OSBORNE, (PEREGRINE, Duke of Leeds,) known in the naval world as Earl of Danby, and Marquess of Carmarthen, the third son of Thomas, first Duke of Leeds, was born in the year 1658, and evinced an early inclination for the naval profession. He served as a volunteer on board various ships, and, on the 2nd of January, 1691, was appointed commander of the Suffolk. After having highly distinguished himself at the battle of La Hogue, as well as on other occasions, he was, on the 12th of July, 1693, advanced to the rank of rear-admiral. In the succeeding year, he served under Lord Berkeley; and commanded the naval forces in the disastrous attack on Brest, in which he narrowly escaped being killed, by the bursting of a bomb on his own vessel. In the ensuing November, he was appointed to command the ships that escorted the king from Holland. During part of the summer of 1695, he was stationed, for the protection of trade, with a squadron at the entrance of the channel. While on this service, he withdrew, to avoid what he conceived to be a French fleet, of force superior to his own, but which proved to be a number of homeward-bound merchant-ships. The consequence was, that several vessels from Barbadoes, as well as two others, with valuable cargoes, from the East Indies, being thus left wholly without protection, fell into the hands of the enemy. This mishap was treated by government as an accident; and, in the year 1697, he was made colonel of the first regiment of marines, and rear-admiral of the white; but he assumed no subsequent command, except in April, 1705, when he convoyed the Duke of Marlborough to Holland, and, afterwards, a fleet of merchantmen from thence to England. Having passed through the regular stages of preferment, he was, on the 21st of December, 1708, appointed admiral and commander-in-chief of the fleet. On the

death of his father, in 1712, he became Duke of Leeds, and retired from the service; but long before the former event, he had been called up, by writ, to the house of peers, by the title of Lord Osborne, of Kiveton, and took his seat on the 19th of March, 1689-90. His death occurred on the 25th of June, 1729. By his wife, Bridget, only daughter of Sir Thomas Hyde, of South Myms, in the county of Hertford, he had two sons; the survivor of whom, Peregrine Osborne, succeeded to his title and estates. His private character has been attacked by Burnet, who calls him an extravagant man, both in his pleasures and his humours. This charge has been met by Charnock, who says, "the first, were it true, the public have but little, or, indeed, nothing to do with; and, for the second, there will be but little difficulty in acquitting him of it, when it is considered that, as looking forward to the advantages of rank and fortune, he had patriotism or greatness of mind sufficient to encounter the dangers, difficulties, and hardships, incident to a naval service. When he had afterwards so deservedly attained a most elevated rank in that very service, he had so much public spirit as to offer, in the year 1707, to sail with a small squadron to Madagascar, to suppress a nest of pirates;-a command few men would have wished to undertake, and still fewer would have solicited."

HOSIER, (FRANCIS,) whose misfortunes have conferred upon him a posthumous renown, was fourth lieutenant of the Neptune, a second-rate ship, in 1692. He was captain of the Salisbury, in 1706, and was despatched to the Scilly Islands, to receive on board the body of Sir Cloudesley Shovel. He subsequently captured two vessels, the one French, the other Spanish; and, in 1719, was second captain of the Dorsetshire, under the Earl of Berkeley. In the following year, he was appointed second in command of the fleet sent

to the Baltic, under Sir John Norris. In April, 1726, he was sent, with a strong fleet, to the West Indies, to block up the Spanish galleons in the ports of that country; and, should they attempt to come out, to seize, and bring them to England. He arrived off Porto Bello, where, owing to the unwholesome climate, his men fell sick, and scarcely enough were left to navigate the ships to Jamaica, where the admiral remained some short time for the recovery of the invalids. He recruited his deficiency in numbers, by engaging some seamen he fortunately found at Jamaica unemployed; and his own men being now restored to health, by his attentive exertions and the humanity of the inhabitants, he put to sea once more, and resumed his former station. Here he remained exposed to the insults and taunts of the Spaniards, but fettered by his instructions from chastising their insolence. His ships were ruined by the worms; his men perished daily, carried off by disease and the malignant climate; and the broken-hearted admiral died, on the 23rd of August, 1727. A few days before his death, he had been made vice-admiral of the white. His body was embalmed, and buried in the ballast of his ship, in which it was afterwards brought to England for interment. It has been observed, by Charnock, that the misfortunes and merit of Admiral Hosier survived him longer than is usually the case, either with the greatest or most unhappy of mankind: and it is no slender testimony of worth, when the absence of panegyric is feelingly supplied by compassion.

WARREN, (Sir PETER,) was born in 1703; and, after having actively served in the navy for many years, distinguished himself, in 1745, as commander of the armament against Louisburg, which he captured on the 17th of June. He was, at this time, a commodore, and captain of the Superbe; and, in a few weeks afterwards, his services were further rewarded by his appointment to a rear-admiralship of the blue. In 1746, he fell in with the French squadron, and achieved such a victory over the enemy, as tended to render the then existing views of the French government almost abortive.

His exploits rendered him so popular at home, that, in 1747, he was returned to parliament for the city of Westminster; and, some time afterwards, the freedom of the city, and of the goldsmith's company, was presented to him. In 1752, he was elected alderman of Billingsgate ward; but declined the honour, in a letter, in which he sent £200 to the ward; one half to be distributed amongst the poor, and the other half to be disposed of as the commoncouncil of the ward should direct. He died in Ireland, on the 29th of July, 1752, and a splendid monument was erected to his memory in Westminster Abbey. Sir Peter Warren was not only a popular and heroic officer, but in private life he had the character of a good and amiable man; and passed through life without making a single enemy.

HOLMES, (CHARLES,) was born about 1710; and, in 1742, commanded the Sapphire, of forty guns, in which he took several prizes, whilst cruising off the coast of Portugal. He subsequently was appointed to the Enterprise, the Lenox, the Anson, and the Grafton, in which last vessel he had the command of a small squadron, on the coast of North America, where he distinguished himself in a few engagements of minor importance. In 1758, he had the charge of a small force on the rivers Wexr, Elbe, and Embs; dislodged seven thousand French and German troops, who had occupied the city of Embden; and made such excellent dispositions of his vessels, in those rivers, as not only obtained him the freedom and high acknowledgments of that city, but also gained him the most particular approbation and thanks of Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick. He was soon after made rear-admiral of the blue; and, in 1759, was appointed third in command of the fleet sent out under Sir Charles Saunders, for the purpose of reducing Quebec; and was, at the same period, advanced to the rank of rearadmiral of the white. On his return home, he received the thanks of the house of commons (in which he had a seat, as representative for Newport, Isle of Wight); and, early in 1760, was nominated commander-in-chief on the Jamaica station, where he died, on the 21st of November, 1761. As a naval

officer, Admiral Holmes had the reputation of being brave, vigilant, active, inflexible, and just; and, in private life, he was affable and amiable. He did not, however, escape detraction; and, in 1750, challenged an examination of his conduct by court-martial, which ended in his honourable acquittal.

BEAUCLERK, (Lord AUBREY,) eighth son of Charles, first Duke of St. Albans, was born in 1710; and, on the 1st of April, 1731, became a postcaptain, and was appointed to the Ludlow. In 1739, he was promoted to the Prince Frederick, of seventy guns; and went out, in the following year, under Sir Chaloner Ogle, to reinforce Admiral Vernon, previous to the expedition against Carthagena. On the 23rd of March, 1741, he was engaged, under Commodore Lestock, in the attack on the castle of Bocca Chica; and Lord Aubrey Beauclerk's vessel being in the thickest of the action, his legs were both shot off, but he would not have his wounds dressed till he had given his orders that the ship should fight to the last extremity. He died in a short time after. A handsome monument in Westminster Abbey, bears an inscription, describing him as a brave commander, and an amiable man, equalled by few in modesty, candour and benevolence. He married the daughter of Sir Henry Newton, and widow of Sir Francis Alexander, but died without

issue.

WATSON, (CHARLES,) was born in 1714, and, about 1744, was commander of the Dragon sixty-gun ship, in which he served, with great gallantry, against the combined squadrons of France and Spain, off Toulon. He took part in Lord Anson's engagement of the 3rd of May, 1747, and also in that of the same year, between Lord Hawke and M. De L'Entêndiere; and, for his bravery in the latter, he was made rear-admiral of the blue, and appointed governor and commander-in-chief of the Newfoundland station. In 1754, he was intrusted with a naval armament, with which he sailed to the East Indies, and soon after his arrival, received his majesty's commission, constituting him rear-admiral of the red. His first proceeding was the reduction of Fort Geriah, the capital of

the arch-pirate Angria; which, with the co-operation of Colonel (afterwards Lord) Clive, he effected, early in the year 1756. In the same year, he assisted at the taking of Calcutta; and, after having performed various other services, he died at that place, on the 16th of August, 1757, at which time he was vice-admiral of the white. He was sincerely and deservedly lamented by his countrymen in the east; and the East India Company, in gratitude for his eminent services, caused a splendid monument to be raised to his memory in Westminster Abbey.

DOUGLASS, (Sir JAMES,) was born about 1715; and, having entered the navy, was, in 1755, appointed to the command of the Bedford, seventy-four, in which he captured three French merchantmen. In May, 1757, he commanded the Alcide, one of Sir Edward Hawke's squadron, on the occasion of his unsuccessful expedition against Rochefort. During the year 1758, he was successfully and actively employed in cruising in the channel; and early the succeeding year, was ordered to join Sir Charles Saunders, then about to proceed against Quebec. After the successful termination of that expedition, he was sent home with the despatches; and, on his arrival, received the honour of knighthood, and the accustomed royal present of £500. In 1760, he was made commodore at the Leeward Islands; and whilst off Antigua, did considerable injury to the enemy, by the various captures he effected. In 1761, he assisted Lord Rollo in attacking the island of Dominica, the reduction of which was effected with the trivial loss of eight men killed and wounded. In 1762, he sailed for England; and, in the October of that year, was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral of the white. He afterwards went out to the West Indies as commander-in-chief; and, in 1773, he was appointed commander-in-chief at Portsmouth, and retained that office for the usual period of three years. was progressively advanced till 1782, when he became admiral of the white; and died at Scotland, in 1787.

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SHOULDHAM, (MOLYNEAUX,) the son of a clergyman, entered the navy at the age of ten years, and was, on

the 12th of May, 1746, made captain of the Sheerness frigate, employed in cruising off the coast of Scotland. He commanded the Seaford, in 1754; and removed to the Warwick, a sixty gun ship, which was compelled to strike to a French force, consisting of a ship of seventy-four guns, another of sixty, and a frigate. In 1761, Shouldham, in the Raisonable, of sixty-four guns, accompanied Admiral Rodney in his expedition against Martinico, and lost his vessel, by running upon a reef of rocks of which the pilot was ignorant. In a few days after, he was employed in landing the army under General Monckton, which was the last service he was engaged in for a length of time. In 1768, he was appointed to the Cornwall, seventy-four; and, early in the year 1771, to the Royal Oak, of equal magnitude. In 1772, he was governor of Newfoundland; in 1775, rear-admiral of the white; and was returned, soon after, member for Fowey. He next went on board the Chatham, of fifty guns, to command on the American station; on the 3rd of February, 1776, he was promoted to the rank of vice-admiral of the blue; and, on the 3rd of July, was advanced to the peerage of Ireland, by the title of Baron Shouldham. His lordship returned from America in 1777; and, in the succeeding year, convoyed the outward-bound West Indian and American fleets to a safe latitude. He was afterwards made port-admiral of Plymouth, an office which he held until the year 1783, except at intervals, when it was filled by Vice-admiral Milbanke. On the 19th of March, 1779, he was raised to the rank of vice-admiral of the white; on the 26th of September, 1780, to that of vice of the red; on the 24th of September, 1787, he became admiral of the blue; and, on the 1st of February, 1793, admiral of the white. Admiral Lord Shouldham died, without issue, at Lisbon, on the 30th of August, 1798, when the title became extinct. His lordship was a gallant and intelligent officer; and, although he had the misfortune to lose two ships, yet it was under circumstances for which he could not be accounted blameable.

BICKERTON, (RICHARD,) became a post-captain in the navy on the 21st

of August, 1759, after which time he commanded, successively, the Culloden; the Glasgow, the Lively, the Renown, and the Marlborough. In 1773, he steered the barge in which George the Third reviewed the fleet at Portsmouth; and, on the 24th of June, received the honour of knighthood. Sir Richard subsequently commanded the Augusta, and the Terrible, seventy-four; in the latter of which, he captured an American privateer. Afterwards, he was attached to the channel fleet, under Admiral Keppel; and, in the action with the enemy, off Ushant, on the 27th of July, 1778, was second in the line to the leading ship, and had thirty men killed and wounded. On the 19th of May previous to the engagement, he was created a baronet. In the month of April, 1779, Sir Richard Bickerton, in company with the Ramillies, succeeded in taking eight of the merchantmen, with valuable cargoes, from the West Indies. On leaving the Terrible, he was appointed to the Fortitude, of seventy-four guns; and proceeded, in the main fleet under Admiral Darby, in 1781, to the relief of Gibraltar. In August, he was re-appointed to the Augusta yacht, in which he attended his majesty during his visit to the North Sea squadron. Bickerton, towards the conclusion of the year, was nominated to the Gibraltar, an eighty-gun ship, in which he hoisted his broad pendant, as an established commodore. departed, under convoy, on the 6th of February, 1782, with a squadron intended for India; where he joined Sir Edward Hughes, just time enough to participate in the engagement of the 20th of June, 1783, with the celebrated M. De Suffrein. In 1787, he was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral; and, in 1790, hoisted his flag in the Impregnable, and was nominated to a command in the channel fleet. He was advanced to be vice-admiral of the white, on the 21st of September, 1790; and, after the apprehension of a war had subsided, was transferred to the St. George, of ninety-eight guns, and constituted port-admiral of Plymouth. While holding this command, he died of an apopletic fit, on the 25th of February, 1792. Sir Richard Bickerton was married, in 1758, to Mrs. MarieAnne Hassey, by whom he had four

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children: two sons and two daughters. At the period of his decease he was representative in parliament for the city of Rochester.

LOCKHART ROSS, (Sir JOHN,) distinguished as Captain Lockhart until he assumed the name of Ross, was of Scottish extraction, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in the royal navy, on the 21st of October, 1743. On the 23rd of March, 1756, he was made a post-captain, and appointed to the Tartar frigate, stationed in the British channel; and, being a fast sailer, Captain Lockhart had the good fortune, whilst cruising in her, to meet with more success than any of his cotemporaries. His success in taking the vessels of the enemy raised his name so high, that an English privateer, being in great danger of capture, is reported to have run alongside her adversary, and ordered the commander to strike to" The Tartar, Captain Lockhart;" a demand which was met with instant compliance. On the return of the captain into port, the freedom of the borough of Plymouth was voted him in a gold box; and, soon after, the merchants and underwriters of the city of London presented him with a silver cup and salver, bearing a representation of the Tartar, and of seven privateers she had taken. Early in 1758, he took a vessel off St. Domingo, of considerable value; and his name struck such terror into the enemy, that they fitted out a stout frigate, mounting eighteen twelve-pounders, and manned with a select crew of three hundred and fifty men, one hundred of whom were the sons of merchants, who had volunteered for the especial purpose of cruising in the supposed track of the Tartar. In 1759, he was promoted to the Chatham, of fifty guns, and had two frigates placed under him, which, on the 18th of May, descried and captured the Arethusa. In July, he went under Commodore Duff, to watch, from Quiberon Bay, the motions of the French fleet, in Brest; and, in the following year, he was appointed to the Bedford, a third-rate, which he resigned soon after. About the same time, he changed his name to Ross; and, in 1761, was chosen member of parliament for the united burghs of Lanark, and some

others; and, in 1768, was returned for the shire of Lanark. Captain Lockhart Ross was, in 1777, appointed to the Shrewsbury, of seventy-four guns, in which ship he was very smartly engaged, under Admiral Keppel, in the action with the French fleet, on the 27th of July, 1778. On the 19th of March, 1779, he was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral of the blue, and hoisted his flag on board the Royal George, of one hundred guns, as fourth in command in the channel. In the year last mentioned, he became entitled to a Scotch baronetcy; and, shortly afterwards, accompanied Sir George Rodney in the expedition for the relief of Gibraltar. Returning to England, in 1780, he again served in the channel fleet; and, on the 26th of September, in the same year, was raised to be rear-admiral of the red. In July, 1782, he went, with Lord Howe, on a short cruise, and, on his return, resigned his command. On the 24th of September, 1787, he was made vice-admiral of the blue; and died, on the 9th of June, 1790, at his family seat, Balagowan Castle, in Scotland. Admiral Ross was a brave and excellent officer; and, as he was successful in every enterprise, it is fair to suppose that opportunity was all that was wanting to his attainment of the highest point of professional celebrity. He was, as a man, humane and benevolent; for, in the summer of 1782, by a bountiful distribution of provisions, among the poor on his estates, he saved the lives of many of those who must, at that period of distress, have otherwise inevitably perished.

MOUNT EDGECUMBE, (George, Earl of,) second son of Richard, first Earl of Mount Edgecumbe, served as midshipman in the Mediterranean, on board one of the ships under the command of Admiral Haddock. He was promoted, successively, to the ranks of lieutenant and commander; and, on the 19th of August, 1744, was made captain of the Kennington, of twenty guns. In the following year, he was removed to the Salisbury, a fifty gunship; and, on the 30th of January, 1747, he fell in with, and captured, the Jason, a French East India ship, of seven hundred tons, laden with a very