58] 
At Shrewsbury, Lady Knowles, 
widow of the late admiral sir 
Charles Knowles, bart. 
10, The hon. John Forbes, aged 
82, the oldest officer in the navy, 
and general of marines. He was 
appointed post-captain in 1736,rear 
admiral in 1747,and admiralin1758. 
In 1781 he was appointed admiral 
of the fleet. He was remarkable, 
above all other men, for his exten- 
sive and universal knowledge of 
naval affairs, having studied them 
in all their branches, with a perse- 
verance, and observed upon them 
with an acuteness and judgment 
altogether unparalleled. His mind 
was capable of embracing the 
greatest and most complicated ob- 
jects ; and, having bent it towards 
' the study of that profession of 
which he was allowed, by the uni- 
versal voice of his contemporaries, 
to be a principal ornament, he 
attained such a summit of nautical 
skill as rendered him the oracle of 
all those who were most emi- 
ment, whether in the direction of 
the fleets of this nation, or in the 
equally arduous task of superintend- 
ing the civil departments of the 
different branches of the marine, 
In the earlier part of his life, he 
was peculiarly woticed as an able, 
enterprising, and intrepid officer. 
He served with much reputation 
under Sir John Norris, and was no 
less distinguished as captain of the 
Norfolk, of 80 guns, in the action 
of Matthews and Lestock with the 
combined fleets of France and Spain, 
when his gallanty contributed 
in a high degree to save his brave 
friend admiral Matthews, whose 
second he was in that engagement, 
So bright was bis honour, and so 
clear his reputation in those turbu- 
lent days, that though his evidence 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
on the trial of the admirals went 
wholly against Admiral Lestock, 
yet that officer was often heard to 
declare, ** that Mr. Forbes’s testi- 
mony was given like an officer and 
a gentleman.” In lord Chatham’s 
war, admiral Forbes was selected 
as the ablest assistant the first lord 
could have in the management of 
the Admiralty, and conducted him, 
self ina manner highly creditable 
to his abilities, and.eminentlyser- 
viceable to his country. When 
the warrant for executing the un- 
fortunate admiral Byng was offered 
for signature at the Admiralty 
Board, admiral Forbes refused to 
sign it, at the same time humbly 
laying at his late majesty’s feet his 
objections. A copy of the paper 
given by the admiral to his ma- 
jesty on that occasion, may be seen 
in Smollet’s History of England. 
During a late administration it 
was thought expedient to offer a 
noble lord, very high. in the naval 
profession, and. very deservedly 
a favourite of bis sovereign and 
his country, the office of general 
of the marines held by admiral 
Forbes, and spontaneously cons 
ferred upon bim by his majesty 
asa reward for his many and long 
services, A meSsage was sent by 
the ministers, to say it would for- 
ward the king’s service if he would 
resign : and that he should be no 
loser by his accomodating the 
government, as they proposed re- 
commending to the king to give 
him a pension in Ireland of S000}. 
per ann, and a peerage, to descend 
to his daughter. To this admiral 
Forbes sent an immediate answer ; 
he told the ministers, the gegeral+ 
ship of the marines was a military 
employ ment, given him by his mas 
jesty as a reward fur his seivices ; 
that 
