chors under trying occasions.

After a minute perusal of Captain Pater's narrative, I cannot
but express my serious apprehension for the safety of the St.
George upon so dangerous a coast and under such perilous
circumstances; at the same time there still exists a hope that
she may have been brought up at her anchors, and weathered the
severity of the gale, of which I fervently pray their lordships
may soon receive information.

We have dwelt longer on the mournful subject than we intended to do,
in consequence of opinions having been entertained that Sir James had
not consulted Admiral Reynolds and Captain Guion on the subject of the
return of the St. George from Gothenburg, and that therefore some
blame might be attached to him as commander-in-chief. Now, we are not
only able from personal knowledge to contradict these reports, but to
assure our readers that the opinions of these experienced and gallant
officers were actually taken, and likewise those of Captains Pater and
Atkins, immediately on the arrival of the ship at Gothenburg. The
fleet having been detained at Wingo Sound by storms and westerly winds
until the 18th, Admiral Reynolds repeatedly entreated Sir James to
permit the ship to cross the North Sea, and in a conversation the
Author had with Captain Guion, there was in his opinion not the
smallest doubt of her capability of performing the voyage. So well did
she sail that she beat many of the ships of the convoy that sailed at
the same time, and on the morning of the 19th she was still in sight
of the squadron. The loss of the Hero and her convoy, on the Hawk
Sands off the Texel, took place on the same disastrous night, and with
no less fatal consequences.

It appears from letters received from Sir George Hope, that this
convoy returned to Wingo Sound in obedience to signals from the
Victory, but sailed on the 21st with the same breeze, which induced
the St. George to leave Saloe. She succeeded in getting out of the
Sleeve, and having a fair N.W. gale, unfortunately shaped her course
too far to the eastward. Captain Newman and all the crew, excepting
about forty men, perished.

The account of this event, having been published by Capt. Brenton and
other naval historians, need not be further dwelt on. The loss of the
three ships and convoy, as well as that of the Saldanha, in which not
less than five thousand men perished, was made a question in the
House of Commons, w