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as will appear from the following acknowledgment of the Dey on the occafion, published by order of the Admiralty in the fame month..

The Dey of Algiers acknowledges that one of his officers has been guilty of a very great fault, which tended to embroil him with his chiefest and best friends, who fhall therefore no longer ferve him by fea or land. He hopes the king of Great Britain will confider it as the action of a fool or madman, and he will take care that nothing of the like kind fhall again happen; and hopes that they may, if poffible, be better friends than ever.'

After this fervice, and in the fame year, his lordship concluded treaties of amity with the states of Tripoli and Tunis; and, on the 19th of October 1752, the latter having been interrupted, he established, on a firm footing, a new treaty of peace and commerce with the flate of Tunis.

Soon after the completion of this bufmefs, he quitted the Mediterranean, where he had been three years ftationed, and arrived fafe at Portf mouth, with the entire fquadron un der his command, at the latter end of 1752.

In the year 1755, his lordship was appointed commodore of a fquadron fent to Virginia, for the protection of our American trade; and, on his return, in 1756, he was remarkably active in the Channel fervice, where he captured a vast number of very vaInable French prizes.

The reduction of Goree, on the African coaft, having been concluded on in the year 1758, his lordship was felected by the Earl of Chatham, then Mr. Pitt, for the execution of this important fervice.

The fquadron on this occafion confifted of the Torbay, (the commodore's fhip) the Prince Edward, the Naffau, the Dunkirk, the Fougeaux, and the Furnace and Firedrake bomb vefiels.

After fome delays, they reached Goree on the 24th of December; and the difpofitions for the attack of the

batteries on the weft fide were immediately made.

The Prince Edward, being the best failer, commenced the attack, and commodore was able to bring up to his fuffered very confiderably, till the ftation abreaft the angles of both the Fort, which he effected with so much Weft Point battery and St. Francis's judgment, that the enemy could not bring a fingle gun to bear upon him. The fire was, indeed, fo terrible, fo near, and fo well directed, that the French foldiers were unable to ftand to their though a very brave man, found himquarters; and the governor, felf obliged to fubmit, and the flag was accordingly ftruck.

On this, his lordship ordered a lieutenant and his fecretary to land, and wait upon the governor; but that gentleman coming to the beach, before they could quit their boat, demanded on what terms the Honourable Mr. Keppel propofed that he fhould furrender.

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This question, after the flag had been ftruck, not a little furprized them; and they immediately replied, that the commodore certainly expected him furrènder at difcretion.

The governor refufing to comply with this condition, they acquainted him that a gun to be fired near the island fhould be the fignal for the renewal of hoftilities, and returned on board the Torbay.

His lordship, being informed of what had paffed, immediately ordered the promifed gun to be fired, which was followed by his whole broadfide; and the governor, perceiving it would be in vain to contend, dropped the regimental colours near the walls, as a fignal that he was willing to furrender at difcretion.

Lieutenant Colonel Wage, who commanded the military on this expedition, immediately fent a party of marines afhore, who took poffeffion of the island, hoisted British colours on Fort St. Michael, and concluded the ceremony of the conqueft at the foot of the flag-ftaff, with three huzzas from the battlements,

which were anfwered by the fhips crews with the like number of shouts There were upwards of 300 prifoners, with negro-flaves in great ́numbers, taken in the forts; as well as 95 pieces of cannon, a number of mortars, fhells, and fhot of different fizes, 100 barrels of gunpowder, a great quantity of cannon-cartridges filled, and three months provifions for upwards of 500 men.

At the memorable defeat of M. Conflans, in the year 1759, his lordfhip's skill and bravery were greatly manifested; and he funk, in his old fhip the Torbay, with the fecond broadfide, the Thefée, a French man of war of 74 guns.

At the beginning of the year 1761, his lordship was appointed to the command of a powerful fquadron, confifting of nine fhips of the line, frigates, fire-fhips, and bomb-veffels, destined for the reduction of Belleifle; with upwards of a hundred tranf ports, having on board gooo foldiers, and a compleat train of artillery for the conduct of the attack by land, under Major General Hodgfon.

On the 29th of March 1761, this armament failed from Spithead; but, till the 6th of April, they were unable to fteer in with the French coaft. On the 7th of April they arrived before Belleifle: which is one of the largeft European iflands belonging to the French king, being about 38 miles in circumference, and containing one little city, called Le Palais, three country towns, 103 villages, and about 5000 inhabitants. The next day a landing was agreed to be attempted, on the fouth-east of the ifland, in a fandy bay, near Lochmaria Point; where the enemy not only poffeffed a fmall fort, but had alfo en trenched themfelves on an exceffively steep hill, the foot of which was fearped away to render all approaches more difficult. The attempt was, however, made in three places, with aftonishing refolution: a few grenadiers got on fhore, and formed themfelves; but as it was impoffible to fupport them, they were for the most

part made prifoners. The rest of the army, after repeatedly making the moft undaunted efforts, finding them felves wholly unable to force the ene my's lines, or make good their land ing, were obliged to retire with very confiderable lofs. This difafter, which in killed, wounded, and prifoners, cof us near 500 men, was greatly augmented by the lofs of feveral of the flat-bottomed veffels employed in landing the troops, which were de ftroyed or damaged in a hard gale that followed their retreat from the fhore.

But, though this certainly rendered the profpect of any future attempt much lefs pleafing than at first, nei ther the commanders, nor their brave men, were difpirited; and, as they refolved, if poffible, not to return without effect, they began-diligently to fearch the whole coaft, that they might find a place more favourable to renew the attack.

The view, indeed, was not very inviting, as the island is naturally a ftrong fortification, and art had abun dantly fupplied the very few def ciencies which were originally left by! nature.

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It was near a fortnight after this first failure, before the weather would permit a fecond effort to land; his lordship, however, perfifted with the utmost fteadiness, and a convenient fituation was at length found, Nor that the part of the coaft felected for this purpofe was lefs ftrong than any other; on the contrary, the principal hopes of fuccefs were founded on the exceffive fteepnefs and difficulty of afcending the rocks, which had ren dered the enemy fomewhat lefs cir. cumfpect on that quarter.

This arduous attempt was accordingly made on a bold rocky fhore, near Lochmaria Point already mentioned. Befides the principal attack, two feints were at the fame time judicioufly made to divide the attention of the enemy, while the men of war directed their fire with great judgment and effect on the hills.

Thefe manœuvres gave Brigadier General Lambert, with a handful of

men,

men, an opportunity of climbing up a very steep rock without moleftation. This little body having thus profperoufly gained the top of the hill, formed themselves in good order, without delay, and were immediately attacked by 300 French troops: against thefe, however, they refolutely maintained their advantage, till the whole corps of Brigadier Lambert afcended in like manner, when the enemy were quickly repulfed.

In a fhort time after, the landing of all the forces was compleatly effected, with very inconfiderable lofs. The enemy, in one or two places, feemed difpofed to make a ftand; but the light-horfe employed on this expedition foon drove them into the town, and laid the whole way quite open up to the entrenchments before the citadel.

The very difficult task of bringing forward the heavy artillery, which was first to be dragged up the rocks, and afterwards fix miles farther along a rugged, broken road, neceffarily took up much time, and tended greatly to fatigue the men employed on this laborious fervice.

The fiege, however, was opened with vigour; and the garrifon, which was commanded by the Chevalier De St. Croix, a brave and experienced officer, threatened a long and obstinate defence.

The enemy made fome fallies, one of them with confiderable effect, in which Major General Crawford was taken prifoner: thefe checks, however, ferved only to animate the befiegers, who made a furious attack on the lines which covered the town, and carried them without much lofs, principally by the uncommon intrepidity of a newly-raifed corps of marines, whofe fpirit and gallantry on this occafion had not been exceeded during the courfe of that fuccefsful war.

The town being now wholly abandoned, the defence was confined to the citadel; and, as his lordship had ftationed the fleet fo as to prevent every communication with the continent, and of courfe cut off all hope

of relief, it was obvious that the place muft neceflarily be reduced.

The Chevalier de St. Croix, however, was refolved to fell it as dear as poffible: and his garrifon accordingly, with wonderful expedition and perfeverance, continued nightly to repair the damages of the preceding day, though they faw the breaches made every day more and more confiderable by the well-directed efforts of their befiegers; till, at length, on the 7th of June 1761, a practicable breach having been effected, the governor found it expedient to capitu late, and he was allowed to march out with all the honours of war.

Thus was Belleifle reduced under the British government, after a fiege of two months, at the expence of about 1500 men killed and wounded. The lofs moft regretted was that of Sir William Peere Williams, a young gentleman of great talents and expectations, who had made a diftinguifhed figure in parliament, and had lately entered into the fervice: he was fhot by a centinel of the enemy, whom he had, in the night, too nearly approached; and was the third young man of fashion whom, during this war, the love of enterprize, and of their country, had brought to an honourable death in thefe expeditions on the coaft of France.

The rejoicings in London, on this occafion, were extremely great; the city addreffed his Majesty, and the land and fea-officers, who with fo noble a perfeverance had ftruggled with and overcome fuch extraordinary difficulties, were the fubjects of univerfal applaufe.

In the celebrated expedition against the Havannah, in the year 1762, his lordfhip bore a confiderable part: for, though Admiral Pococke had the chief naval command, the three noble Keppels certainly fhared largely in the honour of that important conqueft; and the Earl of Albemarle, in particular, his lordship's brother, was commander in chief of the land for

ces.

His lordship, on this memorable occafion,

occafion, with a fquadron of fix fail of the line, and feveral small frigates, covered the landing of the whole army, between the Rivers Boca Noa and Coximar, about two leagues to the eastward of the Moro, which was indeed effected without oppofition; but a body of the enemy's troops appearing near the fhore, his lordship ordered the Mercury and Bonetta floop in fhore, to fcour the beach and woods; and a more confiderable force afterwards appearing as if they intended to oppofe the Earl of Albemarle's paffing Coximar River, his lordship ordered the Dragon, Captain Hervey, to run in and batter the caftle, which was accordingly foon filenced, and the army paffed over unmolefted. In fhort, his lordship behaved with fuch propriety on this famous occafion, that Admiral Pococke, in his letter to the Admiralty, dated July 14,1762, obferved, that Commodore Keppel executed the duty intrusted to him with an activity, judgment, and diligence, which no man could furpass.' At the latter end of the fame year, his lordship went on a cruize to the Weft Indies, where he took four French frigates, and eighteen merchantmen, all richly laden with fugar, coffee, and indigo, under their

convoy.

Shortly after this event, his lordfhip was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral, as a reward for his long and eminent fervices; and, in the months of January and February of the fucceeding year, he captured feveral valuable Spanish prizes, which he fent into Jamaica.

The peace which was concluded with France and Spain on the 10th of the month laft mentioned, put an end to thofe exertions, the fuccefs of which enabled him to enjoy, in honourable affluence, that tranquillity which he had fo well laboured to restore to his country.

From this period, till the commencement of hoftilities with France, the brave admiral remained under the fhade of his laurels; unless he may

be faid occafionally to have quitted it, when he joined the oppofition in a certain affembly, to do what he doubtlefs thought ferving his coun try in the best manner he was able.

Being now generously called upon by his fovereign to take the command of the grand fleet intended to attack the force of France, he failed from Portfmouth with twenty fail of the line in June 1778, and made immediately for Breft; where information being received, that the enemy had in that harbour, thirty-one fail which would be ready to put to fea in a few days, he thought it expedient to return for a fufficient augmentation to fecure the fuccefs of the business he was commiffioned to execute.

His lordship was accordingly reinforced with ten fhips, and again failed in queft of the French fleet; which was at length discovered on the 23d of July, about three in the afternoon, off Breft, confifting of thirty fail, under the Comte D'Orvilliers.

A general chace was immediately ordered; but it was late in the evening before the British fleet came up with the enemy. During the night, the French had contrived to alter. their pofition, and they were next morning found to windward: this circumstance at once pleased and furprized our countrymen; who concluded that the enemy meant fairly to try their ftrength on the occafion, fince they had unquestionably quitted a pofition in which they might have faved themfelves from the neceffity of an engagement, by retreating into port. It was not, however, till four days after the execrated 27th of July-that the two fleets fairly

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in the West Indies, on the glorious 12th of April, might have faved fo many thoufands of lives, and fo many millions of treasure, is it poffible for us, whofe proudest boast is our country's love, not for ever to lament that fo little was on that day effected!

Ill would it become us, though we are confcious of an impartiality not exceeded by that of any set of men exifting, to offer, as individuals, any opinions which might militate against those of perfons perhaps better informed, and of integrity not to be difputed: we fhall, therefore, content ourselves with barely mentioning, that a court-martial was held at Portsmouth, in January 1779, on the following charge exhibited by Sir Hugh Pallifer against Admiral Keppel; concluding with the fentence which refulted from this enquiry.

A CHARGE OF MISCONDUCT AND
NEGLECT OF DUTY, AGAINST
THE HONOURABLE ADMIRAL
THE TWENTY-SE-
KEPPEL, ON

VENTH AND TWENTY-EIGHTH
OF JULY 1778, IN

DIVERS INSTANCES AS UNDERMENTIONED.

FIRST.

THAT on the morning of the 27th of - July 1778, having a fleet of thirty fhips of the line under his command, and being then in the prefence of a French fleet, of the like number of fhips of the line, the faid Admiral Keppel did not make the neceffary preparations for fight; did not put his fleet into a line of battle, or into any order, proper either for receiving or attacking an enemy of fuch force; but, on the contrary, although his fleet was already dif perfed and in diforder, he, by making the fignal for feveral fhips of the Vice Admiral of the Blue's divifion to chace to windward, increased the diforder of that part of his fleet, and the fhips were in confequence more fcattered than they had been before; and, whilft in this diforder, he advanced to the enemy, and made the fignal for battle.

That the above conduct was the more unaccountable, as the enemy's fleet was not then in disorder, nor beaten, nor flying, but found in a regular line of battle on that tack which approached the British fleet,all their motions indicating plainly a defign to give battle; and they edged down and attacked it whilft in disorder. By this unofficer-like conduct, a general engagement was not brought on, but the other-flag officers and captains were left to engage, without order or regularity, from whence great confufion enfued; fome of his fhips were prevented getting into action at all, others were not near enough to the enemy, and fome from the confufion fired into others of the king's fhips, and did them confiderable damage; and the Vice Admiral of the Blue was left alone to engage fingly and unfupported. In thefe inftances, the faid Admiral Keppel negligently performed the duty impofed on him.

SECOND.

THAT, after the van and centre divifions of the British fleet paffed the rear of the enemy, the Admiral did not immediately tack and double upon the enemy with thofe two divifions, and continue the battle; nor did he collect them together at that time, and keep fo near the enemy, as to be in readiness to renew the battle, as foon as it might be proper; but, on the contrary, he flood away beyond the enemy to a great diftance, before he wore to ftand towards them again, leaving the Vice Admiral of the Blue engaged with the enemy, and expofed to be

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