confidered as an event of the most inconvenient, and not improbably unfortunate kind. So high was the degree of credit acquired by the commodore in confequence of his conduct during the foregoing very perilous voyage, that, in eight days after his arrival, he was advanced to the rank of rear-admiral of the blue. It has been not unfhrewdly remarked, that the greatest talents are frequently configned by misfortune to everlasting oblivion, while fuccefs alone is fufficient to fecure everlasting fame; but it is neceffary this fuccefs fhould not be partial but complete in all points, for many perfons have, in the particular inftance of Mr. Anfon, rather invidiously obferved, that "though he was himself enriched, and by an occurrence too, which they are pleased to term accidental, yet that the British nation was by no means indemnified for the expence incurred by it*, and that the original defign was entirely defeated." The expedition itself was one of thofe fpeculative attempts in war which are always confidered as hazardous; and very frequently prove unfuccefsful. Nothing ever induces an administration to efpoufe or encourage them but the chance of deriving an immenfe advantage, if fortune favours the undertaking; and fuftaining a lofs comparatively trivial if otherwife. Confiderable neglect and delay took place in the equipment, circumstances the most unpropitious that could have happened to the intention with which the armament was fent out: and though upon the whole that intention certainly failed t, yet was that misfortune by no means imputable to Mr. Anson, who cer Some have farcaflically, though, perhaps, with fome truth on their fide, remarked, that had the Manilla fhip efcaped the vigilance of the English commodore, he would, in all probability, have been laid afide, on his return to England, as a fuperannuated captain, and died in obfcurity; but his great wealth created confiderable influence, and threw a new luftre on thofe talents which would otherwife have paffed unobferved. + No expedition can be deemed unferviceable in its confequence which creates an infinitely fuperior lofs or expence to the enemy. This was truly the cafe with refpect to Spain, of the fquadron fent out ander Pizarro, confifting of five fhips of the line, to counteract that under Mr. Anfon, one only returned to Europe, and without the finalleft advantage gained, on their part, to counterbalance fuch a difafter. The lofs of the English nation was, on the other hand, only one certainly displayed, through the whole of this long and perilous adventure, the greatest prudence, perfonal intre, pidity, perfeverance, and fpirit. Although Mr. Anfon was raised to the rank of a flag officer, and had through thofe very causes, perhaps, which have just been stated, acquired a fhare of popular applaufe, which minifters have, generally fpeaking, fome difficulty in ftemming the torrent of, yet he was not employed till after a change of administration had taken place; till that time he declined not only taking upon him any command, but even accepting of the rank itself. The reason given for this conduct is, that thofe perfons who were then commiffioners for executing the office of lord high admiral, refused to confirm to captain, afterwards fir Piercy Brett, the rank and commiffion of captain of the Centurion*, which, as the commodore himself relates in his letter, he had given him, in the river of Canton, on the 30th of September 1743. When Mr. Anson was first appointed to command the expedition, he was offered the honour, and, indeed, affistance of a captain under him; but this he modeftly, or, as fome infift, warily declinedt. Subfequent reafons, whether thofe publicly given, or other inducements latent in his own breast, we cannot pretend to determine, caufed him to change his opinion and grant the commiffion already mentioned: this the admiralty board refused to ratify, infifting it was an illegal act; and that, although admitting the offer had been originally made one fhip of fifty guns, an old Indiaman converted into a florefhip, together with a fmall fnow floop of war. As a counterpoife to this, the country acquired an influx of determinate and pofitive wealth, amounting to one million fterling; an advantage, confidered in a public light, little inferior to that derived by the fortunate individuals who were more particularly and immediately enriched by it. The commiffioners of the admiralty at that time were, John Cockburne, efq. Lord Archibald Hamilton, Lord: Baltimore, George Lee, L.L.D. Sir Charles Hardy, knight, John Philipfon, efq. On the ground, as the fame perfons affert, that it was more to his private advantage to share, in refpect to prize money, in common with the other captains, than to take as commodore and commander-in chief. to to Mr. Anfon, yet no fuch power of appointment was delegated to him by his inftructions, and that it was confequently void. On the 27th of December 1744, a very extensive change* in administration took place. The duke of Bedford was appointed first commiffioner of the admiraltyt, and Mr. Anfon was not only satisfied, by a confirmation of the commiffion granted by him to captain Brett, but was himfelf honoured with a feat at the board. When the above alteration in the political world took place, Mr. Anfon most willingly refumed the rank which had been before bestowed on him, and on the 20th of April following was advanced to be rear-admiral of the white, He retained his feat at the admiralty many years till he was made first commiffioner, of which hereafter, but was not invefted with any command till July 1746, when, having been promoted to be vice-admiral of the blue, he was appointed to command the Channel fleet as fucceffor to vice-admiral Martin. No event however took place that was in any degree confequential, for though he continued at fea during a confiderable part of the winter, in hopes of intercepting the Duc d'Anville's fhattered fquadron on its return from America, yet that commander, having accidentally received information of Mr. Anfon's ftation, took the neceffary precaution to avoid him, and was fuccefsful §. Information being received early in the year 1747, that two ftrong fquadrons, with a number of hips under their care were on the point of failing from Breft, one deftined for the Eaft the other for the Weft Indies, Mr. Anfon was ordered to fea with *He was about this time chofen representative in parliament for Heydon, in Yorkshire. f The other commiffioners were, John, earl of Sandwich, On the 14th. Except that the Namure chafed into the fquadron, by which it was immediately captured; the Mercury, formerly a French fhip of war, mounting fifty-eight guns, but then ferving as an hofpital ip; the left Chibocton, in Nova Scotia, with the duke and the miserable remains of his force; but being a prime failer had parted company, and was then steering for Breßt. a strong force for the purpose of intercepting them. It had been originally intended that the united fquadrons of Jonquiere and Lentendeur should fail at the same time, and keep company together till they arrived at a certain fafe Jatitude. The divifion of the latter commander not being fully equipped, and the French court impatient of delay, monfieur de Jonquiere was ordered to fea without waiting for him. This refolution proved fatal to them, for though they would in all probability have been defeated by the British fleet, yet as their force, if united, would have been equal in point of numbers, and fuperior in ftrength to their antagonists, they would undoubtedly have been able to make a much better defence; many would, in all probability, have escaped, inftead of falling, as they did, in fucceffion, no very difficult prey to Mr. Anfon; and, as will be hereafter fhewn, to Mr. Hawke. Mr. Anfon failed, on the 9th of April, from Plymouth for his station, being directed to cruise between Ushant *Confifling of the following ships: Prince George-Admiral Anfon-captain Bentley go guns, Devonshire-R. A. Warren-West Namur-Boscawen Monmouth-Harrifon Prince Frederic-Norris Yarmouth-Brett Princefs Louifa-Watfon Defiance-Grenville Nottingham-Saumarez Pembroke-Fincher Windfor-Hanway Centurion-Dennis Falkland-Barradel Bristol-Hon. William Montague Vulcan fire hip-Pattigrew. The French fquadron was compofed of, Le Sereiux-Monf. de Jonquiere, commodore L'Invincible-de St. George Le Diamant-Hoquhart Le Jafon-Beccard Le Rubis-M'Carty 66 74 64 64 64 бо бо 60 60 60 50 59 50 40 10 66 guns. 74 56 52 52 44 ვი 39 20 18 and Cape Finisterre. He remained off Ushant and Brest till the 20th, and then stood to the fouth-west in order to make Cape Finifterre. He cruised off that place till the 3d of May, when, the Cape bearing S. W. distant 24 leagues, he fell in with his object of purfuit, the French fquadron and their convoy. De Jonquiere immediately drew together his fhips of war which were nine or ten in number, five of which, as is fhewn in the note, were of two decks, and appeared prepared to make the best defence in their power; while the fhips under their protection, amounting to near thirty in number, including fix fmall frigates or armed veffels, which remained with them as their convoy, crouded all the fail they could in hopes of being able to effect their efcape. Mr. Anfon at firit made the fignal for his fquadron to form the line of battle; but finding the French commodore fo inferior in force, and that he was using every poffible endeavour to get off, intending only to divert the attention, by a fhew of refolution, till his convoy was out of reach, he foon ftruck his fignal for the line and hoisted one for a general chace, and that each fhip fhould engage as fhe could get up and close with the enemy. About four o'clock in the afternoon the Centurion began to engage the fternmost of the enemy's fhips, and was very foon afterwards fupported by the Namure, Defiance, and Windfor, which fhips were very warmly engaged with the reft of the French fquadron. The enemy defended themselves with uncommon fpirit, and, notwithstanding their very unequal numbers, maintained a contest for three hours, when the commodore himself having struck to rear-admiral Warren, the Invincible, which was the most powerful fhip of the fquadron, being difmafted, and Mr. Anfon himself up with the remainder of his fquadron; the rest of the fhips, very much damaged, all furrendered about seven o'clock in the evening; the Diamant being the laft that fubmitted, after having been in clofe action with the Bristol for nearly three hours*. Mr *The fpeech of monfieur de Jonquiere is too ftrongly chara&teriftic of French levity to be omitted. "Monfieur," faid he, in prefenting his fword to Mr. Anfon, “ vous avez vaincu l'Invincible, et |