would have rendered us unequal to persevere against the storms we encountered.

If any thing could add value to the unanimous vote of thanks of the Commons of Great Britain, it would be the obliging terms in which the Speaker has conveyed the vote to your Lordship, together with the very friendly manner in which your Lordship has transmitted it to me. I have taken the earliest opportunity to communicate it to the captains, officers, seamen, and marines under my command; and, conscious of our zeal in the cause of our king and country, we have equal pride and satisfaction to find our services approved and acknowledged by so high and so honourable an authority.

I have the honour to be, my Lord, your Lordship's most obliged, most obedient and faithful humble servant,

A. MITCHELL.

Right Honourable Admiral

Lord Viscount Duncan.

Andrew Mitchell was born in the South of Scotland in 1757, and received his education at Edinburgh, such as under the auspices only of a mother, for his father died early, may be supposed. In 1776 he went to India as a Midshipman, under Sir Edward Vernon in the Rippon, and was, it is believed, before 1778 in command of the Coventry of 28 guns.

While excluded from the gallant career opened under Sir Edward Hughes opposed to the French Count de Suffrien, in the Indian seas, he compelled to retire the Bellona of 40 guns, after a sharp action of two hours and a half; and received in consequence the Sultan 74 guns. In the action off Cuddalore, on the 20th June 1782, he was enabled to distinguish himself.

Returning on the peace with a convoy, and with full expectation of being enabled from an advantageous service to enjoy the otium cum dignitate, he found, that from some parliamentary speculations his agent had precluded the means, and after a long chasm in employment, was happy on the commencement of war to find himself employed under Lord Howe, first in the Asia 64, and afterwards in the Impregnable of 90 guns.

In 1795 (June 1) he became Rear Admiral without distinction; in 1799, (Feb. 14) Vice Admiral of the White at the Nore, first in the Zealous 64, and next the Isis of 50, which brings him to a period distinguished as hath been seen—and further, as on that occasion the only officer who had merited the Knighthood of the Bath.

The following year (previously Vice Admiral of the Red) in the Windsor Castle of 98 guns, Sir A. Mitchell served under Lord Bridport in his Channel fleet, and

afterwards under Admiral Cornwallis off Brest, without opportunity for fame; and in the year succeeding, (1801) he obtained, though with no greater distinction, the command of a division of 15 sail of the line for the protection of Ireland. In 1802, he was appointed Commander in Chief in North America, where he suffered again a domestic calamity in the loss of his wife in 1803, and the dangerous state of his eldest son, from being severely wounded on board the Cleopatra captured by the enemy in February 1805.

No subsequent service of Sir A. Mitchell can take place of that which has been so strongly marked in the general object of these pages. But it is due to the Admiral to remark, that on this as on all occasions, there is a positive merit in his manners and conduct towards those confided to his charge, among whom were many gentlemen since distinguished.

Nor is it small praise to observe, that he who so powerfully and successfully combatted with the rough billows of the ocean, was gentle enough to preserve in his great cabin, the while, all the best elegancies of polished manners, among which were cultivated the charms of music.

MYSORE WAR IN INDIA, DECIDED BY THE CAPTURE OF SERINGAPATAM, MAY 4, 1799. GOVERNOR GENERAL LORD (afterwards Marquis) WELLESLEY, AND

WHOLE OF THE

AND MILITARY.

THE

AUTHORITIES CIVIL

A chief end of the celebrated French expedition to Egypt being the attack of the British empire in India, to which, as well as other objects of the system of aggrandizement, France continued to aspire; the French commander had no sooner established himself in Grand Cairo, than he put into effect an alliance with Tippoo Saib, who had been given his dominions on the peace concluded with him by Lord Cornwallis, in 1792. The government having antici pated this measure, prepared with vigour to defeat it. Among other objects, to prevent the passage of the French through the Straits of Babelmandel, the Governor General ordered the naval Commander in Chief to

fortify the island of Perim in the gulph of Cambay, between those straits and the Red Sea; which, with an attack of General Harris upon Seringa patam, in which the Sultan was killed, and his territory annexed to the British crown, completely destroyed these hopes of the enemy.

The conquest of Mysore thus completed produced as great effects in India, as the final successes of the war have done in Europe; so completely did the Governor General develope his vast powers in the policy of this war, that the King for the first time granted to his Lordship the appointment of Captain General of all his land forces in India, with other honors: and the successful General at Seringapatam received the honour of the Peerage as an English Baron.

To this grand effort, it appears, all the authorities, civil and military, co-operated under the general administration of the Governor General Lord Wellesley, in the most active and powerful manner.