C II A R A C T E R S. 



757 



tho successful execution of those 

 orders, tlio kiiii^'s siiips had not a 

 single mail killed or NvoiiiiJed. 



Towards the cud of 1701 , he was 

 appoiiitcdcoiumandcr-iii-tliii'rof (he 

 ships ill the road ol' Bas(|iie : but 

 wliili- he \v:is busied lh(U'e in uiakiii/( 

 rei^iiliilions for (he OK)iidiic( of his 

 s(|tu(lr()ii, h(* was siiiiiinoncd anay 

 lo act as euplaiii to rear-admiral his 

 royal hinliiicss (lie duke of \'ork, 

 oil hoard (iu- Princess Aiiu'li.i of 

 no guns, atSpithead. In thissilua- 

 tioii Ik- condniied cUiriiii; (he re- 

 iiiuiiidt-r of (111' war; (he duke of 

 York being always senior in com- 

 inand to a senior admiral. Once, 

 when he was in (his service, (he 

 lieutiMiant of the watch went (o him, 

 at midnight, aud awaked him, say- 

 ing, " uiy lord, don't be friglilgned : 

 " the ship is on fire close (o (lie ma- 

 " ga/iiie." ]Ie spriiiii; up, and re- 

 plied, in an angry tone — " what d(» 

 " yon mean Jiy that, sir ? 1 netcr was 

 *' frightened in luy life. 1 will bo 

 " with you ill a moment: but, in 

 *' the mean time, give ilireitioiis 

 *' that nobody attempts (o disturb 

 *' bis royal highness.'' lie went 

 down instantly, and ordered wet 

 Bwabs, and other proper remedies lo 

 (|iieiicli the (ire. He then went 

 again upon deck, and seeing all (]iiiet, 

 retired to sleep, with his usual com- 

 j)osure. 



I'eace bciug now made, and lord 

 Howe's personal assistance to his 

 country no longer retpiisile on the 

 veas, li(^ was appointed, April I.Stii, 

 17G3, a commissioner of the admi- 

 ial(y. This placi; be conliiiued in 

 ii]iwaids of two years, and was 

 iiiiich consulted by his first lord the 

 earl of |''/gmon( : he ex<:hanged his 

 post, however, .Inly (he JO(li, I7(j6, 

 for (ha( of (reasurer of (he navy. 

 To (he dn(iea of thiti latter ompluy- 



nienl he paid that diligent attention, 

 Avbicli he deemed indispensible iit 

 every species of trust, public or 

 private. i3ut at the beginning of 

 1770, on the duke of (irafton's re- 

 tiring from the treasury, ho thought 

 himself bound in honour to resign 

 Jiis iiiivy-tre.isurership, and his ap- 

 pointment of colonel of the Chatham 

 marines into the bargain. In these, 

 as well as in every other transaction 

 of his life, lie sullered not any consi- 

 deration of emolument to weigh ono 

 single atom ai^uinsL his faintest no- 

 tion of honour. 



VV'heii lord Howe became thus re- 

 leased from any particular occupa- 

 tion in tli(^ civil line of government, 

 sir Kihvard Ilawke, first loid of llio 

 admiralty, cast his eyes upon him, 

 as oil one, by whose naval talents 

 (he public miulit reap again S(miv 

 consideral)le advaiiLage. Coiise- 

 <jueiitly he got him promoted to bo 

 rear-adiiiiral of the bine. Soon af- 

 ter which, our new admiral was ap- 

 pointed commander-in-chief in <lio 

 iVIediterraiican, on the probability 

 of a riiptun^ with Spam. This ap- 

 pointment of (he junior admiral did 

 not please some membcrh of tho 

 house of commons, who projioscd 

 addressing his ma'p'sty, to iiiforin 

 them who ajipoiiitcd lord Howe tu 

 this command. Sir lOdward llawko 

 then rose up, and said, " I advised 

 " his majesty to maki! (he ajipoint- 

 " meiit.--I have tried my lord Howe 

 " on imporlant occasions : he never 

 " asked me how he was to tixecutc 

 " any service, but always went and 

 " performed i(." 



I\lar<;li the .jlst, 1775, lord FIowO 

 was iiiadt! rear-utlmiral of (he white, 

 and I-'ebruai) the .Otii, 177(J, vice- 

 admiral of the blue. This latter 

 promotion was preparatory to his 

 taking command of our lieet in 

 3 C :; America. 



