44 ae Memoirs of the late General Melville, 
known: ina short time M. de. Bouillé 
was in possession of the greater number 
of the British colonies in the West Indies. 
' The resemblance, in many important 
points, between these two commanders, 
was peculiarly striking ; both men emi- 
nently endowed with all the qualities re 
quisite for the discharge of their seveval 
duties; both men of consummate valour 
ard military skills both peculiarly dis- 
tinguished by a high sense of honour, and 
actuated by motives the most disinterest- 
ed, generous, aud humane; both accus- 
tomed to service in the probable scene of. 
action; and both personally acquainted 
with the quarters where that service 
would probably be required; both in- 
flamed with. ardent zeal in the cause of 
their respective countries ; and each with 
a detéfmination to recommend himself 
to his antagonist by the faithful discharge 
of his duties: a contest between two 
such commanders, on proper terms, must 
have furnished) ample room for the in- 
struction of every military man. 
The last service rendered to his country 
by General Melville, in a public capacity, 
related to Tobago, am island originally 
settled by him, and long fostered with 
peculiar care. This colony, i in the course 
of the conquests of M. de Bouillé, fell 
nto his hands, after a defence in which 
‘the civil governor (George Ferguson, 
esq.) and the inhabitants so greatly dis- 
tinguished themselves, as to merit, and 
to obtain, from the captor a most liberal 
capitulation. By the preliminary ar- 
ticles of peace, concluded in the be- 
ginning of the year 1783, Tobago was 
ceded to France, without any of those 
stipulations for the advantage of the Bri- 
tish settlers, proprietors, and traders, 
usually granted on similar occasions. 
To remove as much as possible the 
alarm excited by this circumstance, in 
the minds of all persons interested in the 
fate of Tobago, measures were adopted 
by those in Britain, for obtaining from 
the court of France some amelioration of 
their condition. The-first step was to 
select a proper negotiator; and for this 
purpose all eyes were turned: towards 
General Melville, who was requested to 
repair to Versailles, there to solicit for 
the unfortunate colonists of Tobago » 
those indulgencies to which, from the 
terms of the cession, they could form no 
claim. In acceding to this request, the 
General, that the application from the 
new subjects to their new master might 
appear the more decorous, suggested that 
a Sonejntor shoulc.be given to. him in 
“€ 
[Feb. I, 
the business; and Mr. Young, (the pre- 
sent Sir William Young,) was joined in 
the mission. “ 
‘The success of the application at Ver- 
sailles; exceeded the most sanguine ex- 
pectations : 
nanimity of the ill-fated Louis XVI. 
on the liberal suggestions of his truly re- 
spectable minister for the navy and the 
colonies, the late. Marshal Duke de 
Castries, that success was by General M. 
uniformly attributed. Let it however be 
added, by one who, as secretary to the 
General on that occasion, had indubitable 
evidence of the fact, that the represen- 
tations of the minister, and the conse- 
quent decisions of the sovereign, were 
very materially influenced by esteem for 
the character of Genere! M. and con- 
fidence in the manly, candid, and ho-. 
nourable conduct he displayed in every 
part of the n¢ guciation. The humanity, 
liberality, anc disinterestednes:, which 
had marked the whole of his acis:scra- 
tion in Guadaloupe, while 1¢ remaihed 
under the British flag, and the whole of | 
his general government of the ceded 
French colonies, had in the persons of 
some individuals, and in the counections - 
of others of distinction in France, se- 
cured for General M. a cordial, and ~ 
confidential reception, which it may have 
been the plete of few negociators to 
possess. Athis last interview with M. 
de Castries, that minister expressed his 
royal me .ster’s entire satisfaction with the ~ 
General's management of so delicate a 
negotiation 5 adding, that his Majesty 
was convinced the General had, through. 
out the whole business, performed the 
part of a genuine and ‘impartial friend 
and ‘mpire between France and Tobago: 
— -— Vous avez agi en orai Hees ‘was 
the expression. 
Ex pede Herculem.—To present some 
idea of the spirit by which General M. 
was actuated in. his administration of 
affairs, civil and military, j in Guadaloupe, 
and its dependent islands, the following 
specimen may suffice. 
By the capitulation, the French royal 
council had been preserved in the full 
exercise of all its functions and privileges, 
and the French laws, civil and criminal, 
remained in their original force: the go- 
vernor, who was, ex officio, president of — 
the council, was the only British subject. 
in that body. At a meeting of the coun- 
cil, in the capital of the island in 1760, 
while General M. was seated at the head 
of the council-table, the board being 
complete, and the crown-lawyers con- 
ducting 
ee 
and to the beneficent mag-_ 
