1781, ing for him, for the fake of his brave father, being de clared, the admiral apologized for informing his majefty, that he had already adopted him as his own. Adm. Parker refigned his command immediately after: but it was probably intended as a mark of favor and regard to him, that his fon Sir Hyde (who had been before knighted for his good conduct in North America and the West Indies) was now appointed to the command of a fquadron of frigates, which were employed in blocking up the Dutch ports during the remainder of the season for keeping those feas.

The Dutch, befide lofing the Hollandia, had two of their capital fhips fo totally ruined in the action, as to be declared incapable of further fervice. Their lofs of men is thought to have exceeded 1000 in killed, wounded and funk. The idea of profecuting the voyage to the Baltic was given up; and their immense carrying trade was annihilated for the remainder of the year. The Hollanders however are much elated with the bravery of their countrymen. Before the naval battle on Dogger's Bank, every spring was touched to excite popular refentments against the Americans and French, so that the regents of Amfterdam were under the neceffity of taking the like precautions which would have been practifed had an enemy been in the neighbourhood; and the gloom and defpondency at the Hague and elsewhere was terrible: after it, the Dutchmen became courageous, and all their apprehenfions feemed to difappear. This action being the first of any confequence, in which they have been engaged for the much greater part of a century, the states general were beyond measure liberal in the praife, rewards and honors, which they beftowed on

their officers. Adm. Zoutman and commodore Kindf- 1781. bergen were immediately promoted; and moft, if not all of the first and fecond captains, as well as several of the lieutenants, were either advanced, or flattered with fome peculiar mark of diftinction. Count Bentinck, who boldly fought the Batavia, and who, though mortally wounded, and informed that his fhip was in danger of finking, would not liften to a propofal for quitting his ftation, was foothed in his last moments by every mark of honor and teftimony of regard, which his country and his prince could bestow; and his funeral was not more honorable to the brave dead, than to the grateful living. But however the Durch have exulted in that the marine courage of their ancestors had not forfaken them, they are much diffatisfied that their fleet was not augmented by two or more fhips, which they think would have fecured to them a complete victory over the British admiral, and have put his convoy into their poffefion. They are ready to impute this failure to a treacherous neglect, originating from a prevailing attachment in fome to the interests of Great Britain.

The French, to remove all unfavorable jealoufies that the Spaniards might entertain respecting the attention of their ally to the Spanish interefts, engaged to co-operate with them in attempting the recovery of Minorca-an event which, fhould it take place, would be highly pleafing to Spain, while it was no wife injurious to France. The plan being laid, the duke de Crillon, a French commander of repute, was taken into the Spanish fervice, and appointed to conduct their forces to be employed in executing it. Count de Guichen failed from Breft near the end of June, with 18 capital fhips (four

of

1781. of which carried 110 guns each) to join the Spanish fleet and support the invafion. The not endeavouring to intercept this fleet, or at leaft to prevent a junction fo full of danger, occafioned great complaint against the British admiralty, especially the first lord of that department. The combined fleets failed from Cadiz, with about 10,000 Spanish troops, before the end of July. The French had been reinforced by feveral ships of the line. The Spanish fleet amounted to about 30 fail of the line under Don Lewis de Cordova. The army effected its landing at Minorca without oppofition on the 20th of Auguft; and was foon joined by fix regiments from Toulon, under major gen. count de Falkenhayn, deemed one of the beft officers in the French fervice. The garrison was weak, and confifted only of two British and two Hanoverian regiments. But it was commanded by lieut. gen. Murray and major gen. Sir William Draper.

Aug.

20.

The combined fleets, after feeing the trocps fafe into the Mediterranean, returned to cruise at the mouth of the British channel. No intelligence of this naval manœuvre was obtained, nor was the defign fufpected by the British ministry, until the combined fleets were in the chops of the channel, and had formed a line from Ufhant to the ifles of Scilly, in order to bar its entrance: fo that adm. Darby, who was then at fea with only 21 fhips of the line, was on the point of falling in with them, when the accidental meeting of a neutral veffel afforded him notice of their fituation. In these unex24 pected circumftances he returned to Torbay, where he

moored his fquadron acrofs the entrance, while he waited for inftructions from the admiralty. As foon as

the

the commanders of the combined fleets had received in- 1781. telligence of Darby's pofition, and of the inferiority of his force in point of number, a council of war was held, on the queftion of attacking him. They were under orders to fight, if the occafion offered: but the instructions were thought not to reach the prefent cafe, which would be an attack on the British fquadron in a bay on their own coafts. Under this change of circumftances, it was fuppofed, that they were left at large, to the free exercise of their own judgment.

The count de Guichen is faid to have contended ftrongly for an immediate attack. He argued, that if by good fortune and the valor of the combined navies, along with the powerful aid of firefhips, the British fleet. was destroyed, the power of Great Britain on the feas would be at an end, and the war decided by the blow. Don Vincent Doz, the third of the Spanish commanders, fupported this opinion. He afferted, that the deftroying of Darby's fleet was very practicable, and that it would be difficult to excufe their not making the attempt; and to give the greater weight to his fentiments, he boldly offered to command the van fquadron, and to lead on the attack in his own fhip.

On the other hand, Mr. de Beauffet, the next in command under Guichen, faid-" All the advantage which the allies derive from their fuperiority of force and number, will be entirely loft by an attack upon admiral Darby's fleet in the prefent fituation; for we cannot bear down upon him in a line of battle abreast; of courfe we must form the line of battle a-head, and go down upon the enemy fingly, by which we fhall run the greatest hazard of being shattered and torn to pieces,

before

1781. before we can get into our stations, by the fixed aim and angular fire in every direction, of such a number of great and well-provided fhips, drawn up to the greatest advantage, and lying moored and steady in the water. I conclude therefore, that as the attempt on the British fleet in Torbay will, in my opinion, be unwarrantable in the defign, and exceedingly hazardous in the execution, the allied fleets fhould direct their whole attention to that grand and attainable object of intercepting the English homeward bound Weft India fleets." Don Louis de Cordova, with all the Spanish flag officers, except Doz, coincided entirely with him in opinion, fo that the idea of attacking Darby in Torbay was abandoned.

Mean while a great alarm was spread in Ireland as well as Britain, with refpect to the apprehended defigns of the enemy. Not only the great outward bound fleet for America and the Weft Indies was fuppofed to be in imminent danger then in the open harbour of Corke; but the city itself, being totally unfortified and at the fame time stored with immenfe quantities of provision. The regular forces of the kingdom were therefore ordered to the fouthward for the protection of that city and coaft; and the patriotic volunteers, who had gained fo much honor in supporting and reclaiming the liberties of their country, fhowed no lefs patriotifm in their immediate offer to government of taking the field, and of marching wherever their fervices fhould be neceffary for its defence. They had perfected themselves in the military exercise, and had been reviewed in several places by the earl of Charlemont.

Admiral