Mr. James Alms, though only thirteen years of age, had however the good sense, to follow the kind suggestions of his brother's friend; and in a few days was received on the quarter-deck of his Majesty's Ship Dragon, of 60 guns, and 400 men, commanded by Captain, afterwards, Vice Admiral Watson; then forming one of the Mediterranean Fleet *. Captain Charles Watson was pleased with the spirit of the young seaman; and, on the first vacancy, rated him Midshipman.

The first Action in which Mr. Alms was engaged, after being advanced in the Service, was the memorable one of Admirals + Matthews, and Lestock, near Toulon, on the 12th of February, (1742 ;) in which the brave Commander of the Dragon sustained his character, and was particularly marked by the Admiral, as having distinguished himself. Captain Watson appointed our young Midshipman his Aidde-Camp during the action, and was much struck with his spirit, and exactness, in carrying his orders to the different parts of the Ship: during the whole period that Mr. Alms served under this accomplished officer, he continued to enjoy his approbation, and regard.

* This Fleet, in 1742, according to Mr. Beatson, when the command devolved on Commodore, afterwards Rear-Admiral Lestock, amounted to eighteen Ships of the Line, with six of fifty guns, one of forty guns, and two of twenty, besides a Fire Ship of eight guns, and two bombs, of eight guns each.—In 1744, when Admiral Matthews assumed the command, it amounted to nineteen Ships of the Line; with cleven of fifty guns, two of forty guns, three of twenty, and one of fourteen guns; besides, the Xebeque, G. Durell, and the Garland's Prize, Jos. Knight, each of eight guns; three bombs of eight guns; the Sutherland Hospital Ship of eighteen guns; and the Anne Galley, Fire Ship, eight guns. The Ships in each Fleet, were ninety, eighty, seventy, sixty, and fifty Gun Ships; there were none of seventy-four guns.In a list given by Dr. Berkenhout (Continuation of Campbell down to 1779,) of the Fleet under Admiral Matthews in the Mediterranean in 1743, he adds, the Princessa, 74 guns, Captain Pitt.-The oldest seventy-fours, now in the Navy, are the Chichester, built at Portsmouth, in 1753; and the Hero, built at Plymouth, in 1759.

+ A correct Narrative of the Proceedings of his Majesty's Fleet in the Mediterranean, and the Combined Fleets of France, and pain, from 1741, to 1744, was in the latter year published by a Sea Officer-printed for J. Millan, near Whitehall, accompanied with some good charts of different bays, It was dedicated to the Earl of Winchelsea, then first I ord of the Admiralty.

The Dragon, worn out with nearly six years service in the Mediterranean, was sent home by Admiral Rowley + at the close of the year (1745,) and on her arrival in England, was paid off. Part of her crew were turned over to the Namur, 74 guns, 600 men, commanded by the Honourable Captain Edward Boscawen; and on the Namur's books Mr. James Alms was again rated Midshipman. He continued to serve in the Namur, cruising in the Channel, without meeting any occurrence worthy of notice, until the 3d of May (1747) when the Western Squadron, then commanded by Vice-Admiral Anson, and RearAdmiral Warren, which had sailed from Plymouth on the 9th of April, fell in with the French Squadrons, consisting of thirty-eight sail, off Cape Finisterre:-that under Mons. Jonquierre, in Le Serieux, 65 guns, destined for America; and that under Mons. de St. George, in L'Invincible, 74 guns, destined for the East Indies.

After the signal was thrown out for a general chace, by the advice of Rear-Admiral Warren-Cape Finisterre bearing S. E. distant twenty-four leagues, the Namur, with the Defiance, Windsor, and Centurion, got into action; after behaving with the greatest spirit, Captain Boscawen was at

Captain C. Watson succeeded Mr. Barnet, in the Dragon, then on the Mediterranean station; on his arrival in England he was appointed to the Louisa, of the same rate, and force, with the two last he commanded.

+ Admiral William Rowley, afterwards, in 1753, created a Knight of the Bath, was on the 19th of June 1744, advanced Vice-Admiral of the Blue; and succeeded to the chief command in the Mediterranean, when Admiral Matthews, on the 21st of August following, struck his flag in Vado Bay.

The Namur had been a Ship of ninety guns, but now after receiving a thorough repair was reduced to a third rate.-The Hon. Capt. E. Boscawen was the third son of Hugh Lord Viscount Falmouth, and Charlotte, eldest of two daughters, and coheirs of Charles (Godfrey, Esq. by Arabella Churchill his wife, sister to John Duke of Marlborough. He was born on the 19th of August 1711, and died at Hatchland's Park, in Surry, Jan. 10, 1761. In the parish-church of St. Michael, at Penkevel, in Cornwall, where he was buried, is a monument of exquisite workmanship, designed in honour of his memory by Air. Adam, and executed by Rysbrack.

In consequence of their gallant conduct, during this action, off Cape Finisterre, Admiral Anson was, on the 13th of June following, created an English peer, and Rear-Admiral Warren was honoured with the order of The Eath.

length vigorously attacked by several of the enemy's largest Ships, when the Defiance, Captain Grenville, who was killed during the action, and whose death was justly esteemed a national loss, bravely bore up to his assistance: both Captains displayed the greatest bravery*; and having disabled their antagonists, they, with the Windsor, pushed on to prevent the enemy's escape.-In this action Mr. Alms had the command of the eleventh gun on the main deck, to which eleven men, and one boy, were attached: out of this number, seven were either killed, or wounded.

This action, so glorious to our countrymen, lasted an hour and three quarters. At seven o'clock the Vice Admiral made the signal to bring-to, and detached three Ships in pursuit of the convoy. The number of killed in the British Fleet amounted to 520, that of the enemy to 700. Captain Boscawen was wounded in the shoulder by a musket-ball.-The captured Squadron of the enemy was brought in safety to Spithead.

As the money found on board the captured Ships amounted to 300,000l. Mr. Alms, though only a Midshipman, must have shared sufficient, to reward him for the continued life of noble yet perilous service, which he had now persevered in without any abatement of fixed attention to his duty.

Captain Boscawen, having been advanced Rear-Admiral of the Blue in the month of October following, hoisted his flag on board the Namur, and sailed for the East Indies: his commission appointing him not only Admiral, and Commander in Chief of the Squadron, consisting of six Ships of

The spirit, with which The British Captains fought, as Mr. Beatson remarks in his valuable Naval Memoirs, cannot be better evinced, than from the following facts :-" When The Bristol, Captain Montagu, began to engage The Invincible, 74 guns, 700 men, commanded by M. de St. George; Captain Fincher, in the Pembroke, endeavoured to get in between her and the enemy: but not finding room enough so to do, Captain Fincher hailed The Bristol, and requested Captain Montagu to put his helm a-starboard, or The Pembroke would run foul of his Ship: To this Captain Montagu replied, "Run foul of me, and be dd; neither you, nor any man in the world, shall come between me, and my enemy.

the line, ordered for that station, but also General of the Land Forces, employed on the expedition. Mr. Alms accompanied him as Midshipman.

The Probationary Service our young Mariner had hitherto endured with the anxious hope of obtaining that advancement, which forms an object of such important interest, to all in his present dependent situation, was now proved by one of the severest trials, which naval perseverance has to encounter. On the 12th of April (1749) the Namur, 74 guns, 700 men; the Pembroke, 60 guns, 400 men; the Apollo, 40 guns, 300 men; and every merchant ship, except one, on the coast of Coromandel, were wrecked, and nearly the whole of their crews perished: of the Namur's ship's company only twentythree were saved, and in this number providentially was Mr. Alms.

The affecting letter which he sent to England, on this melancholy event, has been already published in Ives's VOYAGE to INDIA; for s th of our readers as may not have seen that work, we shall insert the following; but must first be allowed to make some short reflections on Mr. Alms's distress, which may be of use to others :-He had now lost the whole of the few valuables he possessed; and doubtless many a friend, many a valuable acquaintance, perished in that abyss, whence he was preserved. To the shivering and naked victim, what a scene presented itself, even when he had reached the shore and yet the very source of his distress, proved ultimately through the blessing of God, the immediate cause of that advancement he had long so anxiously expected. Professional men, especially in the early part of their career, should constantly remember the advice of one, who like them had to struggle with peril, and disappointment-against Hope, believe in Hope!

Syren Frigate, near Madras, Sept. 27, 13, 1749. WE were at anchor, in the Namur, in Fort St. David's Road, Thursday April 12, 1749 in the morning it blew fresh, wind at

* An account of this Expedition is given by Collins; he received the partičulars from his son, an officer who was present.

N. E.-N. E. by E.-at noon we veered away to a cable, and an half, on the small bower-from one to four o'clock we were employed in setting up the lower rigging-Hard gales, and squally, with a very great sea. At six o'clock rode very well; at half an hour after had four feet water in the hold. Immediately we cut the small bower cable, and stood to sea under our courses: the ship lay out S. E. and S. E. by S.-Our mate, who cut the cable, was up to his waistin water, at the Bits. At half past seven we had six feet water in the hold; when we hauled up our courses, and hove overboard most of our upper, and all the quarter-deck, guns, to leeward. By three quarters after eight, the water was up to our Orlop-Gratings, and there was a great quantity between decks; so that the Ship was. water-logged t. We now cut away all the masts by which the Ship was righted, and at the same time manned the Pumps, bailed, and soon perceived that we gained upon the Ship: which put us in great spirits. A little after nine o'clock we sounded, and found ourselves in nine fathom water.-The master called to cut away The Sheet Anchor, which was done immediately; and we veered away to a little better than a cable-but before she came head to the sea, she parted at the CHES-TREES : by this time it blew an hurricane.

You may easier conceive than I describe, what a dismal melancholy scene now presented itself! The shricking cries, lamentation, raving, despair, of above five hundred poor wretches, verging on the brink of ETERNITY,

I had presence of mind, however, to consider, that THE GOD ALL MIGHTY, was also Gop ALL MERCIFUL; with the comfortable, reflection, and hope, that I had ever put my whole trust in him

A Frame composed of two strong pieces of timber, fixed perpendicularly in the fore-part of a Ship, whereon to fasten her cables as she rides at anchor.There are several Bits in a Ship, the principal of which are those for the cables: their upper ends commonly reach about four, or five feet above the lower deck, over which the Cable passes: the Cable being passed once round about these bits, may be gradually slackened at pleasure; without which it would be impossible to prevent it from running out with the utmost rapidity, when the Ship rides a great strain, which is always the case in a gale of wind, or an impetuous tide. In Ships of War there are usually two pair of Cable Bits; and, when they are both used at once, The Cable is said to be double-bitted.

So as to yield, without resistance, from having received a great quantity of water, to the efforts of every wave rushing over her decks: the stability of the vessel is thus utterly lost, and the ship is therefore totally deprived of the use of her sails, which would operate to overset bar, or press the head under

water.

Two pieces of wood bolted perpendicularly, one on the starboard, and the other on the larboard side of the Ship. They are used to confine the Clue, or lower corners of The Main Sail; for which purpose there is an hele in the upper part, through which the rope passes that usually extends the Clue of the Eail to windward. The Ches-Trees are commonly placed as far before the MainMast, as the length of the Main-Beam.