1810.) 
under his jurisdiction, eiawed by legis- 
latures formed on principles similar to 
those of the neighbouring British colo- 
nies. 
During the whole of his governmennt, 
which lasted about seven years, General 
M. only once quitted his post, and that 
was in 1769, when he returned to, Eng- 
land, on business of the highest impor. 
tance to the future security and prospe- 
rity of the colonies entrusted to¥bis care; 
and notwithstanding the numberless dit- 
ficulties he had to surmount, in a govern- 
ment so extensive and so’ complicated, 
he had the satisfaction to see that his 
adiinistration was duly appreciated, and 
gave very general satisfaction. Some 
partial complaints by a few disappointed 
individuals, brought against him, while 
in London, but directed in fact rather 
against the King’s council in Grenada 
than against the governor himself, were 
found to be utterly frivolous, and were 
of course deservedly disregarded by the 
fing and council at home. As to: any 
charges of peculation, the most common 
subject of complaint against persons in 
his situation, nothing of that sort was 
ever even insinuated against General 
M. on the contrary, it was well known at 
home, as well as abroad, that. with op- 
pertunities of amassing wealth, in. the 
sole settlement and administration of so 
many newly-acquired colonies, such as 
had never fallen to the lot of any foreign 
governor, General M, resisted the fre- 
yuent and pressing offers made to.him 
by speculators, to enter into their schemes 
of acquisition, in which he might, with 
perfect propriety, have embarked: and 
that practising an honest and honourable 
alistinence, he retired from his govern- 
mest much poorer than many of the ad- 
venturers 10 who had realised their 
acquisitions, without any original pro- 
pelty, on mere speculation and. credit. 
Tt is but Justice to add, that although 
General M.’s salary fren home, as go- 
vernor of so many islands, hardly ex- 
eceded 10001. per annum, yet he not 
only refused to accept of the offered, and 
usual salaries from each colony, wee gave 
up many official fees, where he conceived 
such a step might tend to the advantage 
of the uew colonists. The duties of a 
major-general, throughout the several 
islands. unger his Command, he also 
puuctually dis charged, without any 
allowance or charge whatever on the 
rate on that account. Even in the 
gall purchases. of land he chose to 
Memoirs of the late General Melville. 
4g 
ms in some at the islands under his 
command, General M. was swayed much 
more by considerations af public advan- 
tage than of private.emolument, For 
Tobago, almost a desert, and Dominica, 
“situated between and within view. of the 
two. great French islands, Martinique 
and Guadaloupe, presented so few at. 
tractions to new colonists, that unless th@ 
governor, by selecting plantations in 
them, had evinced his confidence in their 
security as British possessions, few or no- 
adventurers would have hazarded their. 
property in either of those unpromising 
colonies. 
From the period when he retired from 
his government, General M. adhering 
to his-favorite maxim of taking nothing 
for. doing nothing, never solicited, nor 
even wished, for any pension, salary, or 
other emolument whatever, . from the 
public purse, although his eminent sere 
vices, and his il heaith, and total loss of 
sight, originally contracted in the dis- 
charye of his public duties, might well 
have. encouraged him to proffer. claims. 
so commonly made and allowed in simi 
ar circumstances. 
When, by the public recognition, on 
the part of France, of the independence 
of the United States of North America, 
hostilities with that kingdom were deem- 
ed. unavoidable, General Melville was 
consulted by administration, on the 
means to be adopted for the security of 
our own West India. colonics, % and for 
the. conquest of those | belonging to 
France; and had the opinions he offered | 
on those subjects accorded with the views 
already entertained by his Majesty’s mi- 
nisters, the country would ayain have 
reaped the fruits of-his local and military 
knowledge, in an important command 
beyond the Atlantic. , LHe was, however, 
too well acquainted with the nature of 
the service on.which he was. consulted, 
and, above all, with the talents and dise 
positions of the Marquis de Bouillé, com- 
imander.in chief of the French forces iq 
the W est Indies, and. this not. from res 
port only, but from personal intercourse 
in the course of his. government :—with 
the formidabie qualiti es of that distins 
guished commander, General M. was toa 
well acquainted to undertake the ser- 
vices then in. agitation, | without. bewye - 
accompamed by a force, . far mare ree 
spectable than that which it seemed to 
be in.ceatemplation, to place ander his 
command, ..Other measures were ac 
povinalia adopted, and the result is well 
jen buowas 
