traordinary one from Brussels: lying, impudently false as that paper is generally, I am a little staggered from so many circumstances, and wait in the most painful anxiety 'till to-morrow night, unless some charitable Parson in the neighbourhood should relieve me from my doubts by his intelligence, before.

CAPTAIN RODNEY TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Dublin, at Spithead,

Wednesday morning (March 15, 1758).

DEAR SIR,-I have deferred writing to you till General Amherst1 was come, because I would not give either my friends or enemies reason to imagine I was unwilling to go anywhere His Majesty's service required. The moment I was made acquainted that Mr. Pitt had desired the Dublin might supply the place of the Invincible, with pleasure I got her ready for sea; my friend the Governor has acquainted me with the motive of her being ordered.

As a friend I may say to you, that as an officer I feel myself injured by the Admiralty in being ordered to serve in America as a private captain, when a junior captain has so considerable a command in that part of the world; and for what I know we may chance to meet, which must render it very disagreeable to me, as I know but of one alternative, either his broad pendant

1 General Amherst distinguished himself at the several battles of Dettingen, Fontenoy, Lauffeldt, and Hastenbeck. He was now appointed by Mr. Pitt to the command of the expedition against Louisbourg. He was subsequently made a Knight of the Bath, and created Baron Amherst, and a Field Marshal. He died at the age of 81, in 1797.

being struck, or my being in honour obliged to resign: but I hope our destination will be far distant from each other.

I presume you know that I am solely intrusted with the estate and concerns of the Compton family': the young man comes of age the latter end of the summer, and as 'twill be necessary I should be at home to settle his affairs, I must beg your interest with our common friend that my ship may be ordered home when the service is over she was sent on.

:

I need not acquaint you with my reasons for desiring the Commander-in-Chief may have such orders. You know him you remember the Navy Bill2, you know his resentment, and in case a squadron should be ordered to winter in that part of the world, if he thinks it will be disagreeable to me, I know if left to him my ship will be one that stays. Excuse this trouble, and believe me to be, &c., &c. G. B. RODNEY.

P.S.—The wind, which has been so long easterly, is now shifted to the west, but if moderate, nothing shall prevent my sailing.

MR. JENKINSON TO MR. GRENVILLE.

London, March 28, 1758.

DEAR SIR,-A messenger arrived yesterday from Mr. Lorenzi, the King's Electoral Minister at the Hague, who brought an account that Prince Ferdinand had

1

Captain Rodney had married Jane Compton, sister to Spencer, eighth Earl of Northampton. She died in 1757.

2 He had been Member for Saltash, and he probably alludes to a vote he had given in Parliament contrary to the wishes of Lord Anson, who was now First Lord of the Admiralty.

gained a victory over the French; but there were some circumstances in this intelligence that soon made us believe that the whole of it was not true, and by the mail, which is since come in, we find that the French have certainly evacuated Hamelen, and continue to retire, and that there have been some great and successful skirmishes, but I fancy no general action. We are, however, still very ignorant of the particulars of everything.

We also wait with impatience for some account of what has passed in the Mediterranean: even the French accounts seem to allow that we had some advantage, but just what, we know not. Upon seeing our fleet, Duquesne made a signal to his ships to fly and disperse, and in consequence thereof the Pleiade is got into Toulon, but she did not know what is become of her companions.

The new bishops kissed hands to-day: Secker for Canterbury, Hume for Oxford, and Yonge for Bristol'.

I am extremely obliged to you for your kind wishes that I was at Wotton, and I can sincerely assure you that my own wishes are there also, and I should never want fine weather to make that place or your company agreeable; but as I consider myself at present as serving an apprenticeage, I am unwilling to play until my time is out. I have, &c., CHAS. JENKINSON.

CAPTAIN RODNEY TO MR. GRENVILLE.

Dublin, at Vigo, March 29, 1758.

DEAR SIR,I dare say you will be surprised at receiving a letter from me dated at this place, but when

1 Dr. Thomas Secker had been Bishop of Oxford; Dr. John Hume was translated from Bristol; and Dr. Philip Yonge had been Canon Residentiary at St. Paul's.

you learn the cause, I flatter myself you will not be displeased.

On the 21st instant, being in the latitude of 49.00 degrees, about twenty-five leagues to the westward of Ushant, I fell in with and took a French ship called the Montmartel, from the East Indies, bound for Brest; he is about five hundred ton, loaded with coffee, but of no force. As the wind was southerly, my officers would fain have had me seen him into Plymouth, from which port we were about twenty-four hours' sail; but as I considered the consequence of the service I was ordered on, and that the General who was to command was on board my ship, I did not hesitate a moment in sacrificing my private interest to the public welfare, and therefore made the best of my way to the southward, which is the passage I am ordered to take, but it proving little wind, I did not make the coast of Spain 'till yesterday, and the prisoners being very sickly, I thought it prudent to put them on shore, and see the prize into Vigo, where I hope their Lordships will favour her with a convoy, as she is very valuable.

If my conduct in this affair meets with Mr. Pitt's and your approbation, I shall be happy, and you may depend that no time shall be lost from prosecuting my voyage with all the dispatch imaginable. I beg you will present my respects to Mrs. Grenville, and when you see them, to the good people who lately favoured me with their company at Portsmouth. I beg you will permit me to assure you that I am with real respect and sincerity, dear Sir, &c., &c. G. B. RODNEY. P.S.-I sail to-morrow if the wind permits.

MR. JENKINSON TO MR. GRENVILLE.

London, April 4, 1758.

DEAR SIR,-By the last accounts, from Germany, it is very plain that the French have no design to make a stand on that side the Rhine, and some of them have already begun to pass it at Dusseldorf; they have also totally evacuated the Pays de Hesse, Prince Henry of Prussia having advanced into that country to drive them out of it. I am apt to think they will take care to secure Guêldres and Wesel. We have sent Brudenel's regiment to garrison Emden. I understand, also, that the King of Prussia has declared that he will accept £500,000 of us; so that I suppose we shall next week have the state of public affairs open to the House of Commons. I do not hear that as yet there is any account come from the Mediterranean, and yet I cannot help flattering myself that we have at least taken two of their men-of-war.

It is generally now said that the Bill of Habeas Corpus is to be thrown out of the House of Commons'. I am very certain, however, that they at least intend to attempt it.

I fear that you must feel very sensibly this cold weather after the dog-days of the last week. Lord Holdernesse has been very much out of order ever since Saturday with a cholic. I have, &c., &c. CHAS. JENKINSON.

The Habeas Corpus Bill passed the House of Commons, but was rejected by the House of Lords, after long debates.