of a deceased brother officer, I am compelled by a sense of duty, and for the future advantage of the service, not to pass over, without some animadversion, conduct which led to such fatal consequences.

The Tribune reached the entrance of Halifax harbour in the month of November 1797, where it appears Captain Barker declined taking a pilot, from the assurances of the master that he had a perfect knowledge of the harbour, having frequently been in it before. The captain after this act, which so greatly increased his responsibility, went below to prepare for his landing; the master, with an ignorance only excusable in a boy, ran the ship on the Thrum Cap shoal, which lies on the starboard or right-hand side going in. Lieutenant Haliburton, the officer of the guard at Fort Sandwich, instantly saw her situation, and very soon got on board, when he advised the captain to provide for the safety of the crew, the ship being as he said irretrievably lost; Captain Barker, unwilling to give her up, made signals of distress, but refused to let the boats which had come to his relief quit the ship. Mr. Haliburton, however, finding him obstinate, contrived to get away, and thus saved himself and his boat's crew from the fate which awaited the people of the Tribune, and many others that went to her assistance. At this time the day was clear, and she had all sail set, with a light breeze from east-south-east, which leads directly up the harbour: in winter the wind from this quarter invariably increases to a gale before night, and it was from a knowledge of this fact, that Lieutenant Haliburton foretold the destruction of the ship: boats from the dock-yard reached her with labour; the guns were thrown overboard, the mizenmast cut away, and about nine o'clock she floated off with the loss of her rudder the gale increased, it was perfectly dark, and they contrived to keep her head to the westward, and run towards the harbour; but she could not be brought to steer, and at half-past ten sank within pistol-shot of the shore in 13 fathoms water, in Herring Cove, a rocky bay on the south side of the channel.

With the ship sank the captain and the greater part of the crew; the survivors, about 100 in number, clung to the fore and main rigging, and got into the tops which remained above water; about midnight the mainmast fell, taking with it all those unfortunate people who had prolonged their wretched existence for one hour in the top; nine of them reached the foremast, and by six o'clock the whole number living was reduced, from cold and fatigue, to seven men. At daylight a boy came off by himself in a boat and took away two of them, which were all he could carry: how it happened that this poor

child, only 13 years of age, should have been the first to reach the ship after the calamity, I never could learn; the fact is, however, as certain as it is disgraceful to those concerned. The others were rescued in the course of the morning.

Aware that I have been accused of treating the memory of Captain Barker with severity, my answer is, that my motive is that which every public writer should religiously adhere to, namely, the good of posterity. Public men are public property, and be their example good or bad, be their miscarriages the result of weakness, obstinacy, or neglect, it is the duty of an historian to paint after the life, and, having stated his facts, to draw such inferences from them as may warn others to shun the evil, or enable them to pursue the good. I have piloted a frigate into Halifax Harbour myself, but never refused a pilot when I could obtain one; a good pilot is a safe companion on the quarter-deck, and if he be not a good one, you soon discover it, and act accordingly. These observations are not intended to injure the character of the dead, but to forward the interests of the living; and if they should prove the means of saving a jolly-boat's crew, the end will be in some measure answered.

CHAPTER XV.

Duncan commands in the North Seas-Russian auxiliaries-Trollope's action in the Glatton with five French frigates-Neutral trade annoying to Great Britain-Phoenix takes vessels out of Egeroe-Increasing dissatisfaction of Northern Powers-Mutiny of the British fleet-Its origin-Negligence of Earl Howe-Lord Bridport's signal disobeyedDeclaration of the seamen-Fatal affair on board the London-Many officers turned out of their ships-Pacification of the Channel fleet by Earl Howe-Mutiny on board the Venerable in Yarmouth roads suppressed-Ringleaders pardoned-Consequences-Fleet sails and deserts the Admiral-Ships at the Nore-Escape of the Clyde and St. Fiorenzo-Conduct of the seamen-Their demands rejected-State of Sheerness-Conduct of Parker-Threatens to take the fleet to the enemy-Effective means adopted by the government and merchants of London-Escape of the Leopard-Of the Repulse-Decline of the mutiny-Parker's order to the Earl of Northesk-Surrender of the fleet-Parker put in confinement-Trial and execution-ReflectionsClemency of George the Third-Official papers-Death of Captain of the Marlborough.

THE command of the North-Sea station was still held by Admiral Duncan, whose limits extended from the South Foreland to Shetland, and from Calais to an indefinite distance on the coast of Norway. The admiral had his flag in the Venerable, of 74 guns, and under his orders from 60 to 70 sail of pendants, including two sail of the line of the smaller class, a Russian squadron of twelve sail of the line, and seven large frigates, joined him and obeyed his orders; but on the approach of winter they were found to be in so bad a state as to require great repairs, and were, therefore, sent into British ports; one of them, a 74, was frapped together, and in a gale from the westward was compelled to bear away for the Elbe, so that Great Britain derived no other advantage from these auxiliaries than the honour of repairing them, and supplying their numerous wants. They were at length dismissed as being worse than useless, but a few Russian officers were permitted to serve in our navy in order to acquire a knowledge of the profession. This was not an impolitic measure they were all young men of the first distinction in the Russian empire, and the nautical knowledge they acquired could