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76 j Obituary.[Aug-

cured New York, Lord Howe conveyed the army to the Chefapeak, and then failed for the Delaware, where he co-operated in the reduction of Philadelphia, which, circamſtances ſoon obliged them to abandon. Lord Howe had ſcarcely arrived at Sandy Hook, before he was blocked up by a much(uperior force, under the celebrated Count D’Eſtainge

He however made ſuch a diſpoſition as deterred the Count from attempt=-

ing to force his line. D’Eftaing departing, and Lord Howe receiving rein forcements, his Lordſhip put to ſea, and ſoon came in ſight of the enemy, but a ſtorm ariſing, diſperſed and ſeparated the two fleets. Soon after he was recalled. On his lordſhip’s return, his conduct was ſeverely attacked by the late Captain Johnſton, to whom his lordſhip gave the retort courteous, Lord Sandwich, whoſe invarlable cuſtom it was, to throw the blame of his own miſcondudét on ſome braye officer, joined in the cry, and lord Howe retired from public life, until the ſervices of his country once more called him out. A fleet being prepared for the re- lief of Gibraltar, his lordſhip was appointed to the command, and with a very inferior fleet, threw in the ſupplies, almoſtln ſight of the combined fleers of France and Spain. On his return, notwithſtanding the diſ- parity of the two fleets, lord Howe efffcred battle; but after a ſmart cannonade the enemy ſheeréd of. For this ſervice he was, on his return, honoured with the tile of an Engliſh Viſcount. His lordſhip paſſed regularly through the diferent flags, till in 1782 he obtained the rank of Admirabof the Blue, and has ſince(in 1787) been promoted to be Ad- miral of the White. When lord Lanſdowne became miniſter, Lord Howe was placed at the head of the Admiralty, which the ſame year he reſigned to the late lord Keppel, but by the diſmiſſon of the coalition miniſtry, that nobleman was diſplaced, and lord Howe reſtored. This place he Kept till 1788, when on being created an earl, and receiving a promiſe to ſucceed to the poſt of General of Marines, on the death oſ Admi- ral Forbes, his lordſhip reſigned, in favour of the earl of Chatham. Lord Howe?s manners were rather rough, and he did not pleaſe at the Admi- jalty board. When the war broke out with France, Lord Howe was called out to command the channel or grand fleét, and on the celebrated firſt of June he gave the enemy’s fleet ſo complete an overthrow, that they have never ſince ventured to engage, unleſs compelled thereto by the ſuperior fill of our commanders. On that glorious day he added ſix ſail of the line to the Engliſh navy. Soon after this he retired from public ſervice, and lived reſpeéted by his king and country. His majeſty ſoon after intended to honour him with the firſt blue ribbon that fell, but of this he was unjuſtly deprived, and in a manner which did no great honour to the party that@œ#cepted it. Another ribbon fell ſoon after, which the king beßowed on him. He ſince, by the death ofFAdmiral Forbes, ſucceeded to the Generalſhip of marines, and to be Admiral of the fleet. Lord Howe has lefts no ion, conſequently his Triſh honour devolves to his brother Sir William Howe. Having however three

daughters, and being anxious to tranſmit ſome honour to them, his-

majeſty was pleaſed to confer on him an Engliſh barony, witli remainder to his eldeſt daughter? married to Aſhton Curzon, and now lady Curzon, and in default of heirs, to his ſecond daughter Mary, and a third daugh- ter married to the Earl of Altamont. His lordſhip’s profeiſional cha- raler ffod deſervedly high, yet ſeveral very cfuel attacks have mâde on itz that by thelate commodbre Johnſton,-has béen already mentioned, the other is in a book publiſhed under the patronage of captain Crook- ſhank, an old naval officer who had labóured under a ſtigma on his courage ever fince the year 1747, and who is lately decealed.