his suite: he is a nobleman of
distinction, who has resided some time in Spain, but has been expelled
from that country with other _emigres_. I had an opportunity of
sending you, by a cutter for Lagos, a short letter, with the above
pleasing accounts, which I am persuaded will yield no less happiness
to you than it has to me."

We have already mentioned the honours, the titles, the decorations,
and the favours conferred on the victorious Nelson, as also the
praises he had himself bestowed on some of the captains of the fleet;
but we cannot refrain from reverting to the extraordinary circumstance
that the second in command in that battle, which both Earl St. Vincent
and Mr. Pitt declared "stands foremost in the page of naval history,"
and which (as before stated), was most highly extolled, had not that
mark of distinction conferred upon him, which is usually granted on
such occasions. In common, indeed, with the other captains, he
received a gold medal; being only the second given to him, although he
commanded a ship of the line in four great general actions, and served
in two others.[20] We mention this, because Sir James was not aware of
the extent of this neglect until many years after, when, meeting with
Clarke and Mac Arthur's Life of Nelson, he discovered that Nelson's
letters had influenced the Admiralty to regard him as having held no
higher station in the action than any other captain in the squadron,
and represented Sir Thomas Troubridge, who unfortunately had no part
in the battle, as equally entitled to reward as himself: therefore he
felt this deviation from the common usage less severely at the time
than he would otherwise have done.

[20] The actions of Sullivan's Island, and the Dogger Bank.

We admit that it would be difficult to point out a situation of
extraordinary hardship more peculiarly calculated, than that of
Troubridge, to excite the feelings of sympathy expressed so strongly
by Nelson.

But what would have been the situation,--what would have been the
feelings of Sir James Saumarez, had he been sent away to make room for
Sir Thomas Troubridge? We leave the reader to judge. Suffice it to
say, that as soon as the Admiral had ascertained the real force of the
enemy, he found the Orion could not be spared, by which fortunate
circumstance Sir James was saved a mortification which would have
weighed on his heart the remainder of his days.

Every admiral, captain, and officer, with whom we h