Crescent, off Spithead, 4th March 1795.

MY LORD,

I beg to express my sincere acknowledgments to your lordship for
having been pleased to appoint me to the command of the Orion. I
shall be further obliged to your lordship to permit the
commissioned and warrant officers of the Crescent to be removed
to her, with the ship's company.

I have the honour to be, &c. &c.
JAMES SAUMAREZ.

Earl Spencer, &c. &c.

Sir James remained with the Channel fleet until the 13th of March,
when, at his own request, he was removed into his Majesty's ship
Orion. The whole crew of the Crescent volunteered to follow him, and
his application for them was in part complied with; as also for
Lieutenants Otter and Rye, and some of the warrant and petty officers,
who were consequently turned over to that ship, which was fitting at
Portsmouth. As it would be a considerable time before she could be
refitted so as to be ready for sea, Captain Saumarez was, at the
special application of the admiral, Lord Hugh Seymour, appointed (pro
tempore) to the Marlborough of seventy-four guns, and attached to a
detachment of the grand fleet under the Honourable W. Waldegrave,
(afterwards Lord Radstock,) cruising between Ushant and Cape
Finisterre. His appointment was dated 19th March 1795. On the 8th of
April he became senior officer of the detached squadron off the
Western Isles, under the orders of Lord Bridport. He returned on the
8th of June to take command of his own ship, the Orion, which had been
fitted out by Captain Donnelly, and was now ready to receive orders
for sea. He was now again placed under the orders of his lordship, the
commander-in-chief of the Channel fleet, and sailed on the 12th of
June, two days after his arrival. On the 22nd, the squadron fell in
with the enemy off L'Orient at daylight, at which time the Orion was
one of the sternmost ships when the signal was made to chase. Her
captain soon gave a manifest proof of his zeal and abilities on this
occasion. She was, before morning of the 23rd, the headmost ship of
the fleet; and, before six o'clock, was the first which actually began
the action with one of the enemy's largest ships.

The following is a copy of Lord Bridport's official despatch:

Royal George, at sea, 24th June 1795.

SIR,

It is with sincere satisfaction I acquaint you, for the
information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that
his Majesty's squadron under my