inftituted. To which demand the only reply made was, "No perfon accufes you, my Lord." His consciousness however of ill treatment was fo deeply rooted, that he refolved never to serve again while the fame First Lord of the Admiralty (Lord Sandwich) prefided at the Board. Till the miniftry therefore were changed in 1782, he remained out of employment. Then he was again appointed to the command of a fquadron with which he gallantly relieved the fortrefs of Gibraltar, at that time affailed by the united powers of France and Spain. His fleet was inferior in point of number to that of the enemy. But this deficiency was more than fupplied by his fuperior talents. For his conduct in this arduous undertaking he received the thanks of both Houfes of Parliament, and continued to command, with his accuftomed energy, the Channel fleet, until the arrival of the peace.

In the year 1788, he was conftituted First Lord of the Admiralty, a fituation for which his extenfive experience had well qualified him. It affords an exquifite fatisfaction to behold elevated ftations thus ably filled. To tried abilities we look up with a steadier eye, and the injunctions of acknowledged difcernment are obeyed with an additional alacrity. However, Earl Howe did not long retain this poft, for which he appears to have been in every respect capacitated. For reafons, beft known to himself, he foon refigned it. Soon after he became an Earl of Great Britain, How worthy he was of this advancement is evident from the preceding narrative. A life fpent in the fervice of one's country, is deferving of the honours which the has in referve for the meritorious fubject. This juft diftribution of dignity merits the warmest praise. It incites in others a fpirit of emulation, and to the hardy veteran proves a fatisfactory reward.

We must now draw towards the conclufion of this great man's life, by recording the memorable First of June 1794, when he obtained a moft illuftrious victory

over the enemies of Britain. The name of HOWE, on this occafion, will be indelibly impreffed on the hearts of his countrymen. To him are we indebted for repreffing the infolence of an audacious foe. By him were atchieved on that day triumphs which are the boaft and pride of Britons.

A victory fo fresh in all our memories, need not be minutely detailed. It may be proper, however, to communicate to our Readers the official account which was published by Government. The pen of this illuftrious Commander well defcribes what his valour had effected. The language in which his narration is couched, is easy and impreffive. The manner alfo in which he relates his atchievement fhews how nearly modefty and merit are allied. It reminds us of the Commentaries of Cæfar, a work which has been juftly extolled for its perfpicuity and elegance.

Admiralty-Office, June 10. Sir Roger Curtis, Firft Captain to the Admiral Earl Howe, arrived this evening with a difpatch from his Lordship to Mr. Stephens, of which the following is a

copy:

SIR,

"Queen Charlotte at Sea, June 2, 1794, Ufhant E. Half N. 140 Leagues. "Thinking it may not be neceffary to make a more particular report of my proceedings with the fleet, for the prefent information of the Lords Commiflioners of the Admiralty, I confine my communications chiefly, in this dispatch, to the occurrences when in presence of the enemy yesterday.

66

Finding, on my return off Breft on the 19th paft, that the French fleet had, a few days before, put to fea; and receiving, on the fame evening, advices from Rear-Admiral Montagu, I deemed it requifite to endeavour to form a junction with the Rear Admiral as foon as poffible, and proceeded immediately for the station on which he meant to wait the return of the Venus. "But, having gained very credible intelligence, on the 21ft of the fame month, whereby I had reafon to

fuppofe

fuppofe the French fleet was then but a few leagues farther to the weftward, the courfe before fteered was altered accordingly.

"On the morning of the 28th the enemy were difcovered far to windward, and partial actions were engaged with them that evening and the next day.

"The weather-gage having been obtained, in the progrefs of the laft-mentioned day, and the fleet being in a situation for bringing the enemy to close action the ift inftant, the ships bore up together for that purpose, between feven and eight o'clock in the morning.

“The French, their force confifting of twentyfix fhips of the line, oppofed to his Majefty's fleet of twenty-five (the Audacious having parted company with the fternmoft fhip of the enemy's line, captured in the night of the 28th) waited for the action,. and fuftained the attack with their customary resolution. "In less than an hour after the clofe action commenced in the centre, the French Admiral, engaged by the Queen Charlotte, crowded off, and was followed by moft of the fhips of his van, in condition to carry fail, after him, leaving with us about ten or twelve of his crippled or totally difmafted fhips, exclufive of one funk in the engagement. The Queen Charlotte had then loft. her fore top-maft, and the main top-maft fell over the fide very foon after.

"The greater number of the other fhips of the British fleet were, at this time, so much disabled or widely feparated, and under fuch circumftances with respect to thofe fhips of the enemy in a ftate for action, and with which the firing was ftill continued, that two or three, even of their difmantled fhips, attempting to get away under a fpritfail fingly, or fmaller fail raifed on the ftump of the foremost, could not be detained.

"Seven remained in our poffeffion, one of which, however, funk before the adequate affiftance could be given to her crew; but many were faved.

"The Brunswick, having loft her mizen-maft in the action,

action, and drifted to leeward of the French retreating fhips, was obliged to put away large to the northward from them. Not feeing her chafed by the enemy, in that predicament, I flatter myself fhe may arrive in fafety at Plymouth. All the other twenty-four fhips of his Majefty's fleet re-affembled later in the day; and I am preparing to return with them, as foon as the captured fhips of the enemy are fecured, for Spithead.

The material injury to his Majefty's fhips, I understand, is confined principally to their mafts and yards, which I conclude will be fpeedily re-placed.

"I have not been yet able to collect regular accounts of the killed and wounded in the different fhips. Captain Montagu is the only Officer of his rank who fell in the action. The numbers of both defcriptions I hope will prove fmall, the nature of the fervice confidered ; but I have the concern of having to add, on the fame fubject, that Admiral Graves has received a wound in the arm, and that Rear-Admirals Bowyer and Pafley, and Captain Hutt, of the Queen, have each had a leg taken off; they are, however (I have the fatisfaction to hear), in a favourable state under thofe misfortunes. In the captured ships, the numbers of killed and wounded appear to be very confiderable.

"Though I fhall have, on the fubject of these different actions with the enemy, diftinguished examples hereafter to report, I prefume the determined bravery of the feveral ranks of Officers and the fhips companies employed under my authority, will have been already fufficiently denoted by the effect of their fpirited exertions; and, I truft, I fhall be excufed for poftponing the more detailed narrative of the other tranfactions of the fleet thereon, for being communicated at a future opportunity; more efpecially as my firft Captain, Sir Roger Curtis, who is charged with this difpatch, will be able to give the farther information the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty may at this time require It is incumbent on me, nevertheless, now to add, that I

am

to the Audacious, and that they parted company together foon after.

"The two opponent fleets continued on the starboard tack, in a parallel direction, the enemy ftill to windward the remainder of the night. The British fleet appearing in the morning of the 29th, when in order of battle, to be far enough advanced for the fhips in the van to make fome farther impreffion on the enemy's rear, was tacked in fucceffion with that intent.

"The enemy wore hereupon from van to rear, and continued edging down in line a-head to engage the van of the British fleet; when arrived at fuch distance as to be just able to reach our most advanced fhips, their headmoft fhips, as they came fucceffively into the wake of their respective feconds a-head, opened with that distant fire upon the head-moft fhips of the British van.. The fignal for paffing through their line, made when the fleet tacked before, was then renewed..

"It could not be for fome time feen, through the fire from the two fleets in the van, to what extent the fignal was complied with. But as the fmoke at intervals difperfed, it was observed that the Cæfar, the leading fhip of the British van, after being about on the starboard tack, and come abreast of the Queen Charlotte, had not kept to the wind; and that the appointed movement would confequently be liable to fail of the purposed effect.

"The Queen Charlotte was therefore immediately tacked; and, followed by the Bellerophon, her fecond aftern, (and foon after joined by the Leviathan) paffed through in action, between the 5th and 6th fhips in the rear of the enemy's line. She was put about again on the larboard tack forthwith, after the enemy, in preparation for renewing the action with the advantage of that weathermoft fituation.

"The rest of the British fleet being at this time paffing to Leeward, and without the fternmoft fhips, moftly of the French line, the enemy wore again to the

Eaft