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till they were going on shore, being obliged to put them all down in the hold; and then, what we found belonging to the officers, distributed amongst them. In short, I believe I may venture to say, that less plunder (in regard to clothes) was never known than in this ship. Nay, every ounce of plate belonging to M. Conflans, &c., I took care to secure for him; and I must beg leave to say that I don't believe he lost sixpence, except the merchandise he was carrying abroad as a venture, which I looked upon as the ship's cargo. The captain and other officers, whom he told your Lordship were also robbed and ill used, are so far from thinking so, that when I acquainted them with what M. Conflans had reported to your Lordship, they were as much surprised as myself. Had I treated him even as he represented, I could hardly think myself culpable, as he was never genteel enough to show me his commission, nor produce it, though I often asked for it. That your Lordship may have an idea of M. Conflans' honour and integrity, I must beg leave to mention, that the evening he came on shore here, I provided him lodgings and everything necessary for his reception. He at first, indeed, made a little bustle against my officers, who, he said, wanted to search his chests and trunks when coming on shore; but on my assuring him they would come on shore unmolested, he thanked me, embraced me, and begged my friendship; and the very next day, or the day after (as I suppose) wrote to your Lordship a downright falsehood.

"I am sorry I have not the honour of being better known to your Lordship, but I flatter myself, if your Lordship will be kind enough to inquire into my character, you will find me at least a charitable man, and above a mean and base action. I am afraid I have already intruded too long on

your Lordship's patience, and shall therefore only beg leave to add, that I am, with the greatest respect, &c.

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Thus the Duke's interposition in favour of an undeserving object was premature and ill bestowed. On his departure he wrote a letter of thanks to Lord Anson for the civilities he had received; in it he observes-"La façon noble et genereuse, my lord, avec laquelle vous pensez, me fait oublie entièrement les procedez du Capitain Shirley, que j'attribue à sa jeunesse et à son peu d'expérience." M. de Conflans was doomed, however, twice afterwards, to suffer the mortification of being annoyed by the British navy-once in being stopped on the high seas by Captain P. Denis, of the Centurion, when carrying out intelligence to the French colonies of the cessation of arms, and a second time, by suffering a complete defeat, in 1759, when Hawke drove him to take shelter among the rocks, and destroyed half his fleet.

Lord Sandwich estimated more correctly the position of this chevalier.

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Hague, 28th November, 1747. "MY DEAR LORD-I have heard by accident that the French demand the release of M. Conflans, in virtue of the cartel of Frankfort, as he is a lieutenant-general in the King of France's service. As I have always at heart everything that concerns the interest of your profession, I cannot but express my apprehension lest you should not consider that

* Anson's Collection, No. 397.

affair with sufficient attention; for if you yield the point, I think we should, for the future, be obliged to restore, upon the footing of the cartel, all officers in the French fleet of any rank; for it is, I believe, certain, that M. Conflans' rank as lieutenant-general is either a consequence of his rank in the fleet (which in France, you know, is ascertained with the land-service, as I hope it will be with us), or of his being governor of St. Domingo, which is the same thing, those governments being always given to seaofficers."*

Speaking, in another letter, of comparative rank in the two services, he says:-"I hope that matter does not sleep, as I am sure it will do great good to the service, and I think this is the time we ought to push any of our purposes, as I flatter myself we are generally in favour, and consequently more likely to succeed now than hereafter." It may here be mentioned that Anson had this point settled by Order in Council of 10th February, 1747, and it still continues without alteration; the Order, however, was not published till the 5th March, 1748.

* Anson's Collection, No. 359.

CHAPTER V.

CONCLUSION OF THE WAR.

The duties of First Lord executed by Anson-Lord Vere's interference and incapacity-Rules of precedence at the Board-Change of the Board in consequence of Lord Chesterfield resigning the seals, the Duke of Bedford accepting them, and Lord Sandwich's appointment as First Lord-Correspondence of the Duke, the Earl, and Lord Anson on the occasion-Lord Sandwich's pressing letters, desiring Anson to consider himself, in all respects, as in his place— Anson's marriage with the Lord Chancellor's daughter - Lord Hardwicke's letters to him on the occasion-His anxiety and affection for Lady Anson, on the score of her health - Difficulties of Lord Sandwich at Aix-la-Chapelle-Suggestion of the Duke of Cumberland with regard to the establishment of a Marine CorpsConclusion of the war-Lord Vere, in the absence of Sandwich and Anson, appoints a commander-in-chief-He resigns both the Admiralty and Navy-The first visitation of the dock-yards by the Board-unsatisfactory state of-An act passed for consolidating the laws relating to the Navy-apparent severity of Question respecting a sentence of transportation-legal opinion of-Lord Barrington's motion for providing seamen for the Navy dropped-Old Horace Walpole's story-Change in the Board of Admiralty, Lord Sandwich dismissed by Newcastle's intrigues, and Lord Anson appointed First Lord.

1748 to 1755.

In the frequent absence of the Duke of Bedford, from indisposition, and of Lord Sandwich, first at the Hague and then at Aix-la-Chapelle, negociating a general peace, it has been seen that Lord Anson was obliged to take upon himself nearly the sole charge

and responsibility of the duties of the Admiralty, though his name stood below that of Lord Vere Beauclerc in the patent; but he was particularly and frequently requested to do so, both by the noble duke and the earl. There was indeed good reason why it

should be so.

vice since he

Lord Vere had seen little or no serwas made a captain, at twenty-one years of age, and probably in the whole course of his life never saw a shot fired in anger. It is true he commanded a frigate in the Mediterranean station for three or four years, but appears to have been employed chiefly in carrying despatches from Lisbon to the Mediterranean, and from the latter to the former, or wherever they were required to be sent; and, being one of the squadron under Sir Charles Wager, he was once sent with that admiral's compliments of excuse to the Grand Duke of Florence, for not having waited on him himself.

Whether he was for this, or some similar service, placed as a junior lord of the Admiralty, when Sir Charles Wager was at the head of the board in 1738, his naval biographer has not stated; but he resigned his situation in 1742, and was reappointed, under the Duke of Bedford, in 1744. In 1745 he was raised to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue, and, in 1749, threw up his situation at the Admiralty, and, at the same time, or shortly after, his commission in the navy, when he was created a peer of Great Britain. It is probable,

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