some
months. I have no apprehensions of being ordered to Jamaica;
but, if I should, I hope none of my friends will suffer
uneasiness on my account. My chief dislike to the station would
be its prolonging my absence from home, as, in other respects,
I would as soon be there as in any other station whilst I
remain employed.

I am well pleased with the motto ("In Deo spero") you have
substituted. It is the one I had fixed upon before; but wishing
to have reference to the action made me adopt the other, though
not without much consideration, as I allow it appeared as if I
no longer had that TRUST which I hope will never forsake me in
any event through life.

On the 21st of January Sir James detached the Warrior, Defence,
Bellona, and Zealous, of 74 guns each, to follow the French squadron
to the West Indies. These ships were placed under the command of
Captain Tyler, of the Warrior, who was senior officer, and had
directions to proceed to Jamaica and join Sir John Duckworth, the then
commander-in-chief on that station: at the same time the Phaeton,
Captain Morris, was despatched to England with the intelligence of the
above circumstances. The Leda, Captain Hope, had been sent to Cadiz to
receive for safety the specie belonging to the merchants, and to
obtain information respecting the movements of the ships in that
harbour. It was then ascertained that the French ship Duquesne, of 80
guns, had arrived there in distress, having parted from a convoy bound
to St. Domingo. She was accompanied by a French frigate; and, both
having troops on board, no doubt could be entertained of their
destination, as well as that of the squadron under Rear-admiral
Gantheaume. Several transports and troop-ships arrived from Malta and
Egypt, having on board part of the army employed on the reduction of
Alexandria, and were despatched to England.

An unexpected event now plunged the garrison of Gibraltar into deep
affliction. The gallant and highly-respected governor was seized with
a malignant illness, which terminated his life in five days. With this
mournful intelligence Sir James despatched the Penelope frigate to
England, and another frigate to Lord Keith, at Malta. The following is
a copy of his letter to Mr. Nepean on that occasion:

SIR,

I request you will be pleased to inform my Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty that I have thought it necessary to despat