CHRONICLE. 



It 



Arrived here on Tliursday morning, 

 in pursuance of the resolution he 

 had announced of visiting tlie fleet, 

 and was received by the. governor 

 and lord Howe, and conducted to 

 the dock-yardj whence he proceed- 

 ed toSpitheadwith the royal family. 

 Lord Howe's flag was sliifted to a 

 frigate, andthe royal Standard hoist- 

 fed on board the Queen Charlotte, 

 bn board which his ina]/sty and the 

 royal family reiriained :ill six o'clock. 

 The lords of the adnairalty hoisted 

 Ihcir f\'ag on boird the Queen, ad- 

 miral Gardner's flag being removed 

 on the occasion. The whole garri- 

 son was under irms ; the concourse 

 of people wis immense. The king, 

 tvith his own hand^ carried a valu- 

 able diamond-hilted sword, from the 

 commi.-.sioner's house down to the 

 boat, which he presented to earl 

 Howe^ on board the Queen Char- 

 lotte, as a mark of his satisfaction 

 and entire approbation of his con- 

 Buct- His niajeSiy a1sd presented a 

 gold chain, to which a medal is 

 hereafter to be annexed, to admiial 

 sir Alexander Hood artd rear-admiral 

 Gardner 5 the like honour was con- 

 ferred on lord Howe's first captain, 

 sir Rogfr Curtis. The wounded ad- 

 tnirals, BowyerandPasley, who con- 

 sequently could not attend, have 

 been distinguished with similarmarks 

 of favour. The royal family, in the 

 eveningj on their return from Spit- 

 head, rowed up the harbour to view 

 the six French prizes, which are at 

 hioortngs there; On Friday, theking 

 first gave audience to the oflicersof 

 lord HoWe, and afterwards indis- 

 triminutely to all theothcr naval and 

 military officers. Some marks of dis- 

 tinction were conferred. On the 

 levee being ended, the royal family 

 feturned to the commissioner's house 

 in the Do.k-vard to diiuier, and in 

 VoL.XXXVL 



the evening proceeded up the river 

 to view the French prizes. The 

 town was brilliantly illuminated in 

 the evening, and every possible de- 

 monstration of joy manifested. On 

 Saturday, the royal family attended 

 the launching ofthe Princeof Wales, 

 a fine second rate. Four flags were 

 flying on board the Prince of Wales 

 during this ceremony, the royal stan- 

 dard, the admiralty flag, Sir Peter 

 Parker's white flag as port admiral, 

 and the union flag. The cheering of 

 the multitude, n honour of ihe roy- 

 al visitants, wherever they appeared* 

 made the air ring ; and bands of 

 music continued playing in the yard 

 and on board the ships and yachts 

 up the harbour. Immediately on the 

 Princeof Wales beingbrought up to 

 her moorings, their majesties, prince 

 Ernest, and the princesses, embark- 

 ed in order to go on board the A- 

 qnilon frigate, captain Stopford, 

 at Spithead. As trte barges ap- 

 proached the ships at Spithead, two 

 gunsfrom theQueen Charlotte were, 

 as on a former marine trip, the sig- 

 nal for a general salute ; every 

 shipj in consequence, fired twenty- 

 one guns, ind the crews cheered as 

 the i)yrges passed. On their majes- 

 ties going on board the Aquilon, 

 and getting under sail, the like salute 

 was tired; and the bands ofthe dif- 

 ferent ships played martial sympho- 

 nies for the greatest part ofthe day. 

 The Aquilon, after saihngroimd tlie 

 fl.?et, stood away towards the Nee- 

 dles. Owing to there being very 

 little wind, soon after the Aquilon 

 frigate had got to the eastward of 

 Cowes point, she, in going about, 

 touched the ground, by which acci- 

 dent they were stopped an hour or 

 two; and night coming cm, their 

 majesties and all the royal party took 

 to their barges. The Aquilon, on 



