a cannon-ball in the breast, which instantly terminated his glorious career, and stretched him a lifeless corpse on the field of victory.

Sir Robert Calder.

BORN A. D. 1745.-DIED A. D. 1815.

THIS gallant seaman was the fourth son of Sir James Calder, by a daughter of Rear-admiral Hughes. He entered the navy at the age of fourteen, and in 1766 was appointed lieutenant of the Essex. In August, 1780, he was posted.

In 1796 he was appointed post-captain to Sir John Jervis, and brought home the despatches announcing the victory off Cape St Vincent, for his conduct in which engagement he was knighted. On the 22d of August, 1798, he was created a baronet; and in February, 1799, became Rear-admiral of the blue.

While Nelson was in pursuit of the Toulon fleet, it was Sir Robert Calder's fortune or misfortune-for such to him it proved in the sequel -to fall in with Villeneuve on the 22d of July, 1805. The following is Sir Robert's despatch to the admiralty secretary on this occasion :

"PRINCE OF WALES, July 23d, 1805.

"SIR,-Yesterday at noon, lat. 43 deg. 30 min. N., long. 11 deg. 17 min. W., I was favoured with a view of the combined squadrons of France and Spain, consisting of twenty sail-of-the-line, also three large ships armed en flute, of about fifty guns each, with five frigates and three brigs; the force under my direction at this time consisting of fifteen sail of the line, two frigates, a cutter, and lugger. I immediately stood towards the enemy with the squadron, making the needful signals for battle in the closest order; and, on closing with them, I made the signal for attacking their centre. When I had reached their rear I tacked the squadron in succession; this brought us close up under their lee, and when our headmost ships reached their centre the enemy were tacking in succession. This obliged me to make again the same manœuvre, by which I brought on an action which lasted upwards of four hours, when I found it necessary to bring-to the squadron to cover the two captured ships whose names are in the margin. (St Rafael, 84 guns; and Firma, 74 guns.) I have to observe, the enemy had every advantage of wind and weather during the whole day. The weather had been foggy at times a great part of the morning, and very soon after we had brought them to action, the fog was so very thick at intervals that we could with great difficulty see the ship ahead or astern of us. This rendered it impossible to take the advantage of the enemy by signals I could have wished to have done: had the weather been more favourable, I am led to believe the victory would have been more complete. I have very great pleasure in saying every ship was conducted in the most masterly style, and I beg leave here publicly to return every captain, officer, and man, whom I had the honour to command on that day, my most grateful thanks for their conspicuously gallant and very judicious good conduct. The Honourable Captain Gardner, of the Hero, led the van-squadron in a most masterly and officer

like manner, to whom I feel myself particularly indebted; as also to Captain Cuming for his assistance during the action. Inclosed is a list of the killed and wounded on board the different ships. If I may judge from the great slaughter on board the captured ships, the enemy must have suffered greatly. They are now in sight to windward, and when I have secured the captured ships, and put the squadron to rights, I shall endeavour to avail myself of any opportunity that may offer to give you some further account of these combined squadrons.—I have the honour to be, &c. R. CALDER.

This letter excited public expectation considerably, and a second and more decisive engagement was anticipated, but on the 16th of August intelligence reached the admiralty that the combined squadrons had reached Ferrol. Sir Robert soon after arrived in England, and, at his own solicitation, was brought to a court-martial, on the 23d of December. The points insisted on by Sir Robert Calder, for not renewing the engagement on the 23d, were: that the enemy's force was superior to his, and at a considerable distance, with a heavy swell on that day; that his fleet was not fully prepared for a fresh action; that he had only 14 sail of the line, without frigates, and the enemy, 18 sail, with frigates ; that if he had attempted to engage the enemy the Windsor Castle (a crippled ship) and the two prizes might have been exposed and perhaps taken. But above all, the admiral had apprehensions that while pursuing the combined fleet, the Ferrol or Rochefort squadrons might appear, and his fleet become an easy prey to the united force of the enemy. Under all these circumstances he judged it most prudent not to attempt to engage the combined fleet on the 23d. Upon this ground the admiral rested his justification and defence. After four days' trial Mr Gretham, the judge-advocate, read the sentence of the court, which was to the following effect: "The court were of opinion, that the charge of not having renewed the engagement with the combined fleet, and of not having taken or destroyed all the ships of the enemy, which it was his duty to have engaged, was proved; and that the conduct of Vice-admiral Calder was not the effect of cowardice or disaffection, but had arisen from an error in judgment, for which he was highly censurable, and deserved to be severely reprimanded; and, (added the judge-advocate,) he is severely reprimanded accordingly."

Upon the sentence being pronounced Admiral Calder appeared deeply affected, he turned round and retired without a word. He was accompanied by a great number of friends, and on descending from the deck of the Prince of Wales into his barge scarcely lifted up his head. Sir Robert immediately retired into private life, from which, however, he emerged, in 1810, to accept the office of port-admiral at Plymouth. His death occurred on the 1st of September, 1815.

Samuel Whitbread.

BORN A. D. 1758.-DIED A. D. 1815.

THIS illustrious patriot was the only son of Samuel Whitbread, Esq, many years a respectable brewer in London, by his second wife, Mary.

third daughter of Earl Cornwallis, and was born in the year 1758. He was taught English at home, and was sent to Eton at a very early age. In that seminary he was contemporary with Mr Lambton, afterwards M. P. for Durham-a promising young man who died at a very early age-with Mr Charles Grey, now Earl Grey, and several other distinguished characters who have since filled eminent stations. Jonathan Davies, M. A., was the head-master; and for his private tutor he had Dr George Heath, who, in 1791, succeeded the former as head-master of the school. From this celebrated seminary, with all the advantages which are likely to have been reaped under such able instructors, he repaired to the university of Oxford. He was entered first of Christchurch, but soon removed to St John's.

After visiting many parts of his native country, Mr Whitbread, at a proper period, was sent on his travels over the continent of Europe, under the care of the Rev. W. Coxe, with whom he repaired to France; after visiting every thing remarkable there, as well as contemplating the vestiges of Helvetian liberty, he returned home, qualified to become a legislator in his native country. The tutor some years afterwards dedicated one of his works to his pupil in the following terms: "To Samuel Whitbread, jun., Esq. M. P. this third volume of Travels into Poland, Russia, Sweden, and Denmark, is inscribed, as a testimony of esteem and friendship." Soon after his return from his travels, Mr Whitbread, like his father, aspired to a seat in parliament. The family influence in Bedfordshire arose out of character and virtue, a reciprocity of good offices, and a liberal hospitality afforded by the possession of large estates. These legitimate pretensions enabled Mr Whitbread, in 1790, after a struggle of some duration, to represent the borough of Bedford. Mr Pitt was at this time premier. The member for Bedford spoke for the first time on the Spanish armament, but it was on the Russian that he first distinguished himself. The heads of the opposition had moved a resolution expressive of the impolicy of the armament, while the ministry recurred to the previous question, demanding, at the same time, an entire reliance on the wisdom of the cabinet. It is almost unnecessary to remark, that a divided opposition was beaten on this occasion by a confiding majority. Yet the former in the end triumphed ; for, although the eyes of the ministry were shut to the evils of a Russian war, still the complaints of commercial men poured in so thick, in the form of petitions, that the folly of expending British blood and treasure about the possession of Oczakow became conspicuous. An armistice accordingly took place; and it was on that occasion that the Empress Catherine requested and obtained the bust of Mr Fox, whom she considered as the presiding genius who had hushed the storm of war. the ministers had deferred explanation during the struggle, and at its termination studiously avoided the subject, Mr Whitbread, on the 29th of February, 1792, moved "That a committee of the whole house should take into consideration the papers on the table, respecting the late armament against Russia." On being seconded by Mr Grey, after an eloquent speech of an hour's duration, he moved his resolution: "That no arrangement, respecting Oczakow and its district, appears to have been capable of affecting the political or commercial interests of this country, so as to justify any hostile interference, on the part of Great Britain, between Russia and the Porte." Earl Fitzwilliam at the same

As

time called the attention of the other house to the same subject; but the minister in both cases triumphed, so far as the suffrages of large parliamentary majorities could be deemed a triumph. It was visible, however, that from this period he ceased to be popular, and was obliged to recur to the influence of numbers, instead of that of opinion, for support.

In the glorious and ever-to-be-honoured struggles of the minority in parliament, and of the people out of doors, to prevent the commencement of that series of tragical wars which desolated Europe for twentyfive years, Whitbread was one of the small minority who rallied round Fox, and whose voice was always raised in the cause of liberty and humanity. To follow his career during this eventful period, and to give even the most imperfect sketch of his speeches on various occasions would far exceed our limits; they form part of the public and parliamentary history of the times, to which we refer the inquisitive reader.

In 1795 a considerable degree of scarcity prevailed, and the situation of the poor became truly deplorable. The hardships incident to labourers, tradesmen, and manufacturers, were referred to the consideration of the house by the member for Bedford, who observed that the maximum, or highest extent of wages to husbandmen, was fixable by the magistrate, but not the minimum, or lowest,—a circumstance which was productive of these hardships. Accordingly, a few days after this, he brought in a bill to authorize justices of the peace to regulate still further the price of labour at every quarter-session. On this occasion he was supported by Fox, Jekyll, and Honeywood; and opposed by Burdon, Buxton, Vansittart, and Pitt.

Mr Whitbread, as well as the party with whom he acted, from the beginning blamed the war with France as impolitic and unnecessary. It is not, therefore, surprising that they should seize on every opportunity to close the scene of blood; and we accordingly find that when Bonaparte, on his return from Egypt, addressed a letter to the king of England, in which he evinced an ardent desire for the termination of hostilities, and his majesty was advised to treat this overture with contempt, Whitbread made a most able speech, in which he contended that the war might have been avoided in the first instance; that, had it not been for the interference, the folly, and ambition, of the other powers of Europe the French revolution would have had a very different result; that Bonaparte's letter to his majesty was full of good sense, equally free from republican familiarity and courtly adulation; that, under our present circumstances, we ought not to refuse the proposals of the first consul for a general pacification; and that it was the interest of this country that a peace should be concluded as speedily as possible. Mr Whitbread had by this time acquired a high character for talents and integrity, and was considered as only second to Mr Fox in the house of commons.

In 1801 Mr Pitt and his colleagues withdrew suddenly from office, and Mr Addington leaped from the speaker's chair to the treasurybench and became minister. As he professed himself a friend of economy a fruitful crop of abuses now presented themselves. Those in the naval department alone excited at once the attention and the indignation of the country. The reports of the commissioners implicated

Lord Melville, who had returned to power, but who, on many accounts, was far from being popular. He had been one of the most zealous in the prosecution of the American war; he was said to have been the chief cause of the continuance of the slave-trade; and he had, on all occasions, been the decided enemy of constitutional reform and liberal government. On the 8th of April, 1805, Mr Whitbread moved twelve resolutions on this subject. These resolutions were strenuously and powerfully opposed by Mr Pitt, who was supported by Mr Canning, the attorney-general, and the master of the rolls; while Tierney, Lord Henry Petty, Wilberforce, &c. spoke against the previous question. On a division the numbers proved exactly equal, there being two hundred and sixteen on each side; but the minister's motion-by which it had been intended to put an end to all inquiry-was negatived by the speaker's vote. A few days after Mr Whitbread moved that " an humble address should be presented to his majesty, praying that he would graciously be pleased to dismiss Lord Melville from all offices held by him during pleasure, and also from his council and presence for ever.' This motion, however, was withdrawn ; but a vote having been passed "that the former resolutions be laid before his majesty," and also " that they be carried up by the whole house," the name of Viscount Melville was struck from the list of privy-councillors. On the 11th of June Viscount Melville himself, having been admitted within the body of the house, entered into an elaborate defence; but on his retiring Mr Whitbread, after an able and eloquent speech, moved "That Henry Lord Viscount Melville be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors." This proposition was baffled by various intervening debates till the 25th, when it was finally carried by a majority of one hundred and sixty-six against one hundred and forty-three. On the 26th Mr Whitbread moved that the house should nominate twenty-one members to prepare and manage the articles, and was himself placed at the head of this list as manager on the nomination of Lord Temple.

On the 4th of July Mr Whitbread brought up the report of this committee, which was followed by eight articles of impeachment. The trial accordingly commenced in Westminster-hall on Tuesday, April 29th, 1806. Mr Whitbread, as soon as the charges and answer had been read, rose and opened the accusations in a speech of extraordinary ability. The trial then proceeded through fourteen days, and on the fifteenth day Mr Whitbread closed the proceedings by an able rejoinder to the counsel for Lord Melville. On the sixteenth and last day Lord Erskine pronounced a verdict of acquittal.

Thus ended a trial which had engaged the earnest attention of the public, and from which, previously to the event, a different result was generally expected. On two of the charges there was only a majority of fourteen, and on a third of sixteen, for the acquittal of his lordship; yet, under all the circumstances, a great triumph was gained by the constitution in this trial. Lord Melville was at the time of the decision of the commons in the plenitude of power, and he was aided by all the influence of Pitt; it was therefore proved that the constitution was not devoid of elasticity, and could on a great occasion recover its due tone. It was agreed that the chairman of the committee of impeachment had conducted himself on the occasion in the most liberal, able, and decorous manner.