presence and authority of the Admiral allayed
the panic. He ordered to beat to quarters; the marines to fire upon any
one who should attempt to leave the ship; the yard-tackles to be cut, to
prevent the boats from being hoisted out; and the firemen only to take
the necessary measures for extinguishing the fire. The captain, who was
undressed in his cabin at the time of the disaster, received an
immediate report of it from an officer, and hastened to the
quarter-deck. The flames were rising in volumes from the main hatchway,
but the Admiral was calmly giving his orders from the gangway, the
firemen exerting themselves, and the rest of the crew at their quarters,
all as quiet and orderly as if nothing had been going on but the common
ship's duty.

His patronage was exerted to the utmost. The manner in which the navy
was chiefly manned through the war made this one of the most delicate
and responsible parts of a captain's care. The impress brought into it
many whom nothing but the strictest discipline of a man-of-war would
control; but many also who had entered the merchant service with the
view and the prospect of rising in it, some of whom were not inferior in
connections and education to the young gentlemen on the quarter-deck.
Nothing could be more gratifying to a commander than to promote these,
as opportunity offered, to higher stations. Some thousands of them
became petty and warrant officers in the course of the war, and not a
few were placed on the quarter-deck, and are found among the best
officers in the service. Sir Edward brought forward many of them, and
his favour has been more than justified by their conduct.

He was particularly attentive to the junior part of his crew. A steady
person was employed to teach the ship's boys, and he always had the
best schoolmaster who could be obtained for the young gentlemen. It was
an object much desired to be placed with him, and could he have stooped
to make his reputation subservient to his interest in this respect, he
might have secured many useful political connections; but this
consideration never seems to have influenced him. Many of his midshipmen
had no friend but himself, and rank obtained no immunities, but rather a
more strict control. He once removed from his ship a young nobleman of
high connections, and who afterwards became a very distinguished
officer, for indulging in what many would consider the excusable frolics
of youth; but to which he attached impo