altered, and
many persons inveighed as bitterly against the lenity of the present
court-martial, as they had formerly against the severity of the sentence
passed upon a late unfortunate admiral. The evidence of one gentleman
in particular drew attention: he was accused of tergiversation, and
of showing that partial indulgence which his own conduct required.
He publicly defended his character: his performance was censured, and
himself dismissed the service of his sovereign.

FLEETS SENT TO THE EAST AND WEST INDIES.

Besides the diversion intended by a descent on the coast of France,
several other methods were employed to amuse the enemy, as well as
to protect the trade of the kingdom, secure our colonies in the West
Indies, and ensure the continuance of the extraordinary success which
had lately blessed his majesty's arms in the East Indies; but these we
could not mention before without breaking the thread of our narration.
On the ninth of February, admiral West sailed with a squadron of men
of war to the westward, as did admiral Coates with the fleet under his
convoy to the West Indies, and commodore Stevens with the trade to
the East Indies, in the month of March. Admiral Holbourn and commodore
Holmes, with eleven ships of the line, a fire-ship, bomb-ketch, and
fifty transports, sailed from St. Helen's for America in April. The
admiral had on board six thousand two hundred effective men, exclusive
of officers, under the command of general Hopson, assisted by lord
Charles Hay. In May, admiral Osborne, who had been forced back to
Plymouth with his squadron by stress of weather, set sail for the
Mediterranean, as did two ships of war sent to convoy the American
trade.

In the meantime, the privateers fitted out by private merchants and
societies, greatly annoyed the French commerce. The Antigallican, a
private ship of war, equipped by a society of men who assumed that
name, took the duke de Penthievre Indiaman, off the part of Corunna,
and carried her into Cadiz. The prize was estimated worth two hundred
thousand pounds, and immediate application was made by France to
the court of Spain for restitution, while the proprietors of the
Anti-gallican were squandering in mirth, festivity, and riot, the
imaginary wealth so easily and unexpectedly acquired. Such were
the remonstrances made to his catholic majesty with respect to the
illegality of the prize, which the French East India company asserted
was taken within s