Staffordshire, and served on board the Gloucester, of 50 guns, about the year 1749. Captain Jervis, after performing many signal services, was in 1775 promoted to the Foudroyant, of 80 guns. But the full harvest of glory reserved for this gallant officer, after many splendid performances, was produced by his action with the Spanish fleet under Don Cordova, off Cape St. Vincent, in February 1797. For this the Admiral received the thanks of both Houses, and was honoured with the title of Earl St. Vincent, from the scene of this brilliant action, and Baron Jervis of Meadford, the place of his nativity. He also received the gold medal, and a pension of 3000l. per annum. After the dissolution of Mr. Addington's administration Earl St. Vincent remained some time unemployed; but when the Duke of Portland came last into office, he resigned all his employments, only occasionally appearing in his place in the House of Peers.

A British armament, nearly about the same time, made its appearance at Trinidad, a valuable island south of Tobago. Four Spanish ships of the line, and a frigate, apparently ready for sea, were seen in the bay. Dispositions were immediately taken to prevent their escape. In the early part of the night, one vessel was observed to be on fire; soon after, others shared the same fate, while one of 74 guns was captured by the English. The troops, under the command of Sir Ralph Abercromby landed without opposition, and the Governor tamely resigned the whole island.

As at the beginning of 1797 the Hereditary Prince of Wirtemberg-Stutgardt made a formal offer of marriage to her Royal Highness the Princess Royal of Great Britain, though in point of rank no reasonable objection could be made, yet there were circumstances attending the history of his former wife (for the Prince had been a widower ten years), that gave his Majesty much concern. In the meantime the Prince left Wirtemberg at the end of March, and on the 15th of April arrived in London, when he was immediately introduced to his Majesty and to his intended bride.

The marriage did not take place till a month after

wards, and in the interval the King conversed much with his daughter on the subject, offering, if her mind should alter before the solemnization of the ceremony, to break off the engagement, and take all the responsibility upon himself. Such was the paternal tenderness of one who, in no instance, was known to have ever violated the slightest promise he had made. After waiting till the last moment for the final decision of the Princess, he said no more, and the union took place at the Chapel Royal St. James's, in the afternoon of the 18th of May, the ceremony being performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the bride was given away by his Majesty.

On Friday the second of June, their Royal Highnesses quitted St. James's palace for Harwich, escorted by a party of light dragoons. The Princess endeavoured to appear cheerful; but the faltering accents with which she bade her attendants and the surrounding spectators, farewell, betrayed her agitated feelings. Their Majesties thus parting with a child who had never lived out of their presence a day, and it eventually proved a parting for ever.

The British sailors at home, now sensible of their importance, had made application to Admiral Lord Howe for an advance of wages, proportioned to the advance of the articles they were obliged to purchase, and also an enlargement of the quantity, and an improvement in the quality of their provisions. Their application not being attended to, they determined to enforce redress by a spirited resistance. The crew of the Queen Charlotte, and other ships at Spithead, when ordered to prepare for sea, refused to act; they treated with contempt the remonstrances of the officers, and proceeded to select delegates, who, after a formal consultation, drew up a petition to the House of Commons, and to the Lords of the Admiralty. Earl Spencer, the naval premier, alarmed at so dangerous a mutiny, and, not thinking their demands unreasonable, granted their boon; and his Majesty cheerfully promised full pardon to all who should immediately return to their duty. But the seamen were not satisfied, till parliament had sanctioned

the promises of the Lords of the Admiralty. This confirmation required time; the irritation of the mutineers led to a contest with Admiral Colpoys, in which some lives were lost. A bill, however, passed agreeable to their wishes, and subordination was restored at Plymouth and Spithead.

These concessions encouraged the sailors at the Nore to demand a greater freedom of absence from ships in harbour, a more punctual discharge of arrears, a more just distribution of prize-money, and a relaxation of the rigours of discipline. Richard Parker, late president of the council of delegates, a man of a daring spirit, was the most active promoter of these demands. Having received an unfavourable answer from the Admiralty, through the medium of Admiral Buckner, he boldly superseded that Admiral, and the rest of the officers; and deported himself with the most insolent arrogance. He insisted on the personal attendance of some of the Lords of the Admiralty at Sheerness, and also on their compliance with the new demands. He prevailed upon the crews to reject the repeated offers of pardon; he plundered two merchant-men of their provisions, and obstructed trade by the detention of others. He even had the audacity to fire on some men of war who refused to join the seditious combination.

The two Houses of Parliament were solicited to interfere on this alarming occasion. They accordingly passed two bills: the first made it death to hold communication or intercourse with the crew of ships declared to be in a state of rebellion, as well as on all who, after such declaration, should voluntarily continue on board; the other bill was equally severe against all attempts to seduce seamen or soldiers into mutinous practices.

These acts, seconded by the strong disapprobation of the public in general, against the mutineers at the Nore, hastened the suppression of the disturbances. The hopes of pardon, and a returning sense of loyalty, produced a separation of some of the ships, though not without the violence of a contest; and the mutiny gradually subsided. Parker was tried by a Court Martial;