, the French seventy-four _Pegase_, in the spring
of the latter year. The capture was effected after an action of fifty
minutes, preceded by a chase of twelve hours, running before a half-gale
of wind. The _Foudroyant_ was unquestionably superior in battery to her
enemy, who, moreover, had but recently been commissioned; but, as has
justly been remarked of some of the victories of our own ships over
those of the British in the War of 1812, although there was disparity of
forces, the precision and rapidity with which the work was done bore
incontrovertible testimony to the skill and training of the captain and
crew. Single combats, such as this, were rare between vessels of the
size of the _Foudroyant_ and _Pegase_, built to sail and fight in
fleets. That one occurred here was due to the fact that the speed of
the two opponents left the British squadron far astern. The exploit
obtained for Jervis a baronetcy and the ribbon of the Order of the Bath.

Sir John Jervis did not serve afloat during the ten years of peace
following 1783, although, from his high repute, he was one of those
summoned upon each of the alarms of war that from time to time arose.
Throughout this period he sat in Parliament, voting steadily with his
party, the Whigs, and supporting Fox in his opposition to measures which
seemed to tend towards hostilities with France. When war came, however,
he left his seat, ready to aid his country with his sword in the quarrel
from which he had sought to keep her.

Having in the mean time risen from the rank of captain to that of
rear-and of vice-admiral, Jervis's first service, in 1794, was in the
Caribbean Sea, as commander of the naval part of a joint expedition of
army and navy to subdue the French West India islands. The operation,
although most important and full of exciting and picturesque incident,
bears but a small share in his career, and therefore may not be dwelt
upon in so short a sketch as the present aims to be. Attended at first
by marked and general success, it ended with some severe reverses,
occasioned by the force given him being less than he demanded, and than
the extent of the work to be done required. A quaintly characteristic
story is told of the admiral's treatment of a lieutenant who at this
period sought employment on board his ship. Knowing that he stood high
in the old seaman's favor, the applicant confidently expected his
appointment, but, upon opening the "letter on service," was stun