WF: Obituary: 75

On Monday, Auguſt 5th, died at his hovſe, in Grafton-ftreet, Picca- dilly, Richard, Earl Howe. The family of this noble Lord is of Langar, in Nottingham, and has produced many heroes. His father left ſeveral children; the eldeſt ſon ſerved in the army, and was killed at the attack ot Ticonderoga, in America, bravely fighting for his coun- try. By his death, Richard, the late Earl,(then Captain Howe,) ſuc- ceeded to the title. Lord How x entered early into the naval ſervice, and in 1746 was made a Poſt Captain of the‘Triton man of war. ln 1752 he commanded the Dolphin, a twenty gan ſhip; but his ſervices were not very important’till the commencement of the ſeven years war, when he was appointed to the command of the Dunkirk, of 6oguns. In this ſhip, in company wirh the Defiance man of war, he took the Alcide and Lys, two French ſhips of the line,(one of them armed ez flute.) ‘This was his firſt naval ation in this fortunate war. On his return tO England, he was appointed tothe command of the Magnanime, and hoiſted his broad pendant 2s commander of a ſquadron, in which capacity he was employed in 1758 on the coaſt of France, where he particularly diſtin- guiſhed himſelf, by ſilencing a French fort on the iſle of Aix, and by aſſiſting in deltroying the French ſhips at St. Maloes; he commanded alſo at the taking of Cherburg, and at the unfortunate affair of St, Cas» diſplayed great courage and condudt at the re-embarkation of the Britiſh troops. THis lordſhip’s charaGgr ſtood already ſo high, that the late Duke of York, brother to his preſent majeſty, being deſigned for the ſea ſervice, was placed under his care, and ſerved as a midſhipman on board his ſhip; his lordſhip was one of the Dake’s houſehold. Next year Lord Howe had the honour of ſerving in the line under Sir Edward Hawke, at the glorious battle in the Bay of Biſcay. After this a@ion he vas left wi:h a ſquadron to watch the ſhattered remains of the French: fleet, which had taken ſhelter in the river Villaine, which ſervice he performed with his uſual ſpirit and attention. On the expedition which was planned againſt the iſland of Belliſle, Lord Howe was ap- pointed to a command in the naval armament, and here he was like- wiſe ſucceſsful. During this war Lord Howe married a miſs Hartopp, of Dartmouth, and either from that lady’s family interelt, or from his own diflingaiſhed merit, he was in 1761 returned to Parliament for that borough. The ſame year he was appointed Colonel of Marines. At the change of the adminiitration in 1762, his lordſhip was placed at the Admiralty board, under the Earl of Sandwich; he ſeems how- ever to have ſoon joined the other party; for in 1765, when the Mar- quis of Rockingham came frit into power, Lord Howe was appointed Treaſure; of the Navy. His Lordſhip for ſome time after generally voted with that party. In 1771 he was made Rear Admiral oi the Blue, and în 1776 Rear Admiral ot the White. Soon after the breaking out of the America war, Lord Howe was choſen to command the fleet on that ſtation; ls brother, the General, had1 been ſent before on that ſervice. Theſe appeintments did not give univerſal ſatisfaction, for as the two

owes had long oppoſed the meaſures of adminiſtiation, they were not conceived thie moſt proper perſons tocarry them into effÆ@. Lord Howe ſailed with a fleet neither numerous or powerful, and reached Sandy Hook when he Joined his brother. Theſetwo were jointly empoweredito trea: with the Americans, and opened ther ccramiſhon, by addreflirg them- ſelves tó the celebrated Dr, Franklin; but this meaſure, their ſubſequent córréſpondence with Gen. Waſaington, and their interview with dele- gates trom the Congreſs, were notattended withany effeâ. Having ſe-

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