LIFE AND CORRESPONDENCE OP JOHN, EARL OF ST. VINCENT, G. C. B., ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET, &c. &c. &c. BY EDWARD PELHAM BRENTON, CAPTAIN IN HER MAJESTY'S NAVY, AUTHOR OF THE "NAVAL HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN," ETC. THE NEW YORK PUBLICL BRARY 55854 ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS. 1897. LONDON: F. SHOBERL, JUN., LEICESTER STREET, LEICESTER SQUARE. ΤΟ THE RT. HON. THE EARL OF MINTO, FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY, THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY HIS LORDSHIP'S MOST OBEDIENT HUMBLE SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. WHEN the printing of this work was nearly completed, I received "Sir John Barrow's Life of Lord Howe;" and, as the author of that book and myself appear to have touched on the same subjects, it may be right to say, that we have held no previous communication together. In a note at p. 428 of Sir J. Barrow's book, mention is made of the loss of a letter written by Earl Howe to Earl St. Vincent. It is my duty to state, that neither my sister nor myself ever saw that document. If I had been in possession of it, I should have sent it to Sir John Barrow for his work, or should have published it in my own. I should not, however, now have alluded to the subject, if it had not been painfully associated in my mind with the affidavit of the Executors of Earl St. Vincent, spoken |