THE MONTHLY VISITOR. JUNE, 1798. BRIEF MEMOIRS OF EARL HOWE. TB O devote a portion of our pages to a detail of Naval Biography will, we are perfuaded, impart a degree of pleasure to the generality of our Readers. The infular fituation of Britain renders her exertions by fea of peculiar importance both to our commercial interests and to the existence of our national dignity. With alacrity, therefore, do we record the particulars which have marked the life of the illuftrious fubject of these memoirs. EARL HOWE was born in or about the year 1722. He is the fecond fon of Scrope Viscount Howe, of Clarrawly, by Lady Charlotte, daughter to the Baron Kilmanfegg, in Germany, who was Mafter of the Horfe to King George I. as Elector of Hanover. The fubject of our memoirs appears to have poffeffed an early predilection for the fea, for at a tender age he entered into the naval fervice. Of the particulars of his life during this period we are ignorant. This must be attributed to a defect in our naval annals. Ships are mentioned without fpecifying the names of their officers. The deficiency of which we complain will, we truft, be remedied for the future by the undertaking of J. Charnock, Efq. who has announced a Naval Hiftory, which promifes to be not unworthy of the countenance of the British nation. By the Navy Lift it appears, that in 1746 Earl Howe VOL. IV. K was was made a poft captain in the Triton man of war, and in 1752 appointed to the command of the Dolphin. At the time of his former promotion he was only twentyfour years of age, and had fcarcely reached his thirtieth year at the period of his latter advancement. There was, we doubt not, a fufficient difplay of merit to juftify his clevation to these posts of honour. And it muft afford fatisfaction to our Readers to know these first fteps by which this eminent perfonage hath arisen to his prefent celebrity. At the commencement of the year 1755, when some mifunderstandings were taking place between France and Britain, Admiral Bofcawen was fent to watch the motions of the enemy along the American coaft. In this fquadron Earl Howe commanded the Dunkirk. His hip, together with the Defiance, fell in with two French men of war, upon which a fierce and bloody engagement enfued. So clofely did they engage with each other, that a Frenchman on the yard-arm being killed, dropped into the Dunkirk. The enemy were captured after a moft obftinate ftruggle. Thus did our young hero ftrike the first blow of that famous conteft in which our naval efforts were diftinguished by peculiar glory. On board the French prizes were eight companies of land forces, and the Governor of Louifbourg, together with the fum of 30,000l. In the command of this fhip Earl Howe continued till the expedition was undertaken against Rochfort, when he was, promoted to the Magnanime, of 74 guns, in the fleet of the celebrated Admiral Hawke. Rochfort is a handfome and confiderable fea-port town of France, in the territory of Aunis, with a very commodious harbour, and one of the most famous in the kingdom. The expedition against this place did not fucceed. Our hero, however, diftinguished himself in the bufinefs. Upon a fort, fituated in the island of Aix, in the mouth of the Charante, leading up to Rochfort, he poured fuch a broadfide, that the French colours were ftruck. Such were were his courage and perfeverance in haraffing and overcoming an enemy! In the year 1758, the Earl was felected by the immortal Lord Chatham (then Mr. Pitt), to undertake a fecond expedition against the French coaft. He fuftained the title of Commodore, and left Portsmouth with one line of battle ship, the Effex; three fifties; seven frigates; fix floops, with fire ships, bombs, tenders, cutters, and tranfports. The troops were commanded by the Duke of Marlborough. They directed their courfe to St. Maloes, a fea-port, which has a large frequented harbour, difficult of accefs by means of the rocks which furround it. Upon their arrival they found the town well provided against an attack, and therefore only fet fire to about an hundred fail of fhips, and to fe veral magazines of naval ftores. They then fteered away for Cherbourg, a fea-port in Normandy. Though they did not in the firft inftance hazard a debarkation, yet they foon returned and effected their purpofe. The fortifications at this place had been raised under the skilful Vauban, and enormous fums expended in their erection. Thefe, however, were deftroyed. Having returned to Britain, and depofited his trophies, he again failed for St. Maloes, where his troops were landed in the vicinity of the town. This attempt was not attended with fuccefs. Owing to the ftate of the army, and to the impetuofity of the enemy, a re-embarkation was effected with great carnage. Earl Howe, however, much to his praife, eminently contributed to affift the diftreffed troops. The bay was fcoured by the batteries of the French. Yet he ventured in a boat, and by rendering himfelf confpicuous to the fleet at this awful crifis, impelled numbers to proceed inftantly to their affiftance. This redounds to the honour of his Lordship's humanity. Amid the fortunes of war fuch opportunities of difplaying a spirit of kindness do not unfrequently offer themfelves. Thrice happy the man! who on fuch occafions becomes diftinguished. He alleviates the horrors of war. He diminishes the extent of its evils. He, on his part, does every thing to relieve the diftreffes of fuffering humanity, At the time when this event happened, this act of humane heroifm made an impreffion on feveral individuals. And to Earl Howe on this account the fubfequent lines were appofitely applied : So when the Grecians to their navy fled, High o'er the trench Achilles rear'd his head, POPE'S HOMER. During this expedition the Earl loft his elder brother, in America, by whofe decease he fucceeded to the family title and its appropriate honours. Previously however to this circumftance, his late majefty had ordered.* his Lordship to be minuted for a Gentleman of the Bedchamber, alledging, that he loved to see brave men about his perfon. But this defignation not taking place in confequence of his peerage, he was appointed Colonel of Marines, In 1759, a famous action was fought between the late Sir Edward Hawke, and M. Conflans. The Magnanime was one of the firft fhips which faced the enemy. Their fire Earl Howe for fome time fuftained alone, Lofing her fore-yard, and being in other refpects crippled, his fhip was driven by the wind through the enemy's fleet to leeward. Here obferving the Heros of 74 guns, commanded by Viscount de Sanfay, failing away, he purfued her, and after a bloody conteft the furrendered. The fails and rigging of the Magnanime were almoft torn in pieces, and near one hundred of the crew killed and wounded. We must here record an amiable trait in the charac ter of our hero, which deferves univerfal imitation from perfons in fimilar fituations. After an action, it is faid, that that he conftantly went below and talked to every wounded man. He fat befide their cradles and faw that they were fupplied with his own fresh ftock and wines, according to the direction of the furgeon. On the 29th of September 1760, Earl Howe undertook an expedition against a small fort on the island of Dumet, and reduced it. He was now appointed one of the Lords of the Bedchamber to the Duke of York. In 1763, he was conftituted a Lord of the Admiralty, and in 1765, made Treafurer of the Navy. He was afterwards promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral of the Blue, and in 1776, became Rear Admiral of the White. His merit was now rendered more and more confpicuous. It is not therefore to be wondered that he fhould be diftinguished by an accumulation of honour. When Sir Edward Hawke politely introduced him into the presence of the late king, his Majesty addressed the Earl in thefe memorable words :-" My Lord, your "life has been a feries of continued fucceffes to your Country!" In the year 1776, upon the commencement of the unhappy war between Britain and her Colonies, to him was affigned the American ftation. Though left to encounter a French fleet alarmingly fuperior, he, by an almoft miraculous difcernment, preferved his fhips from the impending danger. The prefervation of his flag in 17-8, off Sandy Hook, has been a theme of applaufe with those who are profoundly verfed in naval tactics. By the arrangement of his flect, the French Admiral d'Eftaing was greatly difcomfitted. Earl Howe prevented him from making any impreffion on his line. This must have commanded even the enemy's admiration. Previous to this, he was determined on his refignation, occafioned by neglect and ill treatment. But he deferred it, being averse to relinquish a command when a supe... rior enemy was expected. On his return to England, he demanded in the Houfe of Commons that a fcrutiny into his conduct might be K 3 inftituted. |