tering compliment was immediately followed by a further
honour, in his being ordered forthwith to hoist his flag on board his
old ship, the Caesar; while Lieutenant Henryson, who was senior in that
ship, was promoted to the rank of commander. Sir James being ordered
to fit for the same service in which he had lately been so
successfully employed, Captain Jahleel Brenton, who had been
recommended by Earl St. Vincent, and who had been a volunteer during
the last cruise, was appointed to the Caesar as his captain.

On the 6th of January the ship came out of harbour, and having
received her guns, and her stores and provisions for six months, the
flag of Rear-admiral Sir James Saumarez was hoisted on the 24th; and
on the 25th of February he sailed to resume the command of the
in-shore squadron off Brest, but joined the Channel fleet at Torbay on
the way thither. On the 7th March he arrived off the Black Rocks,
where he relieved Admiral Thornbrough, and soon afterwards
reconnoitred the harbour of Brest. On the 20th, the severe equinoctial
gale forced the squadron into Douvarnenez Bay, where the ships
anchored in eighteen fathoms, just out of reach of the enemy's shot.
Here they remained, as much at their ease in the enemy's harbour as
they would have been at Spithead, and were never molested. On the 25th
March, after two attempts to work out of the bay, the squadron resumed
their station at the Black Rocks.

The following is extracted from a letter from one of the officers of
the Caesar, dated 26th March:

Our advanced squadron of the Channel fleet, commanded by Sir
James Saumarez, never quitted the French coast during the late
stormy weather. We anchored during the late violent gales in
Douvarnenez Bay, which is, in my opinion, one of the finest in
the universe. It is sheltered from every wind but those from W.
1/2 N. to W. 1/2 S.; and even that opening is protected by a
reef of rocks. Although the height of the gale was in the worst
direction it could have been, yet, having no very considerable
sea, we rode it out remarkably well. We lay, much to the
disappointment of the enemy, just out of gun-shot of the forts.
They favoured us, however, with some shells. We found, upon our
re-appearance off Brest, that six Spaniards had equiped
themselves, in addition to six Frenchmen, probably with a design
to attack us.

The Government having been relieved from their anxiety for the safety