Macbeth cut off the Thane of Nairn (Buchan.) This, no doubt, was the Thane of Calder; for no history or tradition mentioneth a Thane of Nairn, distinct from the Thane of Calder, who as constable resided in that town; and Mr. Heylin, in his Geography, expressly calleth him Thane of Calder." We learn that William, Thane of Calder, in 1450, built the tower of Calder by a royal licence; and in 1499, we find the Calders giving battle to the Campbells about the possession of the heiress of Kilravock. But the descendants of this chieftain disposed of the baronies in the counties of Nairn and Kinross, and appear to have settled at Muirton, or Muirtown, in the immediate vicinity of Elgin, in which town they built a large house, with castellated battlements, and resided for upwards of a century. One of these was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1686. Sir Thomas Calder, of Muirtown, had three sons, the eldest of whom, Sir James, having come to England, married Alice, daughter of Rear-Admiral Robert Hughes, and by this lady had four sons. He settled at Park-House, near Maidstone, in Kent, and being patronised by his countryman the Earl of Bute, obtained a place at court. The second son is the subject of the present narrative. Robert Calder was born in the paternal mansion at Elgin, July 2. 1745. O. S., and received his education at the grammar school of that ancient town. At an early age, however, he was sent to England, and having entered a midshipman, first trod the quarter-deck of a man of war, when only fourteen. In 1766, he accompanied the Hon. George Faulkener, as Lieutenant of the Essex, to the West Indies; but it was not until many years after that he obtained the rank, first of master and commander, and then of post-captain, in the navy. The officer whose memoirs form the subject of the present article, appears to have studied his profession, and to have acquired considerable knowledge, in every thing appertaining to it. He had also the good fortune to serve under very able men, by which means he obtained a considerable degree of knowledge in all branches of naval tactics. During the American war, Captain Calder was employed in the Channel Fleet. In 1782, he commanded the Diana, which was employed as a repeating-frigate to Rear-Admiral Kempenfelt. At this period he was doomed to witness one of the most disastrous events recorded in the annals of the British Navy. Sir Charles Hardy, who at that time commanded the English fleet, received orders not to risk an engagement with the combined squadrons of France and Spain, which then appeared on our coasts. He accordingly withdrew, and having hauled in between the Wolf-rock and the Main, so as to open the Bristol Channel, obtained shelter and security. On this occasion, the sailors were so indignant as to blind a figure of the King with their hammocks, swearing, "that His Majesty George the Third should not witness their flight." Captain Calder, who belonged to the rear division, appears to have participated in their indignation; for although within a short distance of one of the enemy's two-deckers, which might have sunk his vessel with a single broadside, he refused to retire, until expressly ordered by signal. The hostile fleet soon after this withdrew into port, and that of England has ever since maintained its accustomed superiority. Meanwhile Captain Calder, being desirous to settle in life, on the 1st of May, 1779, espoused Amelia, the only daughter of John Mitchell, of Bayfield Hall, in the county of Norfolk, Esq., a gentleman who had died (in 1766), several years previously to this event, after having served during many parliaments as member for Boston, in Lincolnshire. By this lady, who possessed great beauty, he never had any issue; and although always tenderly attached to her, the union on the whole, perhaps, did not prove happy, as her health soon became bad, and this circumstance was occasionally accom→ panied with a certain degree of mental estrangement, of a peculiarly distressing nature. Immediately on this event taking place, he purchased a residence at Southwic, in the vicinity of Portsmouth and Southampton, where he resided for many years. At the commencement of the war with France, Captain Calder was immediately selected for employment, and such was his reputation for skill and intrepidity, that he was appointed First Captain to Admiral Roddam's flag, while flying on board the Barfleur. He afterwards commanded the Theseus, of 74 guns, which formed part of Lord Howe's fleet in 1794; but having been dispatched with Rear-Admiral Montague's squadron to protect a valuable convoy, destined for the colonies, he did not participate in the brilliant victory of the 1st of June. Earl St. Vincent, then Sir John Jervis, an officer peculiarly gifted with the power of discovering and the wish of distinguishing merit in others, in 1796, deemed the subject of this memoir a fit person to act in the honourable and confidential situation of Captain of the Fleet under his command. He accordingly served in that capacity on board the Victory, off Cadiz, with a squadron of fifteen sail of the line and seven frigates. The merits of the battle that afterwards ensued ought assuredly in part to be attributed to this officer; for it was chiefly achieved by mere seamanship, and he alone occupied that station which was entrusted with the superintendance of the whole series of manoeuvres. On the 13th of February, 1797, the Commander in Chief, with the force just enumerated, descried a Spanish fleet, far superior in point of number, as well as of guns, for it consisted of twenty-six line of battle ships, and twelve frigates. A pursuit immediately took place, and it was so contrived that the English, who gained upon the enemy, had actually commenced the action before Admiral Don Joseph de Cordova, whose flag was flying on board a first-rate, was able to complete his line of battle, as a number of his large vessels had been separated from the main body. Having passed in full sail, through the enemy's squadron, and tacked at a critical moment, so as to cut off all that portion of the fleet which had fallen to leeward, the signal was immediately given for close fight; and after a short, but severe and effectual can nonade, the four following line of battle ships were obliged to strike their flags, viz. 1. Il Salvador del Mundo, carrying 112 guns. 2. San Josef 3. San Nicolas 4. San Ysidoro 112 80 74 This memorable victory, fought off Cape St. Vincent in Spain, obtained for the British Admiral' an earldom, while the Captain of the Fleet, who brought home the dispatches, was immediately knighted, and soon after received a patent of baronetage, by the style and title of Sir Robert Calder, of Southwic, in the county of Hants. On the 14th of February, 1799, Sir Robert obtained his flag as Rear-Admiral, by seniority; and, in 1801, was dispatched with a small squadron in quest of Admiral Gantheaume, who had sailed from France, with the express. purpose of supplying the army in Egypt with stores, am-munition, &c. At the conclusion of the first peace with the French Republic, Sir Robert once more retired to his estate in Hampshire; but on the renewal of hostilities, he was immediately re-appointed, and in the promotion which took place the 23d April, 1804, he was advanced to the rank of Vice-Admiral of the White. While employed in this latter capacity, he was selected, in 1805, by Admiral Cornwallis, who then commanded the Channel Fleet, to blockade the harbours of Ferrol and Corunna. The force entrusted to him on this occasion. proved very inadequate to the service; for, although there were then five French ships of the line and three frigates, together with five Spanish line of battle ships and four frigates,. all ready for sea, in the ports just alluded to; yet he had only seven sail allotted to him on the present occasion; these indeed were afterwards increased to nine; but notwithstanding he repeatedly demanded two frigates and some smaller vessels to be placed at the entrance of the harbours in question, they could not be spared. He, however, retained his station, notwithstanding the manoeuvres of the Brest fleet, and, on being joined by Rear-Admiral Stirling with five sail of the line from before Rochefort, together with a frigate and a lugger, he proceeded to sea, for the express purpose of intercepting the French and Spanish squadrons from the West Indies, which were supposed to consist' of no more than sixteen capital ships. Soon after this the combined fleet, consisting of no fewer than twenty sail of the line, seven frigates, and two brigs, were descried; while the English force amounted to no more than fifteen ships, two frigates, a cutter and a lugger. As this action not only made a great noise at the time, but actually produced a court-martial soon after, we shall here give a precise and authentic list of the respective forces. ENEMY'S LINE OF BATTLE ON THE 22D OF JULY, 1805. FRENCH CENTRE. 80 90 74 84 Admiral Villeneuve. 74 74 L'Hortense, La Cornelia, La Didon, La Permaine, La Sirene, |