quence of the appearance of a strong squadron belonging to the enemy. A peace soon after this ensued, and the frigate was paid off; but Captain Pole received the command of the Crown, or sixty-four guns, then em. ployed as a guard ship, and at present lying in ordinary at Portsmouth, where she now serves as a powder magazine. In consequence of the apprehension of a rupture with Spain, relative to the trade to Nootka Sound, which some of our statesmen affected to denominate a war about blubber and catskins, while others considered the national honour as deeply interested, a new armament took place, on which he was appointed' to the command of the Melampus, a thirty-six gun frigate; and as this was a very fine vessel, and her commander well acquainted with the French coast, he was employed in watching the progress of any equipments which might take place in the harbour of Brest, with a view of seconding the efforts of the Court of Madrid. But as the National Assembly, then busily occupied in the formation of a new constitution, did not hastily embark in the contest; the Spanish ambassador was instructed to enter into a friendly discussion with his Majesty's ministers, relative to the respective claims of the two powers, and hostilities were thus happily prevented. No sooner did the late war with France take place, than Captain Pole, who previous to this had been appointed groom of the chamber to a brother sailor, his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, was appoint1805-1806, PP ed ed to the command of the Colossus, of seventy-four guns. In this ship he served during some time, under Vice-admiral, now Lord Hotham, whose flag was flying on board the Britannia, of one hundred and ten guns; he then joined Lord Hood's fleet, along with which he appeared off Toulon, when a temporary possession was obtained of that important naval arsenal, August 28, 1793. A large sum of money has been lately voted, after a pretty sharp debate, to the victors, on account of the ships, &c. taken there, of which it is supposed that the commander in chief has obtained about twenty-eight thousand pounds, while the other officers have shared according to their respective ranks. In 1795 we find Captain Pole in the Channel fleet, under Admiral Earl Howe, who commanded in the Queen Charlotte, of one hundred and ten guns. Soon after this be hoisted his flag as a Rearadmiral of the Blue, in which situation he repaired to the West Indies. On his return, he served orce more in the grand fleet, and was then nominated commander in chief on the Newfoundland station, to which appointment is annexed the civil government of the island. In 1799, being on board the Royal George, he repaired with three bombs, together with several tenders and cutters under his command, on an important expedition. Having joined the ships cruising under Admiral Berkeley on the first of July, off the isle of Rhé, it was determined, in consequence of orders from home, to attack the Spanish squadron then then lying in Basque roads, under the protection of the isle of Aix.* Accordingly, after sending the bombs a-head, under the command of Captain Keats, of the Boadicea, with the St. Fiorenzo and Urania frigates, he bore up next day for the Pertuis d'Antioche. At eleven o'clock the English came to anchor in Basque roads, in line of battle; and the weather, which had been thick and rainy, having cleared up, they discovered the enemy about four miles and a half off, consisting of five sail of the line,t moored very judiciously so as to extend from the isle of Aix towards a shoal that runs nearly parallel to the isle of Oleron, between which and the island was stationed a floating mortar-battery. The bombs and frigates proceeded, notwithstanding this formidable appearance, towards the point of attack, and were anchored within the range of the shells from the battery just alluded to. Soon after this, by means of springs on their cables, they opened their fire on the Spanish admiral, who was stationed at the extremity of the line, with an intent to destroy his flag ship by means of carcasses. But that officer no The English squadron, after this junction, consisted of the following ships: 1. Royal George, Rear-Admiral Pole, 4. Renown, and Boadicea, St. Fiorenzo, Urania, frigates; and three bombs, &c. The Spanish squadron consisted of the San Real Carlos, carrying one hundred guns, and bearing the Admiral's flag, four twodeckers, and a frigate. sooner perceived that his own shot fell short of his antagonists, and that he could only encounter dan ger without the most distant hopes of retaliation, than he very prudently veered away his cable, and by this increased his distance, so as to preclude all possibility of damage. The wind about this time having died away, the enemy sent out a number of gun-boats, which, however, produced no effect; and as the British commander was restricted by orders from the Admiralty not to remain in Basque roads, on account of the formidable fortifications on the isle of Aix, and particularly the citadel, he made signal for the return of the bombs, and stood out to sea, through the Pertuis d'Antioche, fully convinced that fireships alone could have been brought forward with any reasonable prospect of success.. In the summer of 1801 Vice-admiral Pole, whose flag was then flying on board the St. George, of ninety-eight guns, was appointed to the command of the fleet in the Baltic, in which important situation he succeeded the hero of Aboukir. The grand object of this armament was to dispel the northern confederacy, which had taken place under the auspices of Paul I.; and the sudden death of that monarch, the recent battle of Copenhagen, together with the prudent conduct of Sweden, all tended to bring about the pacification, which soon after ensued. Here follows a transcript of the correspondence which took place, when, in consequence of the ill health of the former commander in chief, the Viceadmiral ́admiral assumed the direction of the British squa dron. Copy of a Letter from Vice-Admiral Cronstadt. "ADMIRAL, With the most gracious approbation of the King, my master, I have the honour to signify to your Lordship, that according to the latest accounts from St. Petersburgh, his Excellency Lord St. Helen's has arrived there, and that the negociation gives reason to believe and hope, that the present differences will be soon adjusted in an equitable and pacific manner. "I am hereby afforded a new opportunity of assuring your Excellency of my sincere and high esteem. "CRONSTADT, "To his Excellency Admiral His Majesty's Adjutant on board Lord Nelson, commanding the Fleet, and Commander at Carlscrona." the British fleet." Vice-Admiral Pole, who, as has been already ob served, had succeeded to the command of the fleet in the Baltic, returned to this letter the following an swer: "On board his Majesty's ship the St. George, in Kioge Bay, June 22, 1801.. "ADMIRAL, "I this morning received your letter of the 17th. On this occasion I cannot but lament that I do not understand the Swedish language, and especially as I am consequently in doubt, whether your letter has been rightly translated to me. "I am, however, sufficiently acquainted with its contents, to entreat you to assure his Swedish Majesty, in my name, that I acknowledge with the greatest pleasure his gracious condescension, in informing me that Lord St. Helen's is arrived at St. Petersburg, and that it may be expected that the negociations carrying on there will soon be concluded on the most friendly, equitable, and durable conditions, as is the wish of the king, my master, and the whole kingdom. "On my arrival here on the 18th instant, Lord Nelson returned to England. The state of his health renders it necessary that he should retire from the service for a time. . PP 3 "I entreat |