———— ee 
82 Acceunt of the late Admiral Kingfmill. 
force under his orders confifted of the Eliza- 
beth (his own fhip), with the Grafton, of 
74 guns, the.Europe, of 64, and the Iphi- 
genie frigate, of 32 guns. Misfortune at- 
tended this armament from the firft moment 
cf its departure. After it had with much 
difficulty veached the Bay of Bifcay, a con- 
tinued tempeft, rendered ftill more inaufpi- 
cious from the wind which occafioned it, 
being adverfe to the intended courfe of the 
iquadron, difperfed all the fhips which com- 
pofed it, the greateft part of which were not 
only completely difmafted, but fomuch fhak- 
en and injured in their hulls by the repeated 
thacks of the fea, that it was with the greiteft 
difficulty fome of them were prevented from 
foundering. They all, however, were for- 
tunate enough to efteét their return in fafety, 
and captain Kingfmill, who with the mot 
unremitting perfeyerance ftrove to make his 
paflage, though feparated from all his com- 
panions, was at length, notwithftanding he 
was more fortunate in having fuft:i.ed lefs 
injury than they had done, compelled (to put. 
back. He returned to Spithead on the 14 of 
February, with the lofs of all his topma:s ; 
and the preliminaries of a general peace be- 
tween Great Britain, France, Spain, Hel- 
land, and the United States of America, 
having been concluded at the commencement 
of the year 1783, the acceflity of fending 
any further naval. reinforcement to the Eatt 
Indies became of courfe fuperfeded. The 
Elizabeth was, neverthelefs, ordered to be 
fetained in commiffion, being one of thofe 
inteaded for a guardihip on the peace eftab- 
lithment. A continuance in the fame com- 
mand being offered to captain Kingfmill asa 
very proper compliment, and as a proof of 
the value fet on his former fervices, he ac- 
€ented the offer, and continued to command 
the Elizabeth during the three years enfuing, 
which is the period cuftomarily allotted toe 
appointments of that nature. After quitting 
the Elizabeth, he once more returned to 
thefe demeftic enjoyments, from which he 
had fo willingly eftranged himfelf when he 
confidered the tender of his fervices a duty 
which his country required. In 1790, when 
the infolent behaviour of the court of Spain, 
or rather.of certain officers aéting under its 
erders, had rendered the apprehenfion of a 
ferious difpute with that country relative to” 
Nootka Sound, very general, captain Kinef- 
snill was among the firft officers who received 
commiffions .on that occafion. The ithip to 
which he was appointed was the Duke, of 90 
guns; but the affair being thus amicably com- 
promifed, the Duke, ‘as well as all the other 
fhips equipped on the occafion, were imme- 
diately put out of commiffion, a circumftance 
which clofed the fetvices of captain Kingf- 
mill in the rank he then held. On the firft 
of February, 1793, Mr. Kingfmill was pro- 
moted tothe rank of rear-admiral of the white 
{quadron, and had fcarcely experienced this 
advancement ere his merits were ftill farther 
rewarded by his being appointed to command 
in chief on the Isith ation. No appoint- 
[Feb. I, 
ment, perhaps, was more judicioufly made 
asian officer his judgment, his zeal, and his 
prudence, appeared to point him out as pe- 
cutiarly fitted to a command which certainly 
required all thofe different traits of conduét. 
His gallantry and activity in any cafe of fud- 
den emergency were indabitable, and the 
private, the perfonal qualification of his being 
a native of the country, marked him out, in- 
dependent of every other circumitance, .as a 
man that muft be peculiarly grateful tothofe 
among whomin fome cafes it might be ne- 
ceflary for him to diiplay his authority. The 
event fully eftablifhed the truth of that the- 
oretical reafoning on which it may be fup- 
pofed the appointment itfelf was founded, 
while his private demeanour moft defervedly 
acquired him the love, the efteem, and the 
affe@tion of thofe who were unconnected with 
the fervice; his public conduct not only 
raifed the higheft efteem in.all thofe per- 
fons.who f{crved under his orders, but in thofe 
who had moft judicioufly confided to him fo 
important atruft. The entrance of the Irifh 
and Englifh channels became, from the in- 
ftant hottilities commenced, meft grievoufly 
iniefted by cruifers belonging to the enemy, 
of all defcriptions. The injury fuftained by 
the Britith trade might have been of the 
moft ferious kind, if the utmoft diligence, 
and aétivity, had not been ufed in .coun- 
teraction of it. The mere lift of veilels, 
many'of them confiderable in point of force, 
which fell into the hands of different cruif- 
-ers aéting under the orders of Sir Robert, 
would form of themfelves a proof fuffi- 
ciently trong of that right to public applaufe, 
which hisconduét juftly procured him. Scarce- 
ly a month pafled for a confiderable period 
witheut the capture of fome veffel of confe- 
quence: but thefe fucceffes were trivial in 
comparifon with that which he had the good 
fortune to efteét in the month of June, 1796. 
A {fquadron of frigates, confifting of four 
fail, had been fitted out at Breft for the ex- 
prefs purpofe of committing depredations 
againft the Britifh trade in that particular 
quarter. ‘The veflels compofing it were fe- 
lected with the utmoft care, and: confidered 
of the firft charaéter as failers in the whole 
French navy. They were manned with 
chofen crews, and commanded by officers held 
in the higheit ettimation for gallantry and 
nautical knowledge. Notwithftanding thefe 
precautions, the enemy had fcarcely made 
their appearance on the ftation ere they were 
met, engaged, defeated, and captured. The 
firft dawning of this progreffive fuccefs was 
announced in the following plain narrative, 
officially communicated by the vice-admiral 
to the fecretary of the admiralty : 
‘* Sirs=-By my laft of the roth inftant, 
you were acquainted, for the information of 
my lords commiffioners of the admiralty, that _ 
his Majefty’s fhips Unicorn and Santa Mare 
garita, part of the {quadron under my orders, 
had fent in a large ship under Swedith colours, 
Jaden with Dutch property, from Surinam, 
and that lieutenant Carpenter, of the Uni- 
COrIks 
