TRINIDAD : THEN AND NOW. 



83 



Colonel Picton shall be considered as the orders of 

 the Commander-in-Chief." No higher trust could 

 have been conferred. After this St. Vincent was at- 

 tacked and captured with a loss to the English forces 

 of about 180 killed and wounded. In this attack 

 Picton again distinguished himself. 



Upon the termination of this short but brilliant 

 campaign, Sir Ealph Abercromby returned to Marti- 

 nique — then in possession of the English, but after- 

 wards ceded back to France — and from thence re- 

 turned to England taking Picton with him, who 

 was frequently called ' 6 Abercromby 's pupil," — an 

 appellation of which he was indeed justified in being 

 proud. 



After a short stay of two months Abercromby 

 returned to the West Indies, accompanied by Picton 

 as his aide-de-camp, and without any incident worthy 

 of remark, arrived at Martinique in January 

 1797. An expedition against Trinidad, as already 

 detailed, had been for some time determined upon, 

 and, as soon as preparations could be made with 

 Admiral Harvey, the capture of Trinidad was put 

 into execution, and brought to a successful issue. 

 After its capture, and its being ceded by the Spanish 

 governor to the British, Sir Thomas Picton was ap- 

 pointed its first governor. 



" The Hour and The Man." 

 It is admitted on all hands, by all rulers of 

 nations and by the people of all countries, that the 

 British Empire is built up by making the best of the 

 material to be found at hand. Wherever the British 



