against him, and finished his own defence, he laid his account in being
honourably acquitted; and ordered his coach to be ready for conveying
him directly from the tribunal to London. A gentleman, his friend, by
whom he was attended, having received intimation of the sentence to be
pronounced, thought it his duty to prepare him for the occasion, that he
might summon all his fortitude to his assistance, and accordingly made
him acquainted with the information he had received. The admiral gave
tokens of surprise and resentment, but betrayed no marks of fear or
disorder, either then or in the court when the sentence was pronounced.
On the contrary, while divers members of the court-martial manifested
grief, anxiety, and trepidation, shedding tears, and sighing with
extraordinary emotion, he heard his doom denounced without undergoing
the least alteration of feature, and made a low obeisance to the
president and the other members of the court, as he retired.

The officers who composed this tribunal were so sensible of the law's
severity, that they unanimously subscribed a letter to the board of
admiralty containing this remarkable paragraph:--"We cannot help laying
the distresses of our minds before your lordships on this occasion, in
finding ourselves under necessity of condemning a man to death, from
the great severity of the twelfth article of war, part of which he falls
under, which admits of no mitigation if the crime should be committed by
an error in judgment; and, therefore, for our own consciences' sake, as
well as in justice to the prisoner, we pray your lordships, in the most
earnest manner, to recommend him to his majesty's clemency." The
lords of the admiralty, instead of complying with the request of the
court-martial, transmitted their letter to the king, with copies
of their proceedings, and a letter from themselves to his majesty,
specifying a doubt with regard to the legality of the sentence, as the
crime of negligence, for which the admiral had been condemned, was not
expressed in any part of the proceedings. At the same time, copies of
two petitions from George lord viscount Torrington, in behalf of his
kinsman admiral Byng, were submitted to his majesty's royal wisdom and
determination. All the friends and relations of the unhappy convict
employed and exerted their influence and interest for his pardon;
and, as the circumstances had appeared so strong in his favour, it
was supposed that the sceptre of r