iately after the action,
admiral Hawke despatched a sloop to commodore Legge, whose squadron was
stationed at the Leeward Islands, with intelligence of the French fleet
of merchant ships outward-bound, that he might take the proper measures
for intercepting them in their passage to Martinique and the other
French islands. In consequence of this advice he redoubled his
vigilance, and a good number of them fell into his hands. Admiral Hawke
conducted his prizes to Spithead; and in his letter to the board of
admiralty, declared that all his captains behaved like men of honour
during the engagement, except Mr. Fox, whose conduct he desired might
be subjected to an inquiry. That gentleman was accordingly tried by a
court-martial, and suspended from his command, for having followed the
advice of his officers contrary to his own better judgment; but he was
soon restored, and afterwards promoted to the rank of admiral; while Mr.
Matthews, whose courage never incurred suspicion, still laboured under
suspension for that which had been successfully practised in both these
late actions, namely, engaging the enemy without any regard to the line
of battle. In the Mediterranean, vice-admiral Medley blocked up the
Spanish squadron in Carthagena; assisted the Austrian general on the
coast of Villafranca; and intercepted some of the succours sent from
France to the assistance of the Genoese. At his death, which happened
in the beginning of August, the command of that squadron devolved upon
rear-admiral Byng, who proceeded on the same plan of operation. In the
summer, two British ships of war, having under their convoy a fleet
of merchant ships bound to North America, fell in with the Glorioso, a
Spanish ship of eighty guns, in the latitude of the Western Isles. She
had sailed from the Havannah with an immense treasure on board, and must
have fallen a prize to the English ships had each captain done his duty.
Captain Erskine, in the Warwick of sixty guns, attacked her with great
intrepidity, and fought until his ship was entirely disabled; but being
unsustained by his consort, he was obliged to haul off, and the Glorioso
arrived in safety at Ferrol; there the silver was landed, and she
proceeded on her voyage to Cadiz, which, however, she did not reach.
She was encountered by the Dartmouth, a British frigate of forty guns,
commanded by captain Hamilton, a gallant youth, who, notwithstanding the
inequality of force, engaged her without hesit