rwards cruised under Admiral Warren, and on the
10th of September following he was ordered to join Admiral Hawke: he
remained with that officer until the 14th October, when the Admiral
came up with a French fleet, commanded by Monsieur De l'Etendiere, off
Cape Finisterre, which he defeated, and took six of the enemy's ships;
but the Tonnant, an 80 gun ship, with the Intrepide, 74, having
escaped, Captain Saumarez, with the Yarmouth and Eagle, immediately
gave chase to them. Having come up with the Tonnant, although the
Nottingham was so unequal in size and number of guns, he gallantly
engaged her before the other two English ships joined. After about an
hour's close action, a shot from the enemy put an end to the existence
of this brave officer, who, during his whole life, had served his king
and country with honour and zeal; he died lamented by all those to
whom he was known.

The following is an extract from the Rear-admiral's despatch: "Having
observed that six of the enemy's ships had struck, and it being very
dark, and our own ships dispersed, I thought it best to bring to that
night, and seeing a great firing a long way astern of me, I was in
hopes of seeing more of the enemy's ships taken in the morning; but,
instead of that, I received the melancholy account of Captain Saumarez
being killed, and that the Tonnant had escaped in the night, with the
assistance of the Intrepide, who, by having the wind of our ships, had
received no damage that I could perceive."[18]

[18] Ships taken:--Le Terrible; Le Monarque, 74; Le Neptune,
70; Le Trident; Le Fougueux, 64; Le Severn, 50.

The last will of Captain Philip Saumarez is an interesting document,
inasmuch as it portrays his true character as an officer and a
Christian, impressed with the uncertainty of human life, and almost
anticipating the glorious fate which ultimately befel him; and as it
is also replete with piety, morality, gratitude, and the other virtues
which adorn the life of a hero, we shall conclude this memoir with
some extracts taken from the original, which begins thus:

"I, Philip Saumarez, commander of H.M.S. Nottingham, from a
reflection of the uncertainty of human life in general,
particularly when engaged in a military profession: in order
therefore to face death cheerfully, whenever duty or nature
shall call upon me, I hereby dispose of whatever Providence has
blessed me with, in the following manner: