crown,--the sole remaining fragment of the Norman duchy to which the
kingdom itself was for a while but an appendage. In Saumarez's
childhood, French was still so generally spoken there that, despite the
very early age at which he went to sea, he always retained a perfect
mastery of that language; and it is recorded that one of his uncles,
being intended for the sea service, was sent to school in England when
ten years old, in order to acquire the use of English. From such a
stock, whose lineage among the gentry of the island can be traced to the
fourteenth century, sprang three distinguished officers of this name,
destined to illustrate the British flag by their deeds in several wars,
in which their chief opponent was the French navy. Among these, the
subject of this article attained the most brilliant renown. Eighteen
months older than Nelson, not even Nelson saw more or harder fighting
than did James Saumarez, nor bore himself more nobly throughout their
day and generation.

Having early shown a taste for the navy, his father, who had six sons
and a restricted income, obtained of a naval captain to have his name
borne on the books of a ship of war at the early age of ten; a curious
custom of that day allowing such constructive service to be counted in
the time prescribed for attaining a lieutenant's commission. The boy did
not actually go afloat until 1770, when a little over thirteen. This
first employment kept him from home continuously for five years, a
period spent wholly in the Mediterranean, and for the most part in the
Levant; the active naval war then existing between Turkey and Russia, in
the waters of Asia Minor, necessitating a special protection to British
interests. It is a singular circumstance that this sea, esteemed so
important to Great Britain, was never again visited by him, with the
exception of the few brief months from May to October, 1798, when, as
second in command, he followed Nelson's flag during the pursuit of
Bonaparte's fleet which ended in its destruction at the Battle of the
Nile.

Returning to England in 1775, his actual and constructive service
permitted Saumarez to appear for examination for a lieutenancy. This he
passed, but was not at once promoted. The troubles with the American
colonies had now become open hostilities, and he was appointed, as
master's mate or passed midshipman, to the _Bristol_ of fifty guns,
selected as flag-ship for the expedition against Charleston. This d