the colonelcies of Marines as a reward
for his many and meritorious services. Earl Spencer availed himself of
the opportunity to appoint him to the Caesar, of 84 guns, one of the
finest, but hitherto most unfortunate, ships in the British navy. Sir
James hoisted his pendant on the 26th of February, and had the
satisfaction to have several of his officers and crew removed from the
Orion to the Caesar, in Hamoaze, where her fitting out went on with
considerable rapidity. On the 19th of March she proceeded to Cawsand
Bay, where, on the 30th, she rode out a heavy gale of wind from the
S.E.

On the following day, in company with the Magnificent and Impetueux,
she sailed for the Channel fleet, commanded by Admiral Berkeley, which
she joined off Brest the 3rd April. On the 16th, Lord Bridport arrived
from Portsmouth with five sail more, increasing the fleet to fifteen
sail of the line. Another heavy gale was experienced on the 20th, but
no damage was sustained.

On the 25th, looking into Brest Harbour, they were surprised to see
the French fleet, consisting of twenty-five sail, partly in Camaret
Bay, and under way in Brest Water. The fleet stood off Ushant; the
wind came to the S.E. with hazy weather, and on the same night they
escaped.

Sir James writes:--

"April 27th.--Yesterday at noon, it blowing very strong from the
northward, with foggy weather, the signal was made that the enemy was
under sail. A general chase soon followed; but, I am sorry to say,
they eluded our pursuit under cover of the thick weather, keeping
close to their shore, by the passage du Raz. The cruise has now taken
quite a different turn to what I expected; and it gives me great
spirits to find we are likely to render to our country some service.

"1st of May.--My fervent vows were very early offered, my best love,
for Heaven's choicest blessings to attend you, with many, many returns
of your natal day. The fatted calf was intended to have been killed
for the fete; but the bustle caused by the French fleet occasioned its
being neglected. Your health, however, will be drunk in a bumper of my
best wine. I have a letter from the Duc d'Havre, dated Edinburgh,
where he was on a visit to Monsieur.[23] He was going to embark for
the continent. _Mille complimens de sa part pour miladi_, &c. &c.

[23] Afterwards Louis XVIII.

"May 5th.--We have had, the last three days, a strong S.E. gale,
which has brought us off Ireland. I hope to-morrow we shall