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If you secure my life, I will preserve it in order to remind you of the benefit: and, if we are bereaved of it, we shall meet again, with still

greater delight, in the abodes of immortality.

"LEWIS."

"TH

MEMOIRS of the late EARL HOWE.

[From Mr. MASON'S LIFE of his LORDSHIP.]

HE honourable Richard Howe, second son of Emamuel-Scrope viscount Howe, of the kingdom of Ireland, was born in the parish of St. George, Hanover Square, March 8th, 1725-6, O. S. -by the change of style, March 19th, 1726. He was sent for education first to Westminster school, when his father went to Barbadoes as governor of that island-having been appointed to his government in May 1732. From this school Richard was removed to that of Eton, not later than 1735, when the viscountess (his mother) returned a dowager to England. In his fourteenth year he left Eton also, to enter into the naval service."

"Mr. Richard Howe was initiated into his professional line by sailing for the South Seas, in the Severn, of 50 guns, commanded by the hon. captain Edward Legge. This ship (one of commodore Anson's squadron) was driven by distress into Rio Janeiro, and thence navigated back to Europe.

"Mr. Howe served next aboard the Burford (captain Lushington) in a squadron under the command of commodore sir Francis Knowles; who was detached from sir Chaloner Ogle's fleet in February 1743, to make an attack on the town of La Guitta, upon the coast of Curaçoa. The attack was made; the Burford suffered considerably; and

the captain was killed in the action. This attempt having failed, a courtmartial was held, relative to the conduct of the Burford. Young Howe was particularly called upon for his evidence. He gave it in a clear and collected manner, till he came to relate the death of his captain. He could then proceed no further, but burst into tears, and retired. There subsists a more intimate alliance between steady cou rage and sensibility, than the generality of men are aware of.

"Mr. Howe was soon afterwards appointed acting-lieutenant by commodore Knowles, and in a short time came to England with his ship. His commission not being confirmed by the Admiralty, he returned to his patron in the West Indies, where he was made lieutenant of a sloop of war.

"An English merchantman had been captured at the Dutch settlement of Eustatia by a French privateer, under the guns and protec tion of the governor. Lieutenant Howe, at his own earnest request, was sent with orders to claim her for the owners. This demand not being complied with, he desired leave to go with the boats, and attempt cutting her out of the harbour. The captain represented the danger of so adventurous a step; and added, that he had not suf ficient interest to support him in England, on a representation of the

breach

breach of neutrality. The lieutenant then requested he would, for a short time, quit the ship, and leave the command with him. This being done, the lieutenant went with the boats, cut out the vessel, and restored it to the proprietors.

"In the autumn of 1745, lieutenant Howe, having served préviously with admiral Vernon in the Downs, was raised to the rank of commander in the Baltimore sloop of war, which joined the rest of the squadron on the coast of Scotland under admiral Smith. During this cruise, the Baltimore, and another armed vessel, fell in with two French frigates, of 30 guns each, full of troops and ammunition. Captain Howe immediately ran the Baltimore between them, and almost on board one of the ships. A desperate action commenced; in which captain Howe was severely wounded in the head by a musquet-ball, and carried off the deck, to all appearance dead. But by medical assistance he soon discovered signs of life, and, after the dressing of his wound, flew again to his post. The action continued, till the French ships sheered off, leaving the Baltimore in too shattered a condition to pursue them. For his behaviour in this action, properly represented by the worthy admiral Smith, our young hero was advanced to the rank of post-captain, and on April 10th, 1746, appointed to the Triton frigate. With the Triton he was ordered to Lisbon: there found the Rippon, of 60 guns, commanded by captain Holbourne, with whom he changed ships, and visited the coast of Guinea. He afterwards went to admiral Knowles at Jamaica, was appointed his first captain on board the Cornwall, of 80 guns, in which ship he re

turned to England at the peace in 1748."

"At the close of this same year (1751) captain Howe was appointed to the Mary yacht. This was not the kind of command that accorded with his active spirit: he was glad to quit it in June 1752, on being commissioned to the Dolphin frigate. The Dolphin was one of the squadron that sailed to the Mediterranean under commodore Edgecumbe; who, during his station there, dispatched captain Howe to the coast of Barbary on a very critical service. The inhabitants of Sallee were fitting out a cruiser of about 20 guns, avowedly to plunder vessels of all the Christian nations, and particularly of the English. On arriving in their road, the captain sent a letter on shore to the bashaw and alcaide; acquainting them with the nature of the service to which he was appointed, and requesting an explanation of their intentions. The Moors invited the captain on shore, to treat with them. He was strongly advised not to put himself in the power of such a faithless people; but, considering it as a duty belonging to his employment, he went on shore next morning, accompanied by two or three friends only, leaving his ship to the care of the lieutenant, with orders how to proceed in case of any accident. On his approach near the beach, he perceived a concourse of people ready to receive him, and, upon landing, was immediately conducted to the bashaw and alcaide; who had prepared a repast for his entertainment (a sheep roasted whole, &c.), and behaved with the greatest civility, and even politeness. They then proceeded to the business of the intended cruiser; and

by their discourse appeared not quite free from hostile designs. When they were reminded of subsisting treaties, they replied, that the emperor of Morocco's engage ments were not binding to them. They however, after much argument, consented to abandon their intentions of cruising against the English, if the captain would furnish them with a few materials for their ship. This he judiciously contrived to evade, by observing, that the stores aboard the Dolphin were the property of the king his master, and not his to give away; but that if the bashaw and alcaide would honour him with a visit, they should be welcome to any thing on board that was at his own disposal. This invitation was accepted, and they went on board next day with near two hundred of their followers; so that it was thought necessary to arm a number of seamen, as sentinels, in the gangways, and other parts of the ship. The principal Moors were at first a little alarmed, and indeed affronted, at this circumstance; but on the captain's informing them, that it was only a proper compliment to the dignity of his guests, they were perfectly satisfied, and cheerfully partook of the repast, not objecting to rum-punch, under the title of sherbet. They accepted of a pair of handsome pistols, and some other things; and by a promise to return with a more considerable present for the emperor (which he afterwards faithfully performed), the captain put themn off with the gift of a hand-pump. On the Dolphin's departure, they

sent a letter to the commodore, thanking him for appointing such an officer to negociate with them, and desiring that the same person might return with the promised presents for the emperor."

"February 16th, 1758, was an auspicious day indeed in our hero's calendar. Being allotted a cessation for a few months, amidst the career of his glorious actions, he married Mary, one of the two daughters and co-heiresses to Chiverton Hartop, esq. of Welby, in the county of Leicester. This marriage was productive of no living child for the first four years; but afterwards amply compensated for the delay, by giving the world the two noble ladies, to whom this publication is inscribed, and an intermediate one, whose untimely decease will be recorded in the sequel*.

"Being thoroughly sensible of the skill and activity of captain Howe (the only officer of the great armament in 1757, who had performed any service), Mr. secretary Pitt contrived to have an interview with him, for the purpose of discoursing about other attacks on the French coast. At the close of the conversation, captain Howe expressed his desire to be one of the officers employed on such service. The minister replied, " he could not interfere in recommending captains to the commander in chief." Thus the matter seemingly ended: but Mr. Pitt had in reality deter mined that the supreme naval command should be entrusted to captain Howe himself.

"In consequence of this deter

"The eldest of these three ladies (Sophia-Charlotte) was born February 19th, 1762; the second (Mary-Juliana) April 17th, 1785; the youngest (Louisa-Catherine) Decem ber 9th, 1767. The birth of their mother (late countess Howe) is not exactly known; but she was baptized July 20th, 1732, O. S.”

mination,

mination, at the beginning of June, 1758, commodore Howe set sail in the Essex with his squadron of ships of war, and above one hundred transports, having on board some thousand land forces and a large train of artillery, through the race of Alderney-being the first Englishman who was bold enough to sail with a fleet of ships through this dangerous pass. The commodore proceeded to the bay of Concalle. Here the duke of Marlborough landed with the troops, and having destroyed near St. Maloes an hundred sail of shipping, and many magazines, re-embarked on June 11th. The commodore, after making various movements with his fleet, to the terror of the French coast, on July 1st returned to St. Helens.

"A second expedition in the same year (1758) being concerted under the same naval commander, prince Edward (afterwards duke of York) went on board the Essex on July 24th. August 1st, commodore Howe, with the troops under lieut.-gen. Bligh, sailed from St. Helens. On the 6th he came to anchor in Cherbourg road. The town of Cherbourg was taken, the basin totally destroyed, together with all the forts in the neighbourhood. This service performed, the fleet anchored August 19th under the high land of Portland.

"On August 31st the commodore sailed again towards St. Maloes, still attended by prince Edward. He came to anchor September 3d in the bay of St. Lu

naire, and landed the troops without opposition. The commodore found it advisable to move thence into the bay of St. Cas. On the retreat of the British forces from St. Cas, September 7th, the commodore ordered his barge to be rowed through the thickest of the enemy's fire; thus animating the sailors, who had shown some backwardness at the tremendous aspect of the peril, to be firm in their duty. As many of the flying soldiers as his own boat could possibly contain, were repeatedly taken in; and, the rest of the boats following so noble an example, above 700 of the army were saved, who would otherwise have perished.

66

Here let me pause a while, and indulge myself in the feelings of an early friendship, by expressing my sincere regret for the loss of a valuable youth (then principal representative, both in lineage and fortune, of the great lord chancellor Somers), ensign James Cocks. It was this unfortunate defeat, thou much-lamented companion! which deprived thy country of a true heroic spirit, tempered with many social virtues, in only the twentieth year of thine existence. "Thee Brookman's grove, † Teme's glassy current thee, Wept thee thy lucid lakes ‡.

"Before we take our leave of the above-mentioned expeditions, I would just say a word or two, relative to prince Edward, from what was heard by myself many years after in conversation with earl Howe. When his royal high

« The name of his seat in Hertfordshire, now the property and residence of Samuel Robert Gausson, esq. who (as if the chancellor Somers's genius still hovered over the spot) is one of the most attentive and unbiassed magistrates in the kingdom. "A river that runs by a large extent of land in Worcestershire which belonged to this valiant youth.

Te nemus Angitiæ, vitreâ te Fucinus undâ,
Te liquidi flevere lacus.-

-Virg. En. VII. v. 759.
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you are.'

The

ness first engaged in the service, the commodore asked him what station he would choose.' reply was, to be always where This request was uniformly complied with, till the commodore saw it necessary to brave the most menacing front of danger himself, for rescuing the British troops from destruction. On this occasion he told the prince (then in the barge with him) that he must desire him to go immediately back to the ship. This request beyond description disconcerted prince Edward, who most earnestly desired to be suffered to remain in his promised station. The commodore answered, he should be happy to have his royal highness still at his side; but that the due attention to such a charge would unavoidably draw off his thoughts from the important business of the moment.' Prince Edward, demonstrating a judgement equal to his spirit, acquiesced, and withdrew to the ship.-Notwithstanding this proof of the commodore's vigilance over the personal safety of his royal naval pupil, the tattling duke of Newcastle (then at the head of the treasury) remonstrated to George the Second, on the perils to which his grandson was exposed by his commander. But the sovereign replied with indignation, how shall the boy be trained to sea-service without being inured to its dangers?'.

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"Previously to the commodore's setting out on one of the expeditions already recited, being always attentive to verbal exactness, he found himself unable to comprehend one particular passage in his written instructions, which he had received from the great William Pitt. To him, therefore, he repaired, and mentioned, that he

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did not perfectly understand his orders. Not understand your orders!' (exclaimed the secretary in his haughty tone): that's very strange indeed.' The commodore, perfectly understanding the real purport of this exclamation, instantly replied:Sir, do not mistake me. When I shall be thoroughly acquainted with my errand, you may depend upon my executing it to the utmost of my power.' This softened at once the minister's features: with the readiest complacence he condescended to be expositor of his own instructions-which, but for a habit of haughtiness, he might as easily have done at first. This anecdote is also given from the mouth of lord Howe.

"In a few days after those gallant exertions of humanity, which he had shown in the bay of St. Cas on September 7th, Richard, viscount Howe, of the kingdom of Ireland, came home with his fleet. He had succeeded to this title by the death of his elder brother George Augustus, killed July 5th, at the siege of Ticonderoga, in America-as promising an officer in the land service, as even his bre ther Richard in the naval.

"In November, 1759, the Magnanime, commanded by lord Howe, made one of sir Edward Hawke's fleet at his memorable victory over marquis de Confians. The Magnanime attacked the Formidable of 84 guns, which was thereby completely disabled, and afterwards taken. But the Magnanime, having lost her fore-yard, was driven through the enemy's fleet to leeward, where lord Howe bore down, and attacked the Hero so furiously, that he soon compelled her to strike. According to the foregoing account (from the Memoir) this ra

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