s first letter from India he observed, "Probably my successor
is already on his way to supersede me." He was not far mistaken.

The most valuable, indeed the only valuable part of his command was that
to the eastward of Ceylon, which included the two chief presidencies,
and all the rich colonies of the enemy. It was resolved to deprive him
of this, by creating it a separate station, leaving to him only the
western seas. The more desirable portion was conferred upon Rear-Admiral
Sir Thomas Troubridge, an officer whose reputation must endure as long
as the name and services of Nelson are remembered; and whose
unquestioned merit affords every cause to regret that he was innocently
made the instrument of such a proceeding. He hoisted his flag in the
_Blenheim_, an old three-decker which had been cut down to a
seventy-four, and sailed from England in the spring of 1805, with a
fleet of Indiamen under his convoy; and after beating off Rear-Admiral
Linois, who attacked him with the _Marengo_ and _Belle Poule_, reached
India in August.

When Sir Thomas went on board the _Culloden_, on his unwelcome, but not
unexpected errand, Sir Edward inquired if he had brought his own letters
of recall. Finding that the Admiralty had overlooked the essential step
of sending them, he declared, that until they arrived he could not
resign any part of his command. He was charged with it by the King, and
was required by the regulations of the service to hold it until recalled
by the same authority. Sir Thomas thought that a commission was
cancelled by a posterior one, without a direct recall; but Sir Edward,
who was equalled by very few in his knowledge of naval law, found it
easy to convince him to the contrary, or at least to refute his
arguments. He told Sir Thomas that if he remained in India, it must be
under his own orders, for his commission comprehended all the station,
and it was impossible for a junior to command in the presence of his
superior officer. When Sir Thomas, indignant at the proposal, refused to
act under the other's authority, Sir Edward brought the question very
promptly to an issue, by writing, and handing to Sir Thomas, an order on
service.

Both officers were naturally warm, and Sir Thomas, disappointed as well
as irritated, and who was taken so entirely by surprise, had by this
time quite lost his temper. Indeed, the altercation had gone so far,
that nothing but a sense of their public responsibility prevented a more