ed of the great respect with which I have the honour to remain, Sir, your most obedient, and most humble servant,

The Right Hon. the Speaker

HOWE.

of the House of Commons.

The Hero whose eulogy has been thus proudly pronounced, was the second son of Emanuel Scrope Viscount Howe of the kingdom of Ireland, born in London March 8, 1725-6 old style. In 1732 his father being appointed Governor of Barbadoes, he was sent to Westminster school, and shortly after to Eton.

As early as his fourteenth year, he entered the service under the Hon. Captain Legge in the Severn of 50 guns, one of Lord Anson's squadron, which returning, from damage, he removed to the Burford, and was in the attack on Guitta on the coast of Curaçoa, whither the ship under Commodore Sir Francis Knowles was detached from Sir Chaloner Ogle's fleet in 1743. His Captain (Lushington) being killed, he was distinguished for his sensibility on examination before the consequent court martial. He was made acting Lieutenant by the Commodore, but this promotion was not confirmed by the Admiralty, and he returned to his patron in the West Indies, where he became Lieutenant of a sloop of war.

He here evinced a daring spirit in cutting out of the neutral harbour of Eustatia, with the silent acquiescence of his Captain, a merchant ship that had been captured under its guns by the French.

In 1745, having served with Admiral Vernon, in the downs, he became Commander in the Baltimore sloop on the coast of Scotland, under Admiral Smith; where, in an action with two French frigates of 30 guns each, full of troops and ammunition, he ran his vessel between them in so gallant a manner as to compel them to sheer off, leaving the Baltimore in a shattered state and himself severely wounded in the head. He hence became Post Captain, and in 1746 was ordered with the Triton frigate to Lisbon, and afterwards joined his old patron at Jamaica and returned at the peace (1748) his first Captain in the Cornwall.

In 1751 he had the Mary yatcht, and in 1752, what he liked better, the Dolphin frigate in the Mediterranean. Here he was dispatched on a military embassy to Sallee, where preparations were making for extensive piracy, and succeeded in arresting its effects against the English without any sacrifice.

In 1758 he married one of the co-heiresses of Mr. Hartop of Leicestershire, by whom he had two daughters.

His services, become distinguished, procured him to be consulted by the minister in 1758 on attacking the French coast, when he desired, as Captain, to be employed. Mr. Pitt observed he could not interfere in nominating Captains to the Commander in chief, but relieved himself from this difficulty by giving Capt. Howe the command of a conjunct expedition, with which he is said to have been the first Englishman who ventured to sail with a large fleet through the race of Alderney. The Duke of Marlborough landing at Conçale effected great destruction, while the Commodore annoyed the coast by sea.

'There is a highly characteristic anecdote we have somewhere met with of a French invalid who remained alone at a small battery, and

He had in the same year the honour to command His Royal Highness the late Prince Edward in several affairs of various success on the same coast, in one of which the town of Cherbourg was taken by Lieutenant General Bligh. Of the prince it is remarkable, that he exhibited at once the strictest example of bravery and subordination ; and that when the Duke of Newcastle spoke to the king of his Royal Highness's exposure, George the Second only asked that minister how his grandson was to be trained to sea service, and not inured to danger!

At this period his brother being killed at Ticonderaga, in America, he became Viscount Howe of the kingdom of Ireland.

In 1759, in the Magnanime, one of Sir Edward Hawke's squadron, he bore a distinguished share in the victory over M. Conflans, and received in consequence the Colonelcy of Chatham Marines, its first creation. In 1760 he again distinguished himself in a bloody dispossession of the French from the island Dumet.

After twenty two years of privacy, (let merit be content!) it seems ministerial arrangements permitted his return to the service in 1782 with an English peerage. After cruizing against the Dutch, in the following October, he performed his great achievement, the relief of Gibraltar

who could do no more than load and fire his musket. When the forces had landed, he was brought to the Duke and remonstrated with for continuing to attempt mischief when he could no longer do it with effect. "I dont care," said he, "twas my post; and if all my country. men had done as I have done, you would not have landed this day at Conçale !"

'Here fell in a distinguished manner, Ensign John Cocks the then representative of the truly noble family of Somers.

against the combined French and Spanish fleet of fortysix sail of the line, and was only prevented from forcing them afterwards to battle, by the fear of obloquy from any manœuvre resembling a false flight: such is the effect of public contention. Peace ensuing, his next great act was that, which a second time obtained him the proud honors, which it comes within the duty of these pages to record, and an Earldom. Of such actions indeed one in a war might have been deemed sufficient, were it not for the glories that ensued, in which they were emulated in every part of the world.

Earl Howe died after gradual decay on the 5th Aug. 1799, in the seventy-fourth year of his age.

It is necessary in this first instance to deviate in a certain degree from the course intended to be pursued, but the immediate cause will be its best explanation.

The thanks of Parliament to all except the Commander in Chief being directed to pass through Earl Howe, we have now to add the PUBLIC ORDERS of the Admiral, through which his lordship, his lordship, with great spirit and perspicuity, communicated the honours his fleet had received.

To those of Parliament it will be perceived that others municipal and commercial were added.

Eg.

B

Queen Charlotte, at Spithead, June 20th, 1794. "The Commander in Chief is

directed, pursuant to the King's pleasure, to make known in the fleet, that His Majesty has deigned to express the highest satisfaction in the account reported by the Admiral, of the bravery and gallant behaviour of the officers and men serving in the fleet, in the actions with the enemy on the 28th, and 29th, of May, and 1st of the present month, and is charged in the manner judged most proper, to acquaint all the officers and men, more especially the Admirals GRAVES and Sir SAMUEL HOOD K. B. the Rear Admirals BoWYER, CALDWELL, GARDNER, and PASLEY, and Sir ROGER CURTIS, (first Captain to the Commander in Chief) with the just sense his Majesty entertains of the zeal and courage they have so eminently exerted on those

occasions.

"The Commander in Chief has also been required by the Lords spiritual and temporal, and the honourable the Commons of Great Britain, in parliament assembled,