the bow of the 
 Ville de Paris. It was at this period that 
 Comte de GrafTe faw that all profped: of 
 efcaping was vain — an Englilh Admiral 
 being between him and the fliips which 
 ought to have fuflained him. The fun 
 was half funk in the horizon when Sir 
 Samuel fheered towards the French Ad- 
 miral, to make fure of fo glorious a con- 
 queft, which was fcon obtained; and the 
 Ville de Paris was taken poflcfTion of, after 
 a lliort but fliarp conteft, by the Barfleur. 
 — Whatever the panic might have been 
 before, the difmay of the enemy's fleet, 
 on feeing the flag of France furrender, 
 may now cafily be imagined. But the 
 enemy was foon relieved from further an- 
 xiety by the British Admiral, Sir George 
 Rodney, making the fignal for the fleet to 
 bring-to ; and the Britidi fleet was accord- 
 ingly brought-to. — I am not difpofcd to 
 argue, that we reaped the full harveft of 
 
 £ this
 
 66 A S!?!.UT ACCOrN'T OF ThT 
 
 tiiib vicicry ; but 1 do iiiiiu iipun it, that 
 no ri'jct was ever nici'c ccnipLtcly beaten, 
 conquered, defeated, or ovcrtlirown, call 
 it by what name you plcafe, than this 
 French ficct ; whiHl tlie victorious fleet 
 appeared, in Lon^.pariibn, to have luffered- 
 very little damage. The Prince George 
 had lofl: her foremafl ; but in other relpedts 
 file was as fit for adion as when the fieht 
 began, -and had only nine men killed. 
 Some ihips liad not lofh a iinele man. One 
 cannot help inquiring how it h.:ppens, 
 :hat there was fuch dilicrencc in the havoc 
 that was made in the tv/o fiects. Tlic 
 French fleet mod undoubtedly came hokily 
 on, and did lire their guns. Is it that 
 they fail in ikili — in the management and 
 pointing of their guns ? or is it, that, 
 when they come to clofe a<5Hon, their ikill 
 and prefence of mind forfike them, and 
 thf-y arc unvier an inliuencc v;hich Britiili 
 iiiilors are flrangcrs to, in the moment of 
 
 Clanger
 
 Naval actions of the last war. 67 
 
 danger ? Be this as it will, the event of 
 this battle clearly proves, that there is a 
 wonderful difference in the effe(5ts pro- 
 duced by Britiili and French broadfides. 
 Engliilimen have reafon to be proud of 
 this vidory, fo fully demonftrating the fu-. 
 perior naval procefs of their nation ; and 
 that, inftead of its fpirit being upon the 
 decline, this glorious 12th of April proved 
 beyond compai ifon its fplendour, and give 
 us trophies which on no former occalioa 
 we could ever boaft of. It is certain, that 
 hiflory does not furnifli us with an ex- 
 ample of a fimilar victory. I exped; in- 
 deed to find cavillers, and defponding dri- 
 villers who goffip in coffee-houfes, and 
 will not allov/ any thing has been done 
 well that was not done in tlie'ir time — but 
 I challenge them to bring an inllancc, 
 where the great feets of France and Eng- 
 land have been drawn up together in line 
 of battle, and have fought when their force 
 
 K 2 I'JS
 
 CS A lhort account of the 
 
 has been ?u\irly equal*, of any Ihip being 
 taken. Here it has happened, that wc 
 liave not only taken their lliips — but their 
 Admiral's fliip, a hrlt rate, is borne into 
 one of our ports, and the French Ad- 
 miral perfonally exhibited to the gazing 
 inhabitants of our metropolis. I do not 
 
 • The great fear.giits in this afjc:-:ptizn, bctvvccn the two 
 nntions, arc : 
 
 The battle off Malaga. Sec Campbcira Admirals, Vol. 
 
 ill. p. 72. 
 The battle of Bantry Bay — Admiral Herbert. Ibid. 
 
 \'ul. . p. 
 
 The battles in the Kafl Indies — Ad.Tiiral Pocock and Mon- 
 
 ficur d'Achc. Ibid. Vol. IV. p. 131. 
 The battle in the Eaft Indios — Commodore Peyton and 
 
 Monfieur Bourdonnoii. Ibid. \'ol. I\'. p. 58. 
 The unfortunate battle of Minorca — Admiral Byng and 
 
 Monfieur CiliiTonnierc. Ibid. Vol. IV. p. 80. 
 The battle of Matthews and I-ciloek I do not enumerate, 
 as the French fleet was combined with that of Spain. 
 
 in Sir Edward Ilawkc's viiflory over Monfieur Confl.-ini, 
 the fleet's were not drawn up in .a line ; and it may be faid 
 that tlic cnoiny flrd without a battle, as wc had not above 
 £yc or fix flaps that got into adion. 
 
 mean
 
 KAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST WAR. 69 
 
 mean to Infult this unfortunate, and cer- 
 tainly brave man -, but to prove, that the 
 chara(5ter of our enemy, as a great mari- 
 time nation, has never fuffered fuch dif- 
 
 grace. 
 
 To fay that the flag of France W2.s not 
 abandoned, on the 1 2th of April, by its 
 fleet, is abfurd. Was not the Ville de 
 Paris left the laft (hip, v/hen prelTed by the 
 Britifli fleet ? Was any French fhip in the 
 way, when the Barfleur ranged along- fide 
 of her ? Did either of her feconds attempt 
 to flop the career of the Barfleur, by lay- 
 ing her on board, or dropping aflern to 
 take up the fire of the approaching ene- 
 my ? Certainly not. Who then can be 
 attended to with patience, who aflerts, that 
 the fliips compoiing the French fleet did 
 not abandon their flag ? 
 
 Before I quit this fubjed:, I fliall offer 
 ibme remarks on the two Letters lent 
 home by Sir George Rodney after the 
 
 E 3 battle.
 
 •JQ A SHORT Ar( (UfVT OF THE 
 
 battle, and endeavour to rectity fomc iiili- 
 takcs which have been imbibed, and may 
 be tranlmitted to pollerity by the hillorian, 
 if not corrected. In the hrll: Letter, Sir 
 George fpeaks of the exertions and gal- 
 lant conduvfl of Sir Samuel Hood in tlie 
 warmcfi: encomiums. In the next Letter* 
 
 Sir 
 
 • Admiralty Office, May l8, 1782. 
 
 Lord Cranfton, one of the Captains of His Majcfty's 
 fliip the Formidable, and Captain Byron of the Andromache, 
 in which (hip his Lordfhip came pafTcngcr, arrived early this 
 morning witli dlfpatchcs from Admiral Sir George Bridges 
 Rodney, Bart, to Mr. Stephens, of which the following arc 
 copies : 
 
 SIR, FormiJahU, ct Sea, April \\, 1 782. 
 
 IT hai plcafcd God, out of his divine Providence, to 
 grant to His Majcfty's arms a mort complete viiflory over 
 the fleet of his enemy commanded by the Count dc Graflc, 
 who is himfelf captured, with the Villc de Paris and four 
 more (liips of the fleet, bcfuics one funk in the aflion. 
 Tliii important viflory was obtained the izthinllant, after 
 a battle which lafled with unremitting fury from fcven in the 
 morning till half pall fix iii the cvciyng, when the fctrtrg 
 
 fun
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS. OK T.ll. LAST WAR. "] I 
 
 Sir George lays, lie has Jifpatchcd Sir 
 Samuel Hood and his diviiioii io qucft of 
 
 the 
 
 fun put an en 1 to xh-i conted. Both fl-cts have greatly 
 fufF:?red : but it is with tlie hi^l-cll: fati fii'non I can aflure 
 their Lordfhips, that thougli the mads, fiil:!, rigging and 
 hulls of theBritiili fleet arc damagei, yet the lofs of men 
 has been but fnall, confidering the length of the battle and 
 the clofe aition they fo long faftained, and in which both 
 fleets looked upon the honour of their King and Country 
 to be moil cflbntially concerned. Tlie great fupply of na- 
 val ftores lately arrived in the Weft Indies, will, I flatter 
 myfclf, foon repair all the damages His Majeiiy's fleet has 
 fuftained. The gallant behaviour of the officers and men 
 of the fleet I had the honour to command, has been fuch 
 a3 muft for ever endear them to all lovers of their King and 
 Country. The noble behaviour of my fecond in command 
 Sir Samuel Hood, who in both aaious moll: confpicuoufly 
 exerted himfelf, demands my warmeil encomium?. My 
 third in command, Rear^ .-Admiral Drake, who with his di- 
 vifion led the battle on the 12th inftant, deferves the high- 
 eft praife ; nor lefs can be given to Commodore Afflecl;, for 
 his gallant behaviour in leading the centre divifusn. My 
 own Captain, Sir Charles Douglas, merits every thing I can 
 pgflibly fay : his ynremitted diligence and aftivity greatly 
 eafed me in the unavoidable fatigue of the day. In fliort, 
 I v/ant words to e.vprefs how fenfible I am of the me- 
 
 t 4 litorious
 
 71 A SHORT ACCOITNT OF THE 
 
 the enemy, bccauic it had fullered leafl^ 
 being in the rear [on the i2t]i). Who 
 
 can 
 
 ritorious conduifl of all the Captains, OfEcers, and Men, 
 who had a fliare in this glodc^u^ vivftory, obtained by their 
 gallant exertions. The enemy's wiiolc army, confiding of 
 5500 men, were or board their (hips of war. Th; deflruc- 
 tion among tlicm mull be prodigious, as for the greateft 
 part of the aftion every gun told; and their Lordfliips may 
 judge what havoc muft have been made, when the Formi- 
 dablc fired near eig'ny broadfides. Inclofed I have the 
 honour t'l fend for thtir Lordfhip';' infpeftion the Britifh 
 and French lines of baitle, with an account of the killed 
 and WDunJetd, and damages fuft.iincd by his MajefVy's 
 fleet. Lord Crannor, uiioaflcd as one of the Captains of 
 the Formidable dunn;; both aflions, and to whofe gallant 
 behaviour I am much ind'jbted, will have the honour of 
 delivering thefe difpatchcs. .To him I muft refer their Lord- 
 ft^.ips for every oiinute particular they may wifh to know, 
 he being pcrfcdly marter of the whule tranfaftion. That 
 the Britifli flag may for ever fiouiifh in every quarter of the 
 globe, is the moft ardent wiih cf him who has the honour of 
 being, with great regard, bIR, 
 
 Your mOil obedient humble Servant, 
 
 G. B. RODNEY. 
 
 To Philip Stcplicns, Efq. 
 
 SIR,
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. y^ 
 
 can read this letter without feeling loine-^ 
 thing more than allonilhnicnt, when at 
 the lame time we arc prefcnted with 
 
 vouchers, 
 
 SIR, Tormidahle, p.t Sea, April zo, 1782. 
 
 SINCE my laft difpatches of the 14th inftant, fent by 
 Lord Cranfton in his Majefly's Hiip Andromache, I muft 
 defire you will be pleafed to acquaint their Lordlhips, that 
 the fleet under my command, in their way to reconnoitre 
 the bays of Bari'eterre, St. Chriftopher's, and St. Euila- 
 tius, and obferve if the enemy's fleet had attempted to 
 flielter themfelves in thofe bays, were becalmed for tliree 
 days under the ifland of Guadaloupe; in which time wc 
 were employed in repairing the fhattered condition of the 
 fliips under my command. The moment we had a breeze, 
 I difpatched frigates to St. Chriftopher's and St. Euftatius. 
 In the latter road, inftead of the vail crowd of fhips that 
 ufcd to be anchored, there were only two fmall fchooii(.-rs ; 
 at St. Chrillopher's, none but armed flilps. Being by this 
 convinced, that the enemy's defeated fleet were gone to lee- 
 ward, I difpatched Rear-Admiral Sir Samuel Hood, wliofe 
 divifion (having being in the rear on the day of battle) liad 
 received much lefs damage than the van or centre, to pro- 
 ceed, with all the fail they could make, to the weft end of 
 St. Domingo, in hopes that he migiit pick up feme of the 
 ftraggling difabled fhips of the enemy ; and I am nou- fol- 
 low ing
 
 •J^ A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 vouchers, limned by the Admiral, which 
 conveys a tiit contradiction to his pofi- 
 tion*? In thjfo we fee, that Sir Samuel 
 Hood's diviiion h.id loll nearly as many 
 men as the two other diviiions put toge- 
 ther. It does not fignify whether it hap- 
 pened on the 9th or 1 2th ; it was done in 
 dellroyine the French licet. But on the 
 1 2th it lull more men than the van di- 
 vifion, and upon the whole lu if ere d more; 
 and at the period when the Letter was 
 written, tlie Royal Oak (without main 
 
 lowing myfL-ir wlih tlic rcmaind-.-r of the fleet 10 join him 
 ofFCapc Tibcroon. h is with great fatisfaftion I acquaint 
 tlicir LordHiip's, that the enemy's battering cannon, travel- 
 ling carriages, and train of artillery, arc in the (hips captured ; 
 which arc not only a lofs to the enemy, but may be of the 
 grcateft fcrvice in the ifland of Jamaica. Inclofed I fend 
 duplicates of my difpatchcs by tlic Andromache, and have 
 
 tlic honour to be, .Sec. 
 
 G. B. RODNEY. 
 
 To Philip Stephens, Efq. 
 
 • Sec the lirt ofkillcd and wounded, in l!ie annexed Line 
 of Battle, Sec. 
 
 top
 
 I VAN D T \^ T S T O N, 
 
 -ear- Admiral F k \ n ^- 1 s S a m u e Drake. 
 
 50 "n > H :? 
 
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 4^ -f' -t- -f. o 
 
 On 0\ >-" 
 000 
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 On ^~J 
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 O <JJ '-^ O NO 
 
 1- ►- K> N 
 
 -§ s 
 
 3 3 
 W 3 
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 S 3 
 
 
 2 q -^ 
 
 --> 'T3 2. 
 
 So'? 
 
 S 3 
 
 4^ 4^ +■ 4- -f' S 
 
 O O O O o »• 
 O O O O O = 
 
 ^ U* N^ -^ 
 
 (^ U» "-J " ON •" 
 
 r 
 
 cr 
 
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 a 
 
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 cr 
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 5- O 
 
 T3 •rrj 
 
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 I— < 
 
 r
 
 LINE OF BATTLE 
 
 On the 12th OF APRIL, 17S2. 
 
 When the Aaion commenced, the Fleet on the Surboard Tack. 
 
 I of Murines killed. 
 
 tenant Collowlull kilted ; Lieut. Trelawncy wounded. 
 
 lenani Hobcrt killed ; Cipmin Savage wounded. 
 
 Love, Mailer, wounded. 
 
 m wounded, fincc dead. 
 
 tenants Incledon and Brice wounded, latter Tmce dead. 
 
 t. Comilh, Mr. Cooper, Maf. Mr. Scott, Boaif. wounded. 
 
 tenant Hale killed ; Captain Bell and Lieutenant Harri. 
 
 and MaAcr wounded. 
 
 Marlborough 
 
 T'r 
 
 or Penny 
 
 7+ 
 
 600 
 
 Arrogant 
 
 
 el Comilh 
 
 7+ 
 
 000 
 
 AJcidc 
 Nonfiicli 
 
 Ch. 
 Will 
 
 Thompfon 
 am TrufcotC 
 
 H 
 
 (OO 
 
 Conqueror 
 
 Geo 
 
 ge Balfour 
 
 7+ 
 
 600 
 
 Pnn«IB 
 
 I C. Knaichboll } 
 
 '" 
 
 i77 
 
 Prince George 
 
 John 
 
 Williams 
 
 90 
 
 7!" 
 
 Torbay 
 
 J. LcwU Gidoirf 
 
 7» 
 
 600 
 
 Anfon 
 
 Wilt 
 
 am Blair 
 
 04 
 
 (OO 
 
 Ld. Rob. Manners 74 600 
 
 Benj. Caldwell 6+ 500 
 
 n Gardner 90 750 
 
 r5ir Geo. Rodney"] 
 r C. Douglas 
 
 I John Symonds ' 
 
 Robert Fanlhaw 90 7)0 
 
 John Inglis 6+ joo 
 
 Hun.W.Comwallis74 600 
 
 Tho. Dumai«f(jue 64 500 
 
 Nich. Charington 74 600 
 
 (-Sir Geo. Rodney-) n 
 
 ^ Sir C. Douglas J 90 750 Ij 39 j 
 IJohn Symonds •J L 
 
 Beck 
 
 
 rPrinee Willia 
 Magnificent 
 
 m Geo. Wakinfon 
 Robert Linaee 
 
 '4 
 
 soo 
 
 6 11 
 
 Captain Bagg of the Marines wounded. 
 
 Lieutenant Hayes of the Ihip, with the Lieutenant of M.a- 
 
 Centaur 
 
 John Ingleficid 
 
 74 
 
 650 
 
 7 '3 
 
 rines, Boatfsvain, two Midlhipmcn. and 3 7 men blown up 
 
 Belliqneu« 
 
 Sir James Wallac 
 
 64 
 
 7+ 
 
 Soo 
 600 
 
 
 Mr. Stone, Mailer, wounded. 
 
 Barlleor 
 Valiant 
 
 Francis Reynolds 
 (SirS.Hoc«i,Bt. ] 
 i Captain Kmght J 
 
 P. Cr. Goodall 
 
 74 
 
 600 
 650 I 
 
 37 
 aS 
 
 Lieut. Wimbleton killed ; Lieut. Brown, and Maf. wounded 
 
 Yarmouth 
 Montague 
 
 Anthony Parry 
 George Bowen 
 
 64 
 
 SOO 
 600 
 
 4 33 
 a 3' 
 
 Mr. Cade, Ma»<r. tilled ; Lieutenants Bree4on and Bu- 
 chan of Marines svounded. 
 
 Alfred 
 -Royal Oak 
 
 William B.iyne 
 Thomas Burnett 
 
 T 
 n blown up in tlie Cefar 
 
 74 
 
 600 I 
 
 600 a 
 
 I 40 
 1 40 
 
 Caprain killed. 
 
 Mr. Gwatkin firft Lieutenant, and Boatfwain kiUcd; Captain 
 of Marines wounded. 
 
 
 oTj" 
 
 1 
 
 7 >93 
 
 
 Centaur's me 
 
 
 
 7 

 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR, 75 
 
 top or topmaft) and Centaur, bcth (hips of 
 the rear divifion *, were abfcnt with prizes, 
 and did not join the fleet till they returned 
 to Jamaica. It was from the circumftance 
 of Sir Samuel Hood's divilion being in the 
 rear, that it fuffered moft. It fell calm 
 when the enemy's van came abreafl: of the 
 rear diviiion ; and here the battle lafted as 
 long as any battle can lafl: — that is, fo 
 long as iliips have powder to Are. 
 
 The exertions of Sir Samuel Hood were 
 certainly very great f. Being a fubordi- 
 nate Admiral, he could not make the ge- 
 neral iignal to chace the beaten and flying 
 enemy, agreeably to the Fighting Infiruc- 
 tions; but he made each f]:iip's Iignal of 
 his own divifion, to crowd fail after them. 
 It is indeed underftood, that a difference of 
 
 • The Alcide, of the van divifion, was alfo abfcnt. 
 
 f The Barfleur having her maintopfail-yard fliot away, 
 another yard was got up, and a new fail bent, whihl tlic 
 firing continued. 
 
 opinion
 
 -6 A SHORT ACCOL'VT OF THE 
 
 opinion took place betwixt the two Com- 
 manders, in what manner the vicflory could 
 be beft improved; Sir Samuel Hood con- 
 tending vehemently, that tlie enemy's 
 broken fleet iliould be purfued (o long as a 
 fliip remained untaken. But we would 
 not willingly fuppofe, that even this could 
 excite any ungenerous fentiment in the 
 brcafl of Sir George. It is more agree- 
 able to believe, that the letter had been 
 figned in the hurry of bufmefs, and that 
 fo glaring a contradiction had cfcaped the 
 Admiral's notice; as v/ell as another mif- 
 take which appears in his firfl\Letter, 
 where he fiys, the centre divifion was led 
 by Commodore Affleck. The rear of the 
 centre divifion was, certainly, gallantly 
 brought up by tlie Commodore ; but it 
 was /eJ by Captain Samuel Thompfon of 
 the America, the oldell feaman in the 
 fleet. Why the credit of leading the di* 
 vifion fliould have been taken from this 
 
 gentleman.
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST WAR. 7/ 
 
 gentleman, at the expcnce of truth, wc 
 cannot account for, otherwife than by fup- 
 pofing it to have proceeded from inadver- 
 tency. I return to the operations of the 
 fleet. 
 
 Sir Samuel Hood was at length fent 
 with his divifion in purfuit of the enemy's 
 fcattered fquadron ; and on the 19th of 
 April, in the Mona PalTage, gave chace to 
 two line of battle fliips and three frigates. 
 One of the frigates efcaped, but the rell 
 were taken ^ the Jafon and Caton of 6^ 
 guns each, and the Aimable and Ceres 
 frigates.' I fliould not do juflice to the 
 character of Captain Goodall of the Va- 
 liant, if I did not mention his adtive gal- 
 lantry in this fervice. It was to be ap- 
 prehended, that both the line of battle 
 fliips would endeavour to run alhorc, from 
 which they were at no great diflance. 
 The Valiant outfiiUng the rell of the 
 {liips, came up firll with the enemy 
 I (being
 
 7^ A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 being followed by the Monarch, Captain 
 lleynoldi) ; and running dole along-lide 
 the Caton, the llcrnniolt, llic furrenuercd 
 without making the Icall rclillance. Cap- 
 tr.in Goodall, eager to attack the other fliip 
 (the Jafon) before flie readied the fhorc, 
 kit the Caton to be taken poffellion ofhy 
 tiie lliips coming up ; and, pudiing on 
 with a prefs of fail, foon brought the Jafon 
 to adiion. This lliip -defended hcrfelf for 
 40 iiiinutcs; when being greatly difabled, 
 and having loll a number of men, fhc 
 ilruck. The Valiant received little or no 
 damage in the acflion. I'hus we fee two 
 line of battle fliips taken wiih kfs ditii- 
 culty in this war, than ever happened in 
 any former war; v.hich may be proved by 
 comparing adions*, when lliips were fi- 
 milarly circumflanccd. 
 
 I flrall 
 
 • la the war before thu I.-.f*, the RaifonnaWc, a French 
 lliw: of battle fliip of 64 guni, was cliaccd by a fleci of 
 
 Biliiih
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST" WAR, 79 
 
 I ihall take occafion in this place (quit- 
 ting the great war of fleets for a w"hile) to 
 ihew, that in the ad:ions of fniall fqua- 
 drons, and fingle Hiips, the French arc' 
 
 * • ■ 
 
 Eriti(h fliips. The Dorfetfhirc, of 66 guns, outftuppcd 
 the reft, and got along-fidc of her ; a furioas adion com- 
 menced, and was fiiftained with efc[unl vivacity on both fides 
 for tux) hours; when the Achilles of 60 guns coming up, put 
 an end to the conRi(ft. The Raifonnable was obliged to fur- 
 render ; but her advcrlary had fuffcred equally in the battle. 
 The Orphee, a Frendh (hip df 64 guns, difplayed the fame 
 kind of brilliant ob.linacy in the fame war; and did not fur- 
 render to the Revenge of 70 guns, when chaccd by a fleet; 
 until a fecond Englifli (hip came up ; and the aftion had been 
 fo well contefted, that both fhips had equally fuffered. There 
 is no inftance of any thing fimilar during the laft war. There 
 was a point of honour maintained by thefc tuo fhips, wliich 
 determined them not to furrender to fingle fhips, though tlierc 
 was a certainty of being taken when once brought to aftion 
 by the fhips coming up. The capture of t!ie Foudroyant in 
 the war before the laft, is a glorious proof of a Britifh man 
 of war (the Monmouth) doing her duty. But no pcrfon can 
 fay, that the French Commander did not defend his ftiip as 
 long as there was any fighting in her; and he did not fur- 
 render until his main-maft fell, and another Liiglilh fliip 
 came up. 
 
 not
 
 So A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 not Tuch oblliiiaic enemies to contend with, 
 as they have hcen. The Prothee, :i French 
 fliip of 64 guns, was chactd the lafl war 
 by a fleet returning from Gibraltar, under 
 the command of Admiral Dli^hv. Tlie 
 Refolution of 74 gnns, commanded by 
 Lord Robert Manners, and bearing the 
 broad pendant of Sir Chaloner Ogle, was 
 the firft fliip up with her; and upon firing 
 a broadfide the ejiemy furrendercd. 
 
 The Pegafe, a new French line of 
 battle Ihip of 74 guns, in company with 
 two other line of battle fliips, was chaccd 
 by a fquadron commanded by Admiral 
 Harrington. Night came on; but Cap- 
 tain John Jarvis, of tlie Foudroyant, kept 
 fiL'ht of her, and continued the chacc 
 until he got along-fide of Iut; when the 
 luperior fire oi his well diiciplined Ihip 
 ff )on compelled her to furrender, haviiig 
 loll a number of lier n^-n ; wh.ihl: the 
 Foudroy.iht lofl only one. 1 tliink it 
 
 almoll
 
 KAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 8l 
 
 alniolt needlcfs to go further to prove, 
 that a French man of war v/as taken witli 
 greater cafe during the lafl, than in tlie 
 war before, or in any former war. Yet 
 nibblers at reputation had the JJjrewdnefs 
 to difcover, that the Britilli Ihip had three 
 guns more on a fide than the Pegafe; and, 
 becaufe the latter was taken with eafe, 
 \vould fcarcely allow that there was any 
 merit in the captor. But that Captain 
 has certainly the mofl^ merit, who fub- 
 dues his enemy with leafh lofs to him- 
 fclf. It not only fiiews the efFe6t of 
 deliberate ikill and courage, but alfo evi- 
 dently proves that his fhip's company liavc 
 been better trained and difciplined. Ca- 
 villers, notwithft.inding, inflamed with 
 envy, or aduated by party fpirit, have at 
 one moment endeavoured to take from the 
 merit, and obfcure the luilre of merito- 
 rious adlions, and at other times, praife 
 conduct highly cenfurable; infomuch tliat 
 F the
 
 ?2 A Sh'Or. r ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 the hiilomn will be puzzled to din.In- 
 guilh oiiicers who have performed their 
 duty, from thofe who have not. In the 
 former war, on the contrary, there was a 
 tenatious pride for tlie reputation of the 
 fervice at large; and inllead of any at- 
 tempt to diminiHi the merit of a com- 
 mander, he h:id at leail all the credit he 
 ' was entitled to. Cautaln [ervis obtained 
 the mofl honourable mark of his Sove- 
 reign's approbation that a military man 
 can receive, being inverted with the order 
 of the Barli. And when it is recollctfted, 
 that the lafetv of the kingdom ribfulutely 
 depends upon t!ie exertions of our Naval 
 Commanders it ^^'iH. I believe, be rea- 
 dily admitted,' that no man has a better 
 title to this honourable diftincflion, than 
 the otticer who takes from the enemy a 
 74 gun fliip. 
 
 I have another cafe in point, which I 
 am proud to mention, to corroborate my 
 
 opinioiv
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF- THE LAST WAR. Sj 
 
 opinion of the inferior prowefs of the 
 Frencli iis a maritime power, during tlic 
 laft ivar. This is the capture of the So- 
 litaire French man of war, of 64 guns. 
 The Sohtaire was with the French what 
 we call a crack fliip; that is, flie was 
 fuppofed to he in the heft condition for 
 fervice, and a prime lailer; and as fuch 
 was (in company with another fliip of the 
 Hime force) cruifing to windward of Mar- 
 tinique, when fhe was chaced by tlic fleet 
 under the command of Sir Richard 
 Hughes. The Ruby (Capt. John Collins) 
 'of 64 guns came up with her, and a very 
 /liarp a6lion enfued. In forty minutes the 
 Solitaire ftruck her colours, beins; totally 
 difabled and filenced, with a g-rcat num- 
 ber of men killed and wounded: whereas 
 the Ruby lofl but four men ; and was {o 
 little difibled, that, in all probability, ihc 
 would have taken fuch another ihip im- 
 mediately with ^reat cafe. 
 
 F 2 Among
 
 8: A -n. RT .>LC. rsT cf rue 
 
 Arnoi::^ tiic otiLcrs v.liu i^ciiiid cuvet- 
 oils of fame, whom Fortune Uvourcd, 
 and v.ho never llightcd licr favours, we 
 find Sir James Wallace, commandin^j; the 
 Experiment of 50 guns (having previoully 
 diiling-uiilied himfelf under the command 
 of Lord Howe in America, for v/hich he 
 h^d received tlie honour of knighthood), 
 having with liini the Pallas of 3 2 guns, 
 Capt. Davvi Unicorn of 20 guns, Capt. 
 Ford; I-'ortune of 14 guns, Capt. Hamil- 
 ton; and Ca!)ot brig of 12 guns, Capt. 
 Dodd. With thefe he dellroyed or cap- 
 tured three frigates which had taken ihel- 
 tcr under tlie cover of a fort in Concalc 
 Bay, on the coaft of France. The im- 
 patience of Sir James Wallace to filencc 
 this fort, had run his ihip a ground, in 
 a pofitiun that expofed him to be raked, 
 until tlic fv)rt blew u]\ This circum- 
 ftancc, however, did not prevent the com- 
 manders of the other fliips from fetting 
 
 firu
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST WAR. fi^ 
 
 fire to two of the French frigates, and 
 bringing off the third, the Danae, of 32 
 guns. Sir James feldom went to fea that 
 he did not fail in with the enemy's lliips. 
 In the Nonfuch of 64 guns, ho took the 
 Belle Poule, and deftroyed the Legere on 
 the coaft of France, both frigates of 36 
 iruns. In the fame Hiio he had a fevere 
 confiidt with the Active of 74 guns. In 
 this inllance it is to be lamented, that 
 he evinced rather an over-grcedinefs of 
 slorv: for beins: ordered to chace from 
 the fleet, and having foon difcovered that 
 the chace was a large fliip of the line, he 
 difdained to aflv for tliat affidiance, which 
 would have been fent to him il he had 
 made known to his Admiral tlie fize of 
 the enemy. But with a croud of fail, 
 having loll fight of the fleet before it was 
 dark, he continued the purfiiit, until lie 
 ran on board the enemy's ihip in the 
 night, and engaged her until both parties 
 F ■? foparateci
 
 ho A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 feparatcd greatly difablcd. In the morn- 
 ing Sir James renewed the attack, and 
 was very roughly handled by tlic hiperior 
 force and weight of metal of his opponent. 
 The French commander, however, adted 
 only upon the tJefenfive, continuing his 
 courfe, and leaving the Nonfuch in a con- 
 dition unable to purfue. 
 
 I fliall take occafion in this place to 
 contrafl the condui^l of a Britiih com- 
 mander, under fimilar circumflances, with 
 the conduct of the commander of the Ac- 
 tive. Captain Salter, of the Santa Mar- 
 garetta of 36 guns, fell in whh the French 
 fleet on the coaft of America, and was 
 chaced by fevcral fliips. One frigate of 
 the enemy, outfailing the reft, continued 
 the purfuit until tlie Frencli fleet were 
 out of fight; when (he fhortened fail and 
 tacked. Capt. Salter inflantly tacked liis 
 fliip, and chaced in liis turn the purfucr ; 
 which bwing obfervcd by the Captain of 
 I the
 
 NAVAL AC TION'S OF THE LAST WAR. 87 
 
 the French frigate, he iiillantly retacked, 
 in order to accept the daring challenge. 
 Both hiL'^ates were of equal torce, as to 
 , number of guns ; but the enemy had more 
 men, her lliot were heavier, and llie was 
 encouraged by having a fleet at her back : 
 — whereas the Britiili Captain ran a rifque 
 which even fuccefs could fcarcely juftity ; 
 for, had his fliip met with thofe dilalters 
 which are the mere effedts of chance; had 
 he loft a top-maft or a topfail yard, he was 
 fure, even if victorious, of not efcaping 
 the enemy's advancing fleet. It appears, 
 however, that thefe prudential reafons had 
 no weight with the Britiih commander 
 and his gallant crew, who were impatient 
 for battle. The iLips met, ar.d manceu- 
 vred to clofe with each other on the fiime 
 tack; and after a defperate adion of an 
 hour and a quarter, the French frigate * was 
 
 * L'AmazonCj of 36 guns, commanded by the Vifcoifnt 
 Montguiotc. 
 
 F 4 filcnced.
 
 S8 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF TIIF. 
 
 filenccd, and compelled to huTciKlcri her 
 Captain with 70 of his nicn heing (lain, 
 anil -JO wounded. Among the killed were 
 two Lieutenants; and the Second Captain 
 and the reft of the othceis were dangcr- 
 oully wounded. The Briti(h frigate had 
 only one niidlhipnian and four feameii 
 killed, and the hoatfwain and 16 feamen 
 wounded. Such intrepidity Hiould always 
 be crowned with fuccefs ; but the follow- 
 ing morning Captain Salter was obliged to 
 abandon his prize, being clofely purfued 
 by the whole of the French fleet. I can- 
 not hmi, in the hiilory of our former wars, 
 that in any a<5lion between frigates *, there 
 ever were fuch evident proots of fuperior 
 
 iT.ill 
 
 • The French frigates before the lafl war were upon a 
 much fmallcr fcalc; yet there is not an inHancc where they 
 did not dift-nd tht-mfclvcs with great obftinacy. The 
 Arcthati of 3 2 guns, the war before the laH, though flic 
 hrJ loft hrr maintopmaft, refilled for a confiderablc timer 
 thf: rfr.r;^ of v.'.n ''.\, it-i cf cQuA fjici.-, tlie "N'cnus and 
 
 Tliames.
 
 KAVAL ACTIONS OF TUT. LAST WAR. 8(J 
 
 ilall and prowcfs, when all the circiun- 
 ibinces are coniidcred, as v/li.it I have 
 juft related. It appears that th:: Eii^^lllh 
 fri'^ate had only a fhort time given licr to 
 try her force, her adverfary heing backed 
 by a fleet. And perhaps with the greateft 
 polTible degree of human bravery, and the 
 iitmoil: perfection of naval fkill and difci- 
 plinc, it Vv'oukl not have been poflible to 
 do more execution : or to put a ihip of 
 equal force out of fighting condition in 
 a ihorter fpace of time than Captain Salter 
 did; and to lofe in the aiSion fo few men 
 jis were killed in the Encrlifli fri:rate. 
 
 Thames. The Erunc alio, a French frigate of 32 guns in 
 tlie fame war, fought the Venus of 36 for two hours, aud 
 did not furrender until engaged alf<i by the Juno of 32. 
 The Danae of 36 guns, a large French frigate, fimilar to 
 thofe we had to contend with lall war, refilled a long time 
 the united efforts of the Mclampc of 36, and the South- 
 ampton, of 32 guns, before flie flruclc. The Ecllona French 
 frigate, of 32 guns, maintained the fight gallantly for four 
 hours againfl the Vellal of the fame force, commanded by 
 Captain Samuel Hood, before Ihc furicnJjrcd. j 
 
 Capt.iin
 
 OO A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 Captuiii Powiv.ill alio, in the ApuUo of 
 32 guns, fell in with the Oifcau, a French 
 fritrate of the Umc number of i^uns, 011 
 the coall of France, and after an adion of 
 an hour and a hilf conipclkd her to fur- 
 render. The llaughter on board the enemy's 
 Ihip was confiderable, but the Apollo fiif- 
 fered not niaterially. This excellent and 
 intrepid officer was killed in battle after- 
 wards, engagin^r a French lliip, which 
 cfcapcd by running aihore on the coaft of 
 Flanders. 
 
 Of the French ihips that were taken in 
 the lafl war, the Capricieux frigate appears 
 to have made the mod refpedtable defence, 
 when attacked wiih great gallantry by 
 Captain Waldegravc, of the Prudente fri- 
 '^ate of 36 guns, and Captain Cadogan, of 
 the Licornc of 32. But it is certain, that 
 j'rench fricratcs of inferior force did as 
 much in the war before. 
 
 As
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. QI 
 
 As the great ililps of both nations gene- 
 rally iailcd in large fleets, it was very rare 
 tliat llnglc iliips of the line met. Wc find, 
 ho\vever, a private fliip of war (if ihe may 
 be lb called, for ilie w^as commanded by 
 King's officers, with 250 King's troops 
 on board ailing as marines) was met, in 
 the Iriih Channel, by the Bienfl\ilant, Cap- 
 tain Macbride. This fliip of the enemy 
 had, with reafon, created great alarm 
 amongft our merchants, being a Ihip of 
 64 guns, called the Comte d'Artois, com- 
 manded by Monf. Clonard, an active, 
 cnterprizing young man, born in France 
 of Iriih parents. In the midft of a 
 large convoy of Engliili merchant iliips, 
 fhe was furprifed at day-light by an Va\- 
 glifli line of battle fliip being along- fide 
 of her. Monf. Clonard, it feems, had train- 
 ed his people for boarding; and to lure the 
 Englidi Captain to approach him, had 
 hoilled Englilh colours, that he mi^;nt 
 
 grapple
 
 ^2 A SHi-r.T .\rcciNT o> l-ir. 
 
 grapple the Bknfciifant. But he unluckily 
 met with a man highly il:ilfiil in his prj- 
 fefiicp. ; \s ho hailinc; the enemy, dared 
 him to fliew his proper colours, at the 
 fame time he iired into him ; and availing 
 himillf of his feamanlhip, as well as of 
 the Aiptrior failing of the Bienfailant, took 
 fuch pofitions as effedtually difippointcd 
 the French Captain in his project of board- 
 ing; at the fame moment raking his op- 
 ponent fore and aft with fuch effrv^t, that 
 the enemy was foon compelled to furren- 
 der. The Charon, Captain Symonds, 
 having alfo come up at the clofc of the 
 adlion, the enemy's ihip was greatly dif- 
 nbled, and loH: a number of men ; wliilft 
 the Bi.-nfailant had fuffercd fo little, 
 tliat no perfon could have told (lie had 
 been in a^ftion. This happened, no doubt, 
 from tlic judicious management of the 
 Britilii Captain. Yet, from this excel- 
 lent good conduct it was, that detradfors 
 
 were
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST WAR. ^3 
 
 were inclined to kllcn the merit of taking 
 this fliip with lb much eale. They would 
 not underftand why the Britiih Captain 
 did not lie along-fide the French Ihip, and 
 give the enemy an opportunity of killing 
 Britiih feamen with French broadfides ; 
 and talked of giving fair play, as they 
 would to two bruifcrs upon a fighting 
 flao-e. I believe there is no inftance when 
 a private fliip of war of fuch force was 
 taken with fo much eafe, in any war be- 
 fore the lafb *. 
 
 Monf. Clonard was not the only officer 
 v/ho had reafon to repent of his plan of 
 boarding. The French undoubtedly, at 
 this period, encouraged their officers to 
 try the impetuofity of their courage in this 
 way ; reprefenting to them, that the fire of 
 their characters Avcrd in hand would give 
 
 * The St. Florentine French private llip of war, of Co 
 guns, fought the Achillea of Go, for two hours the war be- 
 fore lad, and did no: furrcndcr until her maininaft fell. 
 
 them
 
 g^ A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 them an advantage over the cool-hloodcJ 
 courage of the Englilh; which has always 
 been i'at.'.l to their enemies in a long battle 
 where deliberate fkill was required. The 
 enemy built fomc of their frigates wall- 
 fided, that they might wiih more facility 
 pafs from one (hip to aiiother; and they 
 held up as examples of fortune the ex- 
 ploits of Du (iuay Troiiin and Mon- 
 ficur Fourbin, v, ho had fucceedcd by 
 boarding. 
 
 Thofe who are acquainted with the 
 quick and impatient temper of tlie French 
 nation, cannc^t be furprifed that their of- 
 ficers (cfpecially thofe wlio were young or 
 in the prime of life^ were plcafcd, that tliis 
 mode of fiiilitinir was recommended to 
 them ; and many of them, no doubt, were 
 panting with ardour to diflinguidi theni- 
 fclves. Among tlufc, it feems, was the 
 Chevalier du Remain, who commanded a 
 fine fiic'..te on the imnrovcd conArudion, 
 
 called
 
 KAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST AVAR. 95 
 
 called the Nymphe, of -^6 guns and 300 
 
 men. This frigate, in as perfeclila ftate of 
 
 good condition as was poflible, fell in with 
 
 tlie Flora, of 36 guns, commanded by 
 
 Captain Peere Williams, and 250 men, 
 
 on her firll: cruize, but fo badly manned, 
 
 (her comiplem^ent being compofed of landf- 
 
 mcn, or feamen who were not able-bodied) 
 
 that the Lords of the Admiralty were 
 
 ]nade acquainted, before llie failed, of the 
 
 miferable condition of her crew. Captain 
 
 Williams *, however, bore down upon the 
 
 enemy's Ihip fo foon as he faw her; which 
 
 brought-to, and waited tlie attack ; and 
 
 when the combatants were witliin piftol 
 
 fliot the action conimenccd. The Flora's 
 
 wheel being foon Hiot away, Ihe became 
 
 ungovernable, and fell on board the 
 
 Nymphe; in which poftion the two ihips 
 
 continued their cannonade, firing with fmall 
 
 • This officer had a kvere a.^tlon alfo with a Dutch frigate 
 in the Flora, which furrcndcrcJ to him. 
 
 arms
 
 ^6 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 arms from tlu tops, and pulliing through 
 tlic ports with pikes. At length the 
 cneniv niiulc a dcTperatc attempt to board. 
 Tiie ScLcr.d Captain, followed by other 
 orlicers and a great number of men, ad- 
 vanced upon tiie gangway of tlic Flora, 
 fword in hand; but were received with fo 
 much bravery, that the otticers and mull 
 of tliLir iriLii were killed by pikes, or 
 pullied overboard. Thof^ who efcaped 
 into tlieir lliip were purfued, ajid driven 
 oft" their own decks witli great llaughter; 
 the enemy's colours v\'erc (Iruck, the Ihip 
 taken poiieirion of by the victors, and 
 carried into port, 'i'he Nym.phi after- 
 wards proved one of tlie fmcil failing 
 fhip!^ in the Ihitidi r.a\y. Among tin: 
 tlaiji were the gallant Chevalier du Romaiii 
 .^.nd mofr of his otricers, with 60 men ; 
 whereas t!ie Flora icjII only eighr 
 
 At the Kymmencemciit of i,.v \'. .ir, 
 the Brili.h con^nanders had to appre- 
 
 Iiend
 
 NAYAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 97 
 
 Jiend great naval talents and bravery in 
 fome of the French ofHccrs. Amongft 
 the latter, the name of Monfieur La Motte 
 Piquet was eminently placed. His firfl 
 eflay was on board the Saint Efprit of 
 84 guns, having the honour to com- 
 mand the iliip which difplayed the flag 
 of ^the Due de Chartres. But, as an 
 officer can never be fo w^U known in a 
 fubordinate as in a principal command, 
 I will endeavour to find him under the lat- 
 ter defcription* 
 
 We fee in the naval records of the 
 lafl: war, that the Honourable Captain 
 William Cornwallis, commanding the Lion 
 of 64 guns, having with him the Cha- 
 tham of 50, and Janus of 44, fell in with 
 a fquadron of French lliips commanded 
 by Monfieur La Motte Piquet, confifiing 
 of the Hannibal and Diadem of 74 guns 
 each, the Reflechi of 64, and the Am- 
 phion of 50. The EngllHi fijuadron hav- 
 G ing
 
 o.S A shlRT account of t:ie 
 
 ing been fcnttercd by bailliiii^ winds, one 
 fliip was in danger of being cut off, had 
 not the Commodore bore down to luccour 
 her; :\v.dy unlilng his force, he rcfifted the 
 attack of tlie heavy lliips of the enemy, 
 and the fkill of their celebrated Conimo- 
 dore ; who, no doubt, had reckoned upon 
 this fmall fquadron as a breakfall to his 
 fame. At length the Ruby of 64 guns, 
 with the Pomona and Niger frigates, ap- 
 pearing in fight, the enemy was glad to 
 dcfift, and was purfued by the little Eng- 
 litJi fquadron. I trull this ciixumftance 
 is no proof of their fuperior naval talents. 
 True it is, that the French Commodore 
 was unfortunate in havir.i^ this firfl: clTliv 
 of his abilities tried againil: an ofTicer, 
 who, with the mod determined fpirit, 
 polfcfles a clear and found judgement, and 
 is always cool and collected in the midrt of 
 danger. It would be injuftice, however, 
 to deny that Monfieur La Mottc Piquet 
 
 has
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST WAR. g'j 
 
 lias merir. His fllpplnci; lils cables in Fort 
 Royal Bay, to cover a convoy chaccd by 
 the frigates of the Britiih fleet, was a 
 manoeuvre requiring great refoJution, and 
 undoubtedly evinced grcaf adivity. But 
 the talents for fuch exploits differ as widely 
 from thofc which are required for wcll- 
 fought battles, as patience and fortitude 
 from petulance and wrath. 
 
 I fliall next mention an action, the omif- 
 fion of which would have been an ad; of 
 injufiice both to the honour of the nation, 
 and the reputation of Captain Reynolds 
 (now Lord Ducie) ; who, commanding the 
 Jupiter of 50 guns, in the commencement 
 of the war, fell in with the Triton, a 
 French 64 gun fliip, off the coafl of Por- 
 tugal. The Jupiter had in company with 
 her a frigate of 28 guns. Captain Rey- 
 nolds did not hefitate a moment to attack 
 a force fo fupcrior ; and, aficr a fevere ac- 
 tion, unliipported by the frigate, which 
 c 2 had
 
 ICO A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 had not h'ccn cible to engage, obliged th« 
 cncinv to flieer oft. 
 
 There were muny ..^.tions fought in the 
 lalt \\:Sy by Liiall lliips, which evidently 
 prove, that at no other period had Britifli 
 valour ihone with greater luftre. Among 
 thele, the adtion of the Fly floop of war, 
 of 14 fix pounders deferves eminent no- 
 tice. She was commanded by Captain 
 Garner; who, having under his convoy a 
 packet, on board of which were the 
 Duchefs of Devonlhire, her filler, and 
 other perfons of dillindion, was chaced, 
 on his pafTage to England, by two French 
 cutter Hoops of war, of 20 guns each, 
 French fix pounders. The Britilh Captain, 
 infpired with the glory of protecting hii 
 beautiful charge, brought his ihip to, de- 
 termined to try his (Irength againll io fu- 
 perior a force. At the fime time he di- 
 reded the Capt:iin of the packet to make 
 ihc bed of his way to the neareil EngliHi 
 
 port.
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAr. JOI 
 
 port. Soon after he was attacked by both 
 cutters. But his officers, and every one 
 of his feamen, infpircd by the fame gal- 
 lantry which adluated their commander, 
 foii2:ht like lions. The French cutters 
 were beat off, in repeated attacks, with 
 confiderablc lofs ; the packet arrived fafe 
 at Harwich, and his Majefty's floop came 
 with eclat into port. Captain Garner in 
 confequence of this acftion was promoted 
 to the rank of Pofl Captain, and His 
 Grace the Duke of Devoniliire prcfented 
 him with a fervicc of plate. 
 
 Captain Purvis, of His Majefty's Hoop 
 Due de Chartres of i6 guns, on the coall: 
 of America fought a battle which defervcs 
 to be recorded; proving eminently the 
 fuperior prowefs of Britiih failors. After 
 an a^flion of an hour, he fubdued the 
 Aigle of 2 2 guns, belonging to the King 
 of France. In this a^ftion, the Captain of 
 the French lliip with two officers and i 2 
 G :j men
 
 102 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 men were killed, but the Due de Chirtres 
 loil: not a man. 
 
 On the diiLmt Nations, it lias often hap- 
 pened that very meritorious a<fl:ions of 
 fniall fliips have palled unnoticed. I Hull 
 take occarion to relate two, \\hich ought 
 not to be lorgottcn ; and as tlicy were 
 fought by two young Captains, thcfe 
 proofs of their bravery may be accepted as 
 ' indications of what their country have to 
 expeift from them wh^n more experienced. 
 Captain Byron, commanding His Majefty's 
 fhip Proferpine of 28 guns, was riding at 
 anchor in the neutral port of St. Eulla- 
 tius, with a French frigate (the Sphynx) 
 of the fame force. The rival commanders 
 met on (hore; and the French Captain, 
 contemning the juvenile appearance of 
 Captain Byron, intimated a fort of defiance. 
 Both fliips put to fea, ami a battle enfued; 
 but the Britilli boy proved vidlorious, and 
 carried the French veteran into St. Kitts. 
 
 On
 
 KAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. lOJ 
 
 Oil the Jiuniiica flation, a limilar aclioii 
 was fought by Captain Rowlty, command- 
 ing the Refoiirce of 28 guns, who was at- 
 tacked by the Unicorn * of the fome force. 
 The French Captain, being prcvioufly 
 informed cf the youth of the EngliHi 
 commander, bore down upon him vvitji 
 confidence. The adion was (liurp and 
 obfiinate. Both fliips loft a number of 
 men; but the French frigate was compelled 
 to fuirender. 
 
 We lind, in the naval hiilory of for- 
 mer wars, many pompous accounts of 
 defperate battles, when Britifli Ihips of 50 
 and 60 guns conquered fliips of the enemy 
 of 46 and 44 guns; which prove that the 
 f'rench fought at that time \N'ith prcater 
 obilinacy than they have done ii; the tvvu 
 lafl wars. 
 
 ♦ Bctli the Sphynx and IJnicorn h.id been cnpturcd from 
 u?, then carrying 20 guns cacJi ; but, as French frigates, 
 
 mounted 28 gunx. 
 
 G 4 
 
 Til
 
 12\. A SHORT ACCOUNT CF THE 
 
 In tlie lafl: war, two Ihips of the enemy, 
 on :.n improved conllructioii, as completely 
 equipped and as perfect as men of war 
 of their force could be, were taken, the 
 firft time they put to lla, wiiliout making 
 any rcfiRance. Th.e Artois of 44 guns, 
 twenty-lour, eighteen, and twelve pound- 
 ers, was captured by the Romney of 50 
 guns, off the coall of Portugal, llriking 
 her colours as foon as the Britiili fhip cams 
 along-fide. The Hebe, of the f.ime force, 
 was taken in a fimilar manner, v.'itliout an 
 attempt to try her ftrength, by the Rain- 
 bow of 44 guns, commanded by Captain 
 Trollope. 
 
 As my obje^ft is principally to demon- 
 Arate the erroneous alfcrtion, that tlic 
 French have made a more rcfpe(ttable 
 figure as a maritime power during the la|l 
 war, than they ever did before, I have 
 not particularly noticed our actions with 
 the Dutwh, Spaniards, and American re- 
 bels.
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LATT WAR. IO5 
 
 bcls. The acflion of tlie Doc^i^er B:\nk 
 j[)j-ovcs that the Dutch have not degene- 
 rated in their courage. The Spaniard?, 
 wlien they iiave been met, have not given 
 us reafon to regard them as a formidahle 
 maritime power. One of their frigates, 
 the Santa Ammonica of ^2 2:uns, behaved 
 gallantly, engaging the Pearl frigate, com- 
 manded by Captain George Montague *, 
 for a conliderable time before fhe furren- 
 dered; but the Santa Catalinii, a laKge 
 Spaniili frigate of 36 guns, was taken by 
 the Succefs of 32 guns, commanded by 
 Captain Pole, having an armed fjiip in 
 company with him, without any lofs or 
 damage to his ilaip. 
 
 Of the inilances where the French com- 
 manders have done their duty in the lail 
 )var, the conducl of the Captain of ihc 
 
 * This o.liccr, commamring the fame filiate, after a gal- 
 lant aiflion alfo captured a French niipofeijual force, called 
 ihe Efpcrance, on ihe coa.l of America. 
 
 Scipion
 
 I06 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 Scipion of 74 guns, when attacked by the 
 London, a thrce-dcckcd ihip of 90 gu!>?, 
 lliouid not be forgotten. Tiiis fiiip in 
 company with a frigate was chaced oil' the 
 Vv'cll end of HifpanioLi by the London, 
 Captain Kcnipthornc, and Torbay of 74 
 guns. Captain Cidoin, -and was brought 
 to adtion by the London. The Torbay, 
 being a bad fnilcr, Wiis left behind in tlie 
 chace. The French commander was not 
 intimidated by the fuperior force which 
 threatened him, but gallantly defended 
 himfelf; and by endeavouring to pu(h 
 athwart the hawfe of the London fell on 
 board of her, and in th.U pofition main- 
 tained the light. The London in the cgn- 
 flia loft her fore yard ; and at the fame 
 tine the enemy's (hip fiHing aflcrn raked 
 lur, and ihot away her tiller; io that ihc 
 became totally ungovernable, and was 
 greatly annoyed, until (he could bring her 
 broadfide again to bear; when flie filcnccd 
 
 tlic
 
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST WAR. lOy 
 
 the enemy's Ihlp, ^ind it was kippofed fhc 
 had ilriick *, as the frigate made l^iil from 
 her. The Torbay, v/ho had now come 
 up, ^vas told the enemy had fLruck: but 
 the French Captain finding that neither 
 of the EngUfli Hiips approached to take 
 pofleffion, hoilted his topfiils, which hod 
 been ihot down, and made faiL TIis 
 London not having the ufe of her head- 
 fiils, und having loft her tiller, could not 
 wear to follow her ; and the Torbay was 
 too bad a failer to come up with her be- 
 fore ihe ran afliore upon the rocks, where 
 llie was loll. There certainly cannot be 
 too much commendation given to this 
 gallant French' officer, fur his perfeve- 
 rance. At the fune time it mull be ad- 
 mitted by evey feaman, that bad accidents 
 frequently occur in battle, v/hich no ITvill 
 or courage can immediately remedy. No 
 
 • The aJlion happened at niglit. 
 
 accident.
 
 I?^ A «H>->RT ACCOLS-r OF THR 
 
 acciilent, Tor cxaiiipij, coukl Iiave bccii 
 more unfortunate, than that v. liich hap- 
 pcncd to tlie London. 
 
 Of the unfortunate events at fca during 
 the lail \\\\r, the niofl: material was the 
 capture of the outward bound Eall and 
 Weft India fleets under the convov of the 
 Raniillics, Captain jMoutray, and two Iri- 
 gates- and tliis \N'as the niore unluclcy, 
 as it liappencd from real carelelFncfs. 
 Had the frigates been Rationed a-head 
 to look out, whleh is a very general pre- 
 caution in fuch cafes, t'le combined fleets 
 would have b.en dilllndly dlfeovered be- 
 fore ni^ht. As it was, a number of lar^e 
 fliips were feen from the maft-Iiead; yet 
 our fleet kept on its courfe, and in tlie 
 morning was i:i the middle of the enen:iy. 
 Tills circumllancc is the miorc extraordi- 
 nary, as Captain Moutray was knowii to 
 be a brave, able, and experienced officer. 
 Therefore, when wc refled upon it, wc 
 
 caa
 
 NAVAL ACTIOKS OF TH£ LAST WAR. 1 09 
 
 can only fuppolc that the hell iiij!] urc 
 fomctiincs under incxplicahlc i;iiiucnce, 
 which thwarts and dcflroys t!ic force of 
 their judgement. A very fimilar circum- 
 ftance h.ippened to one of the beft and 
 greateft Admirals that England ever pro- 
 duced. Sir George PvOok; who, thoui^h 
 he cannot be accufed of careleiTnefs, dif- 
 fered himfelf to be deceived by falfe intel- 
 ligence, and ran a fleet of merchant men 
 of four hundred fail, called the Smyrna 
 convoy, into the midfc of the French 
 fleet, when moft of them were taken *. 
 
 Amongft other untoward events was the 
 capture of the Ardent f of 64 guns, com- 
 manded by Captain Botcler; wlio, miflak- 
 ing the combined fleets of France and 
 Spain for an Englilh tiect, ran into the 
 heart of it, and was taken; and the cap- 
 
 * Fee CamphcH's Adnnrals. 
 
 f I'his fliip was retaken t'ue I2i\\ of April. 
 
 turc
 
 TtO A "^KOIir ACCOVNT OF THK 
 
 tare of the Minerva frig.ite of 32 *, by 
 tlic Concorde French frirratc of 36 guns. 
 Captain Stott commanded the Minerva; 
 and, being ignorant of i!ic rupture which 
 had broken out between France and Great 
 Britain, was furprifcd on the Jamaica 
 ftation by the French frigate. Ilowevcr 
 blamcable lie n'.ip]\t be, even in time of 
 peace, not to have liis Ihin ready for 
 battle, it is \vell known that many fliips 
 have often been in- the fame unprepared 
 condition. Certain it is, that the Minerva 
 •was in a Hate of defencclefs fecurity. She 
 had not powder filled for an a(flilon, and 
 her powder-horns were cm-*" The fliip 
 was not barricaded, and tiic people wer>' 
 in crouds upon the gangway, when tlie 
 French frigate poured in a broadfidc upon 
 her. In fuch a condition, I v;itl not ven- 
 ture to allcrt, tliat a line of battle flup 
 
 • RctiUccn by the Coumgcux, 
 
 might
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST W'AH. HI 
 
 miijht not have been taken. It Vvas fo 
 novel n. thing for tlie French to fake a 
 Britiih man of v/ar, m the tivo lafi ivars, 
 that it is not to be wondered at, they 
 iliould make the m.ofl of thefe two la It 
 mentioned captures. But it will, I think, 
 be admitted, that they had no more caufe 
 to be elated, than the Indim who had 
 caught a lion in a trap, or transfixed him 
 with his dart when aileep. 
 
 I novv^ proceed to an entcrprize, v/hich 
 of itfelf is fufficient to fink the naval 
 character of our great rival into eternal 
 difgrace, vrhilll: it raifcs the maritime 
 fame of Great Britain to the fummit of 
 glory. I mean the relief of Gibraltar. It 
 is well known, that the grand objei^l of 
 Spain was the redudion of this important 
 fortrcfs. Every contrivance by land and 
 fca -y the v/hole art of war was exhibited ; 
 large fliips were converted into floating 
 batteries, impenetrable to fliot and (hells 
 
 3 !^'
 
 1J7. A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 i:i order to labdiie the br.we ganifort. 
 I>ancc co-upcratcd both by land and {cd, 
 :ind become fo fanguine in bcr expectations, 
 that her princes of the blood were lent to 
 fliarc the glory of the conqueil:. Their 
 hopes were principally cherillied, from the 
 confidence they had in their floating bat- 
 teries. Thefe, however, were blafted in 
 one dav, fet fuc to, and burnt with red- 
 hot fliot from the garrilbn. But, notwith- 
 llanding the garrifon had proved itfelf in- 
 vincible acrainft all the contrivances of en- 
 gincers, it was flill in danger from its ex- 
 hauiled ftate, and by being blocked up by 
 a fleet of 44. fail of the line, when it was 
 known that Great Britain could not afl*em- 
 blc above 34. fal. It v/ouLl liave been 
 regarded, perhaps, as madnefs and pre- 
 fumption in any other nation, under fuck 
 circun-ifl;ances, to liavc attempted its relief. 
 Yet, there remained a confident fpirit in 
 the Britilli C;overnment -t 1' * . period, 
 
 that
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. lij 
 
 thiit dccLired openly its intention of reliev- 
 ing Gibraltar J with 34 fail to force a paf- 
 fage through the combined fleets of France 
 and Spain (as it was natural to fuppofe 
 the enemy would have formed a barrier 
 before the entrance of the Straits), to fuc- 
 cour the garrifon; an.l accordingly Lord. 
 Howe was difpatched on this fervice. 
 
 The fate of Gibraltar now depended on 
 a battle at fea. All that had been at- 
 tempted from the fkill, bravery and per- 
 feverance of immcnfe armie?, at an enor- 
 mous expencc, was at fl:ake> to be deter- 
 mined perhaps in a few hours. With 
 fuch mighty fupcrioritv, witli a certainty 
 of conquefl: and glory if the Brltilh fleet 
 fliould be beaten, let us fee what the com- 
 bined fleets of Their Mofl: Chrlflian and 
 Catholic Majeflies performed. Nothing ! 
 The fimpk* relation of the f^O: is fufficient; 
 the Britilli Admiral, undaunted by their 
 fuperior numbers, conducted his fleet to 
 H Gibraltar,
 
 114 A SHORT AtCOlN'T OF THt 
 
 Ciihraltar, and relieved the garrifon, in the 
 face of the enemy, with as little annoy- 
 ance as if their ihips had been rowgallies. 
 
 It is true, they afterwards followed the 
 Britifii iket through the Straits of Gib- 
 raltar, and hred a few random fli.ct, wliich 
 had the appearance of anger, but without 
 further meaning. 
 
 I come now to the relation of an adion, 
 which, though of fmaller magnitude, and 
 amongft the laft during tlie v/ar, I am 
 fure the reader will not be leafl enamoured 
 of, and wliieh alone is fullicient to prove 
 that there cxillcd in the Britilh Navy a 
 fpirit as daring as any it ever exhibited. 
 At the fame time it will de?nonllrate, that 
 at no period whatever has our enemy beci\ 
 more panic-llruck by Britilh valour. I 
 mean the action of tlic Mediator of 44 
 guns, commanded by the lion. James 
 Luttrell, with a fleet of French armed 
 fhips, completely equipped and well man- 
 ned,
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE T.AST WAR. 11$ 
 
 ned, carrying together upwards of loo 
 guns; one of tliem very large, had all 
 the appearance ofa64gun iliip, having 
 two tiers of ports. This little fquadron. 
 Upon the approach of the Mediator, drew 
 up in a line j and the Britifli Captain in- 
 ilantly determined to attack* His judge- 
 ment perfuaded him the enemy's fliips 
 were not men of war, by putting them- 
 felves in a poflure of defence. His fliip 
 was a fajft failer; and, with the mind of a 
 hero, he was tempted to try their llrength. 
 The boldnefs and impetuofity of the at- 
 tack, at once confounded and threw the 
 enemy into confufion. Their line broke, 
 and each fliip fled with all the fill l1ie 
 could crowd. One of their fmalleft fhips 
 ftruck firfl, afterwards the Commodore 
 was compelled to furrendcr ; -and it flioul J 
 not be forgotten, that the Mediator on 
 this occafion loft only one man. If tlie 
 fpirit of envy, which has endeavoured to 
 II 2 diminidi
 
 Il6 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 diminilh the merits of every adion In the 
 lall war, ihould remark, that thefe were 
 a fleet only of armed iliips ; let it be re- 
 membered, that the moll ohitinate battle 
 fought in the former war, was by a fliip 
 of this defcriptioii*, which was fubdued 
 only bv a perfevering and determined 
 bravery in the Britifli Captain, that had 
 been feldom equalled, never furpafled. 
 
 Perfuaded, that France has at no period 
 given fuch flender proofs of ability to cope 
 with us, as in the lall war, and that jier 
 failors (whether employed in their Ihips of 
 war, or in their armed lhip<^) have never 
 been fo eafily vanquillied, I lliull mention 
 an inllance of intrepidity and enterprife, 
 exhibited in the conduclt of the com- 
 mander of a Britilh private Hiip of war, 
 fomethimr limilar to the achievement of 
 Captain Luttrell. — Captain Moore, com- 
 
 • See Campbell's Admirals, Vol. IV. p. iS6— the aaion 
 of the Minerva with the War\vick. 
 
 nvandin^
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. II7 
 
 manding the I'^ame privateer (of 22 guns, 
 fix pounders, and 120 men), cruifing in the 
 Mediterranean, on the iSth of November, 
 178 I, fell in with five fail of armed mer- 
 chant Iliips. Two of them carried 1 8 
 guns, nine pounders; the other three 
 mounted 16 and 12 guns each, and all 
 were well manned. — Captain Moore, un- 
 difmayed by their numbers, attacked 
 them without hefitation ; and, by his ad- 
 drefs and bravery, after an obftinate con- 
 tefl:, defeated them, and captured the two 
 large ft; the Marianne Olympe from Mar- 
 feilles, and the Adivite, both bound to 
 the Weft Indies. 
 
 Having thus as briefly as poffible re- 
 marked upon the moft material actions ut 
 the laft war (though there are many otiiers 
 which happened on diftant ftations, and in 
 fmall fliips, that are worthy of being re- 
 corded), I Ihall be amply fatisfied, if, by 
 faithfully relating what has come to my 
 H 3 knowledge,
 
 irS A SHORT Accr.vsr or ru\: 
 
 knowledge, or palled under my notice, and 
 comparing the a(flions of the hll war, and 
 the circumftances attending them, with 
 the battles we have fouglit with France 
 upon the feas in Ibrnier wars, as they are 
 related by our hiilorians, I have furnilhcd 
 materials, not only lo corre^ft the millaken 
 opinion, that the Britiili naval charader 
 is degenerated, but to prove that the laftwar 
 at fca was the moft glorious of any that 
 Great Britain was ever engaged in. True, 
 it has been called un^ortunat ■; and nothing 
 undoubtedly can be more calamitous, than 
 for a nation to have the wliolc world 
 Icaeued a^^ainfl her. But if the hiilorv of 
 the lad war fliould be ever read, at as 
 rrreat a diftance of time as we are now 
 from the periods when Rome v/as in the 
 zenith of her glory, I will venture to forc- 
 tc], that the warlike genius of Great Bri- 
 tain will be regarded with an infinitely 
 greater dcjrcc of admiration and al\onifli- 
 
 meat.
 
 KAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. I If) 
 
 ment. If we confult the map of tlic 
 world, and behold th.c infignificant ap- 
 pearance of Great Britain, compared to 
 the immenfe trad:s and regions of the earth 
 with whofe inhabitants fhe contended, 
 it feems indeed a fpecies of prefumption to 
 £iy we were unfortunate. At this inftant 
 we not only exift as an independent king- 
 dom, but are beyond example, by the 
 wifdom of a virtuous minillcr, flourifhino- 
 in our commerce, refpedled in our po- 
 litics, and dreaded at fea. 
 
 In the lafl war, confidering the efFe^ls 
 of the Armed Neutrality, we may aflert, 
 that all Europe was againft us, with the 
 whole civilifcd continent of America. In 
 the Eafl Indies we were contending with, 
 defending, or holding tributary, the princes 
 of a mighty empire, the hillory of whofc 
 former exploits we have read with admi- 
 ration. Notwithflanding this, falhionablo 
 politicians have proclaimed to the world, 
 H 4 that
 
 IZO A SHORT ACCOUNT CF THE 
 
 that the nation is at the mcrcv of our cncr 
 mics, from the degenerated ftate of our 
 navy I 
 
 If it be true that the navy is in fucli a 
 deplorable Hate, from what caufe has it 
 bwcn able to contend with, and conquer, 
 the great maritime powers of Europe 
 united, without lofing a fingle line of 
 battle Ihip ? We find, in the naval hiltory 
 of England, at tkcfe glorious periods which 
 arc held up as examples to our modern 
 naval heroes, when the naval difcipline 
 JJaonc iqifb fuch rcfplcnJcnt lujlrr, it often 
 happened, that we were not able to cope 
 with any one of the great maritime powers; 
 that fometimes, in alliance with Hol- 
 land, we were worfled; and h;;d our fln'ps 
 
 taken and deflroycd hy France alone ; that 
 we have fometimes afked aHiilance from 
 France to fight the fleets of Holland ; that 
 the l;itter alone difputcd with us the 
 fovcreignty of the fcas, followed our men 
 
 of
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OK THE LAST VTAT?. 121 
 
 of war into their harbours, and burnt our 
 iliips in the river Thames and Medway. — 
 But in the lafl war, we not only con- 
 tended with France, Spain, and Holland, 
 aided and abetted by the x'^rmcd Neutra- 
 lity, but were engaged in a civil war 
 with our colonies, which not only de- 
 prived us of a number of our feamen, 
 but diverted them to fi;^ht ao:ainfl: us. Add 
 to this, a divided cabinet and people at 
 home. When all thefe circumftanccs are 
 conlidered, it becomes a cafe of common 
 fenfe to believe, that the gloomy appre- 
 henfions fo induftrioufly propagated re- 
 fpeding the glory of Great Britain, pro- 
 ceed either from ignorance or faction. 
 Great Britain will never, it is to be ore- 
 fumed, have fo manv enemies or fo 
 many diiiiculties to encounter, as flic 
 experienced in the lail: war. Thcr, in- 
 deed, it appeared as if the elements had 
 joined our fees; for florms and hurricanes 
 
 alTiftcd
 
 rtl / rr rr Accrvvr -rr -^r? 
 
 i.Mvir cr\\-n ftrength alone Aey were muMc 
 to i' All, how^ercr, proved to be rain. 
 
 For Urw^t Britiin as a ursritiiiic power has 
 proved ir.vinciblc. ' id, therefore, of 
 deroondL:^, even- Briton's heart ihoaki 
 fv^-cll v>-ith pride, and confidenily hope, 
 th2.t fo long as Great Britsin is tme to 
 herfrif, fhe has nothing to drczd ircir. 2.tn- 
 bitious rivals. As a ^^-2rlike natio^i, hirh 
 as Ihc llands in the opinion of 
 frj^ersj perhaps fhe has not yet reached the 
 zenith oi her glor}*. But every thins: de- 
 pends open the attention that is Oviid to 
 the difcipline end iniprovement of the 
 naval fervice. h mitters not what are 
 cur mechanical improvements, cr what 
 arc the fupcrior qualirics of our othcers 
 and feamen, if thty arc not united, or ad 
 jiot togetlKT. Unanimity, which iliould 
 animate the whole corps, and which is 
 capable of performing fuch wonders, wiU, 
 
 if
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 123 
 
 if neglcdted, degenerate into party fpirit 
 and jealoufy ; to tlic extindion of that 
 zeal for the honour of our country, which 
 is invariably to be found, if uncontami- 
 nated with art or intrigue, in the hearts 
 of our feamen. ' 
 
 Of the difcipline of our navy during the 
 lafh war, though it was materially hurt by 
 party difputes^ yet, as far as refpcded the 
 good order and improved regulations of 
 individual fliips, there was an attention to 
 it, that had never before been feen ; ouf 
 ears have been dinned with the ancient 
 difcipline of the navy; but where is this 
 ancient difcipline to be found ? or what 
 are we to underftand by it, to make it difter 
 from the modern difcipline ? I underiland 
 by the word difcipline, a ftrid obedience 
 to, and execution of, the laws, and inflruc- 
 tions which have been framed for the b. t- 
 ter conducting, failing, and fighting the 
 fleet. Thefe laws and i nflrudlions remaia 
 I the
 
 124 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 the fame now as formerly, with fome ad- 
 ditional inftrudions ; the atfcdtcd dillinc- 
 tion therefore betwixt ancient and modern 
 diicipline is a term without meaning. If 
 it is to be undenlood, that the different 
 methods of carrying the difeipline into 
 practice have given rife to the complaint, 
 I am convinced, that what is called ancient 
 difcipline kis nothing to boafl of; for if we 
 compare the pa ft practices and methods, 
 as they have been explained to us thirty 
 years ago by the old feamen in the Icr- 
 vice, with the prefent, we ihall find, tiiat 
 m no one tiling under the Britidi Govern- 
 ment has there been fomuch improvement 
 as in the art of fighting, failing, and na- 
 vigating a Britifli ftiip of war. The old 
 method of enforcing dikipline, was with- 
 out method, by n:ain llrcngth, and the 
 frequent ufe of the rattan ; witliout which, 
 no oliicer, from the Captain down to the 
 youngLlt Midfhipman, ever went upon 
 
 deck.
 
 MAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. I 25 
 
 deck. Even twenty yeiirs ago there w:i3 
 much of this fort of difcipHnc (if it can 
 be called by that name) remaining in the 
 fervicc. 
 
 Lafl: v/ar, there is no doubt that the 
 internal difcipline' of His Majefty's Hups 
 was in o-eneral brou;2;ht to as threat a de- 
 gree of perfection, almoin, as it is capable 
 of receiving; I fiy, in general. There 
 were indeed exceptions ; but in Captains 
 bigotted to old cuftoms, and whofe ihips 
 might always be diftinguifhed by tlicir 
 awkwardnefs and inadliivity, and the indif- 
 ferent figure they cut in ad:ion, though 
 commanded Vv'ith bravery. This general 
 improvement proceeded from a method 
 adopted in everv branch of an oriicer's 
 and failor's duty, by dividing and cpiar- 
 tering the olHcers with the men, and 
 making them refponfible fur tlie perior- 
 mance of that portion of duty allotted 
 them, without noile, or the brutal metliod 
 2 of
 
 J26 A SH iRT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 of driving the failors like Ciittle, wkh 
 fticks. Wliethcr it were to make oi* 
 iliortcn Uil, to manoeuvre the ihip, to keep 
 the men clean clothed, clean bedded and 
 bird:ied, this method was prac^iled. And 
 befides other advantages, we found fo ma- 
 terially our account in the article of health, 
 tliat in the Well: Indies, where formerly 
 our llilps fuffered feverely from difeafe, in 
 the laft war there was an inflancc when in 
 22 lail of the hne, there were not 22 men 
 who could not come to their quarters* 
 It was from thefe improvements in the 
 difciplinc of the fervice, that our rtiips 
 were fo mucli more formidable than they 
 had ever been before. By a jufl propor- 
 tion of labour falling to the lot of each 
 man, iniiead of the management of it 
 being entrullcd to the partiality of boatf- 
 wains* mates, the men were kept in better 
 temper; and were kfs harrall'ed and fati- 
 gued in their fpirits, as well as in their 
 bodiei). There was alfo a careful atten- 
 tion
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 12/ 
 
 tlon to the Tick and convalclcent, that had 
 never before been kno\^'n in the lervicc. 
 Sour crout, the elTence of malt, and me- 
 laiTes, greatly contributed to keep the men 
 in health : and latterly, inftead of rancid 
 butter and rotten cheefe, the men were 
 ferved with cocoa and fugar *. 
 
 So much has been faid upon this fub- 
 ]ed of the dilTatisfadion of our feameii 
 with the King's fcrvice, that I believe 
 many of them have been perfuaded by 
 idle clamours to become dilTatisfied, who 
 never had any juft reafon to be fo. It 
 has been afferted, that juftice has not 
 been done to them in their wages and 
 prize money. That they have been de- 
 ceived in their expedations of prize money, 
 
 * The fcamcn In the Weft Indies were obliged to Sir 
 Samuel Hood for this falutary change in their diet ; he ob- 
 tained the fanaion of the Admiralty, that they Hiould be 
 ferved with as much cocoa and fugar as cou'd be purchaied 
 for the price of their allowance- of butter and cheefe, and 
 which was indeed more than fufiicient. 
 
 there
 
 12S A 5H0RT ACCOl'N r CF TtlE 
 
 tiHic i^ no doulit; ami tlnit tlic riches 
 which had been proniilcd to them in their 
 Sovereign's proclamation, as a reward lor 
 their toils, their exertions, and their brave- 
 ry, has been Ihared in the Courts of Law. 
 But if they have experienced any dilhculty 
 in obtaining their wages, I am inclined to 
 believe that it did not proceed from neg- 
 Icvlit, or inattention of the Admiralty, or 
 any otiice or officers. The fervice .aft war 
 frequently required, that men ihould be 
 turned over from one fliip to another. 
 This was unavoidable ; and it was a hard- 
 ihip, tiiat tiie fcamen often failed before 
 the forms of office could be gone through, 
 to enable them to receive their wages. 
 Tliis proceeded from the ncceffity of fend- 
 ing our ihips to fea, and private conveni- 
 ence yielded to public good. Surrounded 
 by enemies, all the feamen v»e could nuif- 
 ter were fcarcely equal to the nation's de- 
 fence. Thefe no fooner returned from an 
 
 attack.
 
 kaVal actions of the last war. i?.») 
 
 attack in one Hiip, then they were put on 
 board anotlier ready for Tea, and were de- 
 prived of that repofe and recreation which 
 they had experienced in former wars. This 
 Iiardfliip was indeed to be lamented ; for 
 fuch are the fatigues of the fea fervice, 
 that it would prove abfolutely intolerable, 
 if there were not periods of relaxation and 
 repofe. The Britifli failor (hould fome- 
 times eiijoy the focicty of his miftrefs, 
 and be permitted to drink his lliin full 
 of liquor, and there is no fervice afterwards 
 that he will not cheerfully undertake. 
 But, if he is never to hope for indulgence, 
 you may compel him to tug at the oar like 
 a galley Have, but you will deftroy the 
 energy of his health and fpirits. Let it be 
 rem.cmbcred, that in all former wars, iliips 
 were frequently docked, the fcanien were 
 in port for a month or fix weeks at a time; 
 and, having fpent their wages or prize 
 money, grew impatient to return in qucfl 
 of the enemy. In th.e lall war, when it 
 I was
 
 13^ A fH'^HT ACCOUN'T OF THE 
 
 Avas the pracflice to copper lliips, tliey 
 ^^xre fcarccly ever in port, and the crews 
 had not thole indulgencics whicli arc ab- 
 folutcly nccclTary to gratily and inlpirit 
 them. This hardihip, it cannot be denied, 
 was diicouiaging and tirelome to many ; 
 but in other rclpeds, from the 9:ood treat- 
 ment, the care taken of them, the mode 
 •and practice of carrying on duty, the fea- 
 men on board His Majefly's (hips had 
 never io much caufe to be fatisfied. 
 
 Much has been faid of the mutiny which 
 prevailed in the Channel fleet, upon or- 
 dering the lliips to be paid off at the dlt- 
 fcrent ports at the end of the war, the 
 feamen infilling, at tiie inlligation of their 
 landlords, to be paid off at tlic ports of 
 Portfmouth and Plymouth, where their 
 lliips th^ii were. But I cannot conceive 
 that there is any occaiion to confider tliis 
 event with much ferioufnefs. Seamen will 
 always become iheir own mailers when- 
 ever they arc permitted : and tliat they 
 
 were
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. I31 
 
 were permitted, virtually, there is no 
 doubt ; for the firll: proper attempt made 
 to bring them back to their duty, fucceed- 
 ed. Seeing their Captain * determined to 
 recover the difcipline of the fliip, they 
 yielded without an effort. This proves, 
 that they had no difguft at the fervice, or 
 refentment to their officers, as has been 
 falfely fuppofed. Had this been the cafe, 
 the mofl dreadful confequenccs would have 
 enfued : but there was not an officer in 
 any of the fliips where the mutiny mofh 
 prevailed that was treated with difrefpe(5l. 
 Merely ftimulated by their landlords, they 
 endeavoured to carry their point ; more to 
 gratify the wifhes of thefe their mif- 
 chicvous creditors, than to anfwcr any bad 
 purpofc of their own hearts. But to pro- 
 ceed with my remarks on the improve- 
 ments in his Majefty's navy during the 
 la ft war. 
 
 In naval evolutions, in the art of com- 
 
 * Lord Hervcy, Captain of the Raifonnable. 
 
 I 2 blriing;
 
 Iji A r-IU RT ACCOUNT OF THK 
 
 bmingt'ie i'orceut lliips of war, of chang- 
 ing poiuions, lb as to put a llcct in the bcfl 
 iliapc lor attack or Jclcncc; of faihng a 
 large fleet by divifions, \s ithout danger to 
 the (hips of running on board each other 
 in their various raaiui:u\ res, and by \\ hich 
 means a line of battle niigiit be fivnned 
 with the o-rcater faciHty ; the lafb was the 
 unly war in w hicli we had ever any real 
 kiiov/kdge. Vet very good old oiHccrs 
 have reprobated the art ot maneeuvring a 
 tket. *' Damn your nian»i:uvres !" cried 
 out they, " give me every man his bird." 
 Hut it is eleiir tocoivimon fenfe in fcaman- 
 fhip, tliat every man cannot have his bird, 
 unlcfs the Admiral wlio commands, has 
 equal ihiil v. 1th the Admiral of the enemy's 
 fleet to which he haj-pens to be oppofed. 
 Admitting that our deliberate courage gives 
 us an advantage over the French nation in 
 b.ittle at fea, and that we are better fea- 
 mcn ; ftilJ, if we are not fkilful in the 
 
 art
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. Ij^ 
 
 art of forming our fleets, tbofj qualities 
 which Nature fcems to have given us for 
 the defence of our illnn'l, v/ill prove uie- 
 kis. We have failed more than o'lce by 
 confiding merely in (var bravery, and per- 
 mitting our lliips to attack at random. 
 This happened on the 27th of July, and 
 in the battle off the Grenades in the Well 
 Indies ; and I may add. Admiral Arbuth- 
 not's battle off the Capes of Virginia. If 
 the latter was not at random, it will be 
 admitted, that if there had been as much 
 (kill in tlic managemxent of the whole 
 fleet, as there was bravery fliewn in thofe 
 {hips that engaged, the French fquadron 
 would have been captured. 
 
 The nation is indebted to the late Ad- 
 miral Kempelfelt, from whofe genius and 
 labour the art of manceuvring a great fleet 
 was put in pradlice, and brought to a de- 
 gree of perfedion never known before. 
 Signals were alfo mcthodifed, and were at 
 I 3 once
 
 134 A SHORT ACCOL'NT OF THE 
 
 once rendered dlflirnfl, coniprchcnfivc, and 
 intelligent. 
 
 Lord Howe and Lord Hood have been 
 as much indebted to tlicir llwill in the ma- 
 nagement of the fleets they have com- 
 manded, for the glory they have acquired, 
 as to their intrepidity. W^ith this know- 
 ledge, they have often braved, and foiled, 
 a fuperior force ; profiting with dexterity 
 of every occalion that offered to diftrefs 
 the enemy. 
 
 Amidft very great improvements in the 
 Britifli navy, which indeed had conduced 
 much to our fuccefs, it ftill was weakened 
 by difadvantages and imperfedlions in its 
 eftablifhment. Amongft the latter, I can- 
 not help noticing the manner in which the 
 Marine Corps are attach(.d to the fcrvice, 
 or perhaps with more propriety, I might 
 fay, detached from it. 
 
 Marines as they are niiMtcd will ever 
 remain dilTatisficil with the naval fervice, 
 and, being fo, will break in u}Hjn that 
 
 harmony
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS Of' THE LAST WAR. 135 
 
 harmony which is fo ellcnti.il to good 
 order and dircipUnc*, unljftj fome alteration 
 be made in their eftabiilhment, to render* 
 them of more iife when embarlced. Sen- 
 fible of their little conf?qajnce at fea, and 
 that they are regarded m.erely as idlers, 
 their pride as men is often wounded; 
 they of courfe become captious, and faf- 
 ceDtible to the lli:rhtefl inattention. It is 
 not the men that are to blame, it is the 
 fervicc; lor the cafe would be the fame, 
 if the Navy Officers were Marines, and 
 the Marines Navy Officers. As it is, there 
 are conftant heart-burnings. If you dine 
 at the Ward-room table of a m.an of war, 
 you hear the Marine Corps defcribed as 
 ufclefs palTengers ; and if you dine with 
 the Marine Corps at their Barracks, you 
 will be entertained with a dcfcription of 
 the Officers of the Navy, not calculated 
 to exalt them in the opinion of the world. 
 All this is the effcd of certain caufcs. It 
 14 'is
 
 136 A 'V.CT.r ACCOUS'T OF THZ 
 
 is human nature, which is feldom patient 
 when difregarJed. 
 
 In the corps of Marines there are per- 
 haps as n-:any worthy, amiable men, as 
 many men who are ambitious, and who 
 pant after honourable fame *, as in any 
 other corps. I low mortifying muft it be 
 for fuch charadlcrs, to fee themfelves con- 
 fiucrcd as mere cyphers ! It matters not 
 how gallant a Captain of Marines may 
 be in battle; his name is not known. lie 
 ftands upon the poop to be fliot at ; but 
 cannot receive that fame which his feelings 
 tell him he would acquire, were he placed 
 in a refponfible fituation, or could he look 
 up to fuch a one. 
 
 Is there no wav to remedy this defccft ? 
 Is tliere no method to be devifed, where- 
 by tlie corps of Marines might in future 
 
 • Whenever the Marines have fcrvcd a: troops on flwarc, 
 tlicy have proved tiiemfclvci, by their bravery and their 
 dilciplinc, as ambitluus to diftinguifli ihcmfclvcs as the mod 
 renowned regiments. 
 
 be
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST WAR. 137 
 
 be Incorporated vvitii luc Navy i* I ihould 
 think this purpofc would be in fomc 
 refpe(5t aiifwcrcd, if they could become 
 uleful in the art of failing and navigating 
 His Majefty's fhips. The outhne of my 
 plan is, that when a Midihipman had 
 ferved his time, he ihould be permitted 
 (if he had not intereft to obtain a 
 commillion as a Lieutenant in the Navy) 
 to fcrve as a Lieutenant of Marines, 
 nnd to return to the Navy whenever, 
 from his merit or intcrelt, he is able 
 to obtain a commiffion : his duty fliould 
 be, to alTiil; the Lieutenant of the 
 watch as a feaman. In the fame way, 
 when Lieutenant of a fliip, if he has not 
 immediate intereft to obtain a command, 
 he may be appointed Captain of Marines ; 
 and his duty Ihould be, when all hands 
 are upon deck, to affill in the bufmefs of 
 the fliip. He fhould alfo be promotcil to 
 the command of one of His Majefty's fliips, 
 whenever from his merit or his intcrrcllhe 
 
 becomes
 
 138 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 becomes entitled. But ih long as he re- 
 nvaiiis Captain of Marines, it would be 
 necciriry that the comiiiand of the Hiip 
 fliould devolve on him after the junior 
 
 y Lieutenant; and the Marine uniibrin 
 
 '^ fliould be blue. 
 
 If feme plan of this kind, properly 
 digefled, were adopted, the purpofc woqld 
 not only be anfwcred, but in a few years 
 it would be a great acceirion of ftrength, 
 inafmuch as it would add as many Ofhcers 
 feamen to the fervice as there are M;:rine 
 Othcers. And they would no longer be 
 accufed of being idlers, of fomenting dif- 
 putes, of creating divifion in llis Majefty's 
 ihips, or of diflurbing the Lieutenants 
 whq have the watch of the deck, with the 
 rattling of backgammon, or the fcraping 
 upon the violin. Their employment r^nd 
 fatigues being the fame, they would lleep 
 at the fame hours; and the fervice would 
 be much Arengthcncd by fueh unity. 
 
 I Amongfl
 
 NAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST WAR. j^') 
 
 Amongft the dil^idvantages under which 
 • the naval fervice laboured in the Lifl war, 
 one (and by no means the le.iil) was, 
 having a number of young and inexpe- 
 rienced officers. Ill the Wefl Indies, 
 where fo many battles ^vcre fought, in 
 ten fliii of the line there have not been 
 ten Lieutenants who had ferved out tlieir 
 time. lliis, however, did not liappen 
 from any preference given to high birth 
 orintcreft; but there were not Midiliip- 
 men to be found who had ferved their 
 whole time. This misfortune, for a real 
 misfortune it certainly was, arofe from a 
 negled: in this branch of the fervice dur- 
 ing the peace, the moft ill-judged a^co- 
 nomy that ever was thought of. Inllead 
 of retaining in guardfhips the complement 
 of Midlhipmcn, upwards of an iiundred, 
 mofl of them experienced and able feamcn, 
 were difcharged at one time. Many ob- 
 tained commiflions in the Marines; and 
 
 olhcrs
 
 1^0 A SHORT ACCOUS'T CF THE 
 
 etheri> dif^^uilcd with the fcrvicc, quitted 
 jt fur ever. The want of Cv'pcrricnccd 
 Lieutenants and Midihipmen was fo fe- 
 vercly i^hy in the hit war, by many 
 Admirals and Captains who arc now in 
 power, or have influence, that no doubt 
 the wifeil methods will be adopted to en- 
 courage, and attach to the fervice, a fulH- 
 cient number who may have knowledge 
 enough to be entriifted with the charge of 
 a line of battle fhip, in their watch, after 
 they become Lieutenants. When we con-, 
 fider tliC importance of this objecft, we 
 cannot too much reprobate that mcafure, 
 which has driven from the naval fervice 
 otiicers of this defcription *. 
 
 I humbly prefume, that not only the 
 guardlhips ihould bear their full comple- 
 ment, but whenever any young men are 
 
 • An alteration, it is fav', has taken place to < niarg • the 
 complement of Widiliipmcn ilncc this pamphlet uas firfl 
 prir.tcd. 
 
 out
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST* WAR. If? 
 
 out of employ, they fliould be received 
 on board until they can find employment* 
 The cruifmg fliips, and thole ^vhich are 
 flationed abroad, lliould bear an additional 
 number ; and to thofe who ferve in mer- 
 chant fliips fuitable gratifications fliould 
 be held out, in order to brincr them back 
 to the fervice when there might be occa- 
 lion for them. Perhaps too much encou- 
 ragement could not be given to young 
 gentlemejit who are deftined for the navy, 
 to ferve a part of their time in the mer- 
 chant fervice. They thereby not only 
 become good feamen*, but they are fo 
 
 often 
 
 * There is a Tort of doflrine which I truft will never 
 gain credit in the fervice, and which cannot be too inuch 
 reprobated. That it is pofTible to be a good OfUcer, without 
 being a good Seaman. I believe it to be generally fa- 
 voured by thofe Officers who come too Lite into the fcrvics 
 to be initiated into a Seaman's duty. Wiiliing at or.co to 
 become Officers, tluy were perhaps placed to command, 
 inftead of being placed in the tops to be taught a Sailor's 
 duty.
 
 142 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 olten cxpofed to aifficulty and- danger, and 
 fo ciuucd to li.irthhip, that their hearts 
 
 become 
 
 To fay, tlu: It Is poflible for a man to be a gccd Officer 
 wnthout being a Seaman, U an aflcrtion that no man who 
 calls himfelt an OlTicer can maintain, and wJiich every Sea- 
 man will call abfurd. It may, with equal truth, be faid. 
 That an 0:r.cer may at once be a good Farmer ; when to 
 his coil he would foon find, that being ignorant in the my- 
 flcry and Ubour of liulbandry, he would be deceived by 
 every perfon he employed; as that Officer will moll alfuredly 
 be, and with a rii'que to his repuutlon, who has not die 
 knowledge of a Seaman, and who h obliged to trufl to his 
 Eo.-itfwain, fliould his iViip be difallcred eitlier lu had weather 
 or in b^iiIe. It Is well known, that when there has been 
 au exertion from t!ic Captain'a own knowledge as a Seaman, 
 lower mails have been got in and rigged, topmafls have 
 been got up after being carried awaj', in a fourth part of 
 the time that the fame diity has been performed when en- 
 trullcd to officers whofc abilities, whether gocd or bad, the 
 Captain has not been a judge of. There ii a confidence alfo 
 wluch the men have in their Commandjr, when tiicy find he 
 is a Seaman: the duty is carried on with a (lead/ cheerful- 
 ncfs, b.-caufe th- y know that he is a co;npctcnt judge of all 
 tliat can be expected in the performance of their duty. How 
 often lias ithappfncJ, that a fct of top-men iiavc been flogged 
 round, bccaufc tlic t'.pgallant yard has not been got acrofs fo 
 
 fuoa
 
 NAVAI« ACTIONS OF THE I,AST WAR. I43 
 
 become jfteelcd to the hazards of war. It 
 may indeed be a diliicult matter to per- 
 fiiade young men, that, to become emi- 
 nent in their profeffion, it is ahlblutely 
 neceilary they Ihould almoll inceilantly 
 labour to acquire knowledge ; and that it 
 is from being expofed to danger, and con- 
 quering difficulties, which vary every 
 voyage, that he can acquire experience. 
 But the illuftrious example of the Duke of 
 Clarence, furpalTcs every thing that can be 
 faid on this fubjed:. Senfible that he could 
 become mafher of his profeffion, and equal 
 to the command for which he is dertined, 
 only by unwearied application. His Royal 
 
 foon .IS another fhip's 1 though there kas been the utmoR 
 alaciity fnewn by thefe people, and perhaps from their over- 
 cagcrncfs the miflake has happened. But the Captain be- 
 ing a Uiboer himfelf, and having never rigged a yard arm, 
 calls his zealous Sailors lubbers (who have as much prijj 
 for the fhiip he commands as iiimfclf) , and flogs them at 1 
 venture for not doing what he is not a judge of, and HJiicli 
 eften does not depend upon their belt excnions, 
 
 Ilighnefs
 
 1,14. '^ SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 Hi'^hnefs is indef:itl;^able in attention to 
 his duty. DiiUaining the indulgence na- 
 tunil 10 his birth, he has always iharcd 
 the rifqucs, the watchings and toils of a 
 feaman. In the moil inclement feafons, 
 in dark and liormy nights, he has gone 
 ak^ft to hand or to reef the toplaiK. He 
 was reputed the bell Midfhipman in the 
 Hiin in wl^.ich he ferved. And when a 
 Lieutenant, liis Captain declared, cruiling 
 in a vlangerous navigation in the Channel 
 of Eu'dand in the wintrer fcafon, that he 
 was relieved from all Jinxiety v/hen His 
 Royal Highnefs had tiie watch upon 
 deck. Placed in the rcfponfibility of com- 
 mand on a diftant Ilation, we fee him in 
 the fame Acady purfuit. With every plea- 
 fure to allure him, the only objed that 
 could captivate or fix His Royal High- 
 nefs wiih any degree of conllancy, was 
 tiie frt'-'ate he commanded. Should the 
 Dukv, of Clarence dill engage our admi- 
 ration.
 
 reAVAL ACTION'S OF THE LAST VTAK. I45 
 
 ration, by pcrfevcring in his duty, the 
 fervice may experience the happicft effccfls 
 in having fo exalted and fo exemplary a 
 pattern. It may, with great truth, be af- 
 firmed, that His Royal Highnefs is not 
 only the firft Prince of the Blood who 
 has been regularly bred to the fca, but 
 that fcarcely any young man of high birth 
 has been fo ftridtly brought up, or has ac- 
 quired fo much real knowledge in the 
 profefTicn. From fuch well-grounded qua- 
 lirications, with the inherent perfonal 
 bravery of his augufl family, may not the 
 nation expedt, when Plis Royal Highnefs 
 fhall animate the Britifh fleet with his 
 flag as Commander in Chief, that his 
 known judgement as a Seam.an and an 
 Oflicer will infpire every heart with con- 
 fidence ? 
 
 * * * * 
 
 It will appear, I trufl, from this fliort 
 
 teview of the naval tranfadions of the lafl 
 
 K war.
 
 1^.6 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 war, that the notion, which too gene- 
 r:\\\y prevailed, of the l^ench having 
 ?ivcn ijreatcr inftances of maritime il^ill 
 and bravery, than they had ever done 
 in any former war, is entirely without 
 foundation. 
 
 If the exhaufted ftate of our finances 
 would not permit us to continue the war 
 when the Britifli flag began to be tri- 
 umphant, it was a misfortune which can- 
 not be too much lamented. For it may 
 be prefumed, that our fleets, re-animated 
 by the vidoryof the 12th of April, whilft 
 the enemy had become cautious and dif- 
 pirited, would foon have produced a feries 
 of fucccfs, to have reduced France to a 
 fituation fnnilar to what flie experienced 
 at the conclufion of the war 1756. 
 
 In the report I have made of thole Of- 
 ficers who have diftinguiflied themfclves 
 in the fervice of their country ; I have 
 written, to the beil of my judgement, with- 
 
 2 
 
 out
 
 NAVAL ACTIONS OF THE LAST WAR. 147 
 
 out prejudice or partiality, being actuated 
 by TiO other motive than that of rendering 
 juflice to merit. This, indeed, may be a 
 bold undertaking in times like the prefent, 
 when truth is made a jcfl of, when the 
 principles of honour are facrificed to an- 
 fwer the purpofes of party, and unprin- 
 cipled men exult in the mifchief. 
 
 As my name is unknown to every per- 
 fon mentioned in this little work, I truft 
 I fhall not be fufpeded of adulation ; and 
 Ifhallbear, without repining, theanimad- 
 verfions of thofe gentlemen, who have not 
 a relifh for any thing that comes not fa- 
 bricated from the mint of calumny. 
 
 THE END.
 
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