I will thank you for all the information you are in possession of, by Lieutenant Gibson of the Fox cutter, who is directed to wait your

I have received intelligence of the Spanish fleet from Carthagena having passed the Straits, and probably put into Cadiz. You are, therefore, to join me with the squadron under your orders, off Cape St. Vincent; or, not falling in with me on that rendezvous before the 15th, you are to proceed to Lisbon.

I am, my lord,

J. JERVIS.

MINORCA.

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CHAPTER XI.

Importance of Minorca to England at this crisis-Disasters of the British Fleet on its way from thence to Gibraltar-The Fleet loses four sail of the line-Loss of the Courageux, owing to the custom of keeping Courts-Martial sitting in all weathers-The capture of the Nemesis and Sardine―Violation of Neutrality—Sir John Jervis joined in the Tagus by Sir William Parker with six sail of the line-Sails in search of the Spanish Fleet-St. George gets on shore, and is disabled-Nelson joins the Admiral-Hears of the Spanish Fleet-Falls in with them-Brings them to Action-Battle of Cape St. VincentParticulars-List of the contending Fleets-Observations-Letters to Governor Connell-To General O'Hara-Observations on Collingwood's Two Medals-To General De Burgh-To Captain Fremantle-To the Speaker of the House of Commons-To the Lord Chancellor To the Lord Mayor of London-To Captain Hope-To Don Roderigo de Sousa-Order to Sir Thomas Thompson-To the Hon. Robert Walpole.

WHEN the unhappy peninsula, forced to cede to adverse fate, fell under the fatal power of revolutionary France, the Spaniards were compelled to shut their ports to our shipping, and to side with the republicans. It was very clear, from what passed at Toulon, in 1793, that a

rupture with the court of Madrid was an event not to be doubted; and this rendered the conduct of our government in respect to Minorca the more inexcusable; inasmuch as it ought to have seen the necessity of gaining possession of that island, at almost any sacrifice. Knowing the feeble tenure under which we held Corsica, and seeing the unprotected condition of our allies in Italy, it seems wonderful that our cabinet never thought of regaining that island, which had once been our's, and which, from its contiguity to the coast of Provence and Roussillon, from its excellent harbour, and the facilities it would afford to our fleet in obtaining supplies and repairs, would have been of incalculable value to us. In these respects, Minorca was far superior to Malta, as being nearer to the seat of war; and with the forces at that time under the command of Lord Hood, and subsequently under Sir John Jervis, together with the land forces retreating from Corsica, it could not have held out one week against us.

The invasion of Leghorn by the French justified our seizing the island of Elba, which belonged to the Grand Duke of Tuscany; and the same violence on the part of the enemy in the eastern boundary of Spain would have equally

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the

justified our occupation of Minorca; upon same principle which directed us in taking possession of the Danish fleet in 1807, namely, to prevent its falling into the hands of the French. The voyage of the British fleet, with the merchant ships in tow, from Corsica to Gibraltar, I have before referred to. The weather was tremendous, and serious accidents and losses occurred; while the crews, in addition to the inclemency of the weather, suffered very severely from short allowances of provision; all which, however, they bore with their accustomed patience and fortitude.

The fleet reached Gibraltar about the 1st of December, when the crews were immediately restored to the comforts of full allowance. Sir John Jervis, on his arrival in the bay, sent orders to Nelson to hoist his broad pendant in the Minerve, and to take upon him the command of all the ships left in the Mediterranean, including those in the Adriatic, and to take immediate measures for evacuating the island of Elba; after which he was directed to rejoin the admiral with all speed.

Before Sir John Jervis left Gibraltar, fresh trials and mortifications awaited him. His fleet, which, on his arrival there, amounted to fifteen sail of the line, was, before he reached

Lisbon, reduced to eleven. The Courageux* and Gibraltar had been driven to sea in the gale of the 10th December. The former was totally lost, with nearly all her crew; the latter was too much disabled to be serviceable, and she was immediately sent back to England. The Zealous, another line-of-battle ship, had got on shore, and was obliged to be hove down at Gibraltar; and the Bombay Castle was entirely lost on the South Catchup, in going into the Tagus so that the admiral reached the last-named port about the 21st of December, with no more than eleven ships of the line, but they were in high fighting order.

The first care of Sir John Jervis, on reaching the Tagus, was to procure a plentiful supply of refreshments; and the Prince of Brazils, unlike the dastardly Neapolitan court, met his demands in the truest spirit of generosity. Every requisition was not only readily complied with,

The loss of the Courageux was entirely owing to the absence of her Captain, who was detained out of his ship by a court-martial, which the president, on the appearance of bad weather, should have adjourned. A question of merely individual interest should always be made to give way to the public service. In this case, the pertinacity of the president caused the loss of a ship of the line, which at that particular period was of incalculable value. This is an evil which should be guarded against in future. Officers should know that although a courtmartial should not be adjourned on light or trivial occasions, yet cases may arise to render such a step indispensable.