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early friend of Nelson's. He invested Rear-Admiral Graves1 with the Order of the Bath agreeably to the commands of

College at Portsmouth, sailed as a Midshipman with Captain Locker in the Thames frigate in 1772, and afterwards accompanied Sir Edward Hughes to the East Indies, where he was made Lieutenant of the Seahorse, when he formed acquaintance with Nelson. On the surrender of Pondicherry in 1778 he was made a Commander, and on March 22, 1779, a Post Captain. He was in the following year appointed to the Hussar of 28 guns, which, by the unskilfulness of a pilot, was lost in North America. He conveyed Vice-Admiral Arbuthnot's dispatches to England, and was then appointed to the Success of 32 guns, in which, in 1782, he fought a severe action with, and took the Santa Catalina of 34 guns, the largest frigate at that time in the Spanish service. Upon the establishment of peace in 1783 he was appointed to a guard-ship, and in 1790 to the Melampus, then to the Illustrious, and was made a Groom of the Bedchamber to his Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence. Upon the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, Sir Charles Pole was appointed to the Colossus, and accompanied Vice-Admiral Hotham to the Mediterranean. Upon his return to England in 1793 he was made a Rear-Admiral, served in the Channel Fleet, went to the West Indies under Sir Hugh Christian, displayed great activity and ability, and upon his return was made First Captain of the Grand Fleet, under the command of Lord Bridport. ln 1799 he was moved into the Royal George, joined Rear-Admiral Berkeley's squadron, and engaged five Spanish line-of-battle ships. He was afterwards named Commander-in-chief and Governor of Newfoundland, whither he proceeded in the Agincourt of 64 guns, but was recalled to take Lord Nelson's place in the Baltic in 1801, having on the 1st of January of this year attained the rank of ViceAdmiral. Having seen an end to the Northern Confederacy, he was engaged off Cadiz, and was for his services raised to the dignity of a Baronet, September 12, 1801. He represented the Borough of Newark-upon-Trent in Parliament in 1802, took an active part in the discussion of Naval matters in the House of Commons, and was made Chairman of a Board to inquire into certain Naval abuses, after which, in 1806, he was made one of the Lords of the Admiralty, but retired upon a change of Administration in October of this year. At the general promotion after the Battle of Trafalgar, Sir Charles Pole was made a full Admiral and received the honour of G.C.B. He died an Admiral of the White at his seat, Wolverton Park, Hants, June 10, 1813.

1 Sir Thomas Graves was the son of a Clergyman, who settled in the north of Ireland, and nephew to Admiral Samuel Graves, through whose interest he was introduced into the navy, prior to the American war. He was selected by Lord Mulgrave to accompany the expedition to the North Pole. With Commodore Hotham he was engaged in many services of great peril and difficulty, and uniformly displayed the greatest gallantry. Upon the breaking out of hostilities with France, he was sent to the West Indies, and afterwards appointed to the Bedford, 74 guns, and served in America under his relation, Rear-Admiral Thomas Graves, afterwards Lord Graves, who was Commander-in-chief in North America. He was subsequently engaged in the encounter with the Comte de Grasse, in 1782, and then in a desperate contest with La Sybille, French frigate. In 1801 he was raised to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the White, and proceeded to the Baltic with Sir Hyde Parker. At the attack on Copenhagen he was second in command under Lord

George III. as a mark of distinction for his conduct at Copenhagen, and according to Colonel Stewart this ceremony was performed in a very distinguished manner. Nelson laid the sword across the Admiral's shoulder, in the name of his Sovereign, and addressed him in a dignified and animated speech : "Never (says Colonel Stewart) was Knight more honourably invested." The same excellent authority also acquaints us that Nelson's departure from the fleet was matter of deep regret to all, and that there was a complete depression of spirits on the occasion.

Nelson was much gratified by the manner in which his return to England was granted, as the letter from Mr. Nepean communicating the same was accompanied with the following expressions: "I have their Lordships' further commands to acquaint your Lordship, that your services in the Baltic have met their entire approbation, and to assure you that they feel the greatest concern that the state of your health should render it necessary you should quit the command, by which your country must be deprived (though it is hoped only for a short time) of the advantage of your Lordship's talents and experience, which have been so conspicuous on all occasions." Lord Nelson alludes to the investiture and the levee in the following letter to Lady Hamilton :

"My dearest Friend,

"June 13th, 1801.

"I was so overcome yesterday with the good and happy news that came about my going home, that I believe I was in truth scarcely myself. The thoughts of going do me good, yet all night I was so restless that I could not sleep. It is nearly calm, therefore Admiral Pole cannot get on. I wish I had a rope fast to him, I believe I should pull myself to pieces, but I will have a little more patience; but my nails are so long,

Nelson, who has spoken nobly of the services of his friend. The Order of the Bath was bestowed on him, and Nelson deputed to invest him with it, as will be seen by Nelson's letters on this occasion. He was made Rear-Admiral of the Red in 1804, and afterwards commanded in the Home or Channel fleet. In 1805 he was made Vice-Admiral, and obliged to return home from ill health. He attained the rank of Vice-Admiral of the Blue, and died at his seat, Woodbine Cottage, near Honiton, March 29, 1814.

not cut since February, that I am afraid of their breaking, but I should have thought it treason to have cut them, as long as there was a possibility of my returning for my old dear friend to do the job for me. How is Sir Williambetter? I shall do as you please about going into the country, but in the party to Wales there will be Mr. Greville, who I am sure will be a stop to many of our conversations, for we are used to speak our minds freely of Kings and beggars, and not fear being betrayed. Do you think of all this against my arrival.

"June 14th. Looking out very sharp for Admiral Pole. If he was not to come I believe it would kill me. I am ready to start the moment I have talked with him one hour. This day I am going to invest Sir Thomas Graves with the ensigns of the Order of the Bath. He will be knighted with the sword given me by the Captains of the Nile. Your green chair is to represent the throne, placed under a canopy, made of the Royal standard, and elevated. Your blue satin pillow is to carry the ribbon, star, and commission, and Hardy has trimmed out the quarter-deck in his usual style of elegance.

"Sunday evening, June 14th, 9 o'clock. Our parade is over, I have acted as King as well as I could. I have letters from Tyson of April 12th, he seems, poor fellow, very unhappy about his wife. The wind is fair for Admiral Pole, he must be here to-morrow, and I shall sail next day.

"Ever yours,

"NELSON AND BRONTÉ.”

"June 15th. The wind is fair for Admiral Pole; he must arrive in the course of the day. How slow he moves-at least in my idea. I shall move faster homewards. Best regards to all our friends. My brother scolds me because I do not write to him. If he knew as you do what I have [to do] for near 80 sail of pendants he would not think so, but he has no patience, and now thinks that what would have satisfied him before, and which he has neither got, or is likely to get, is not worth his acceptance. Best regards to Mrs. Nelson."

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Captain Parker also wrote to Lady Hamilton :

"My Lady,

"H. M. Ship, St. George, Kioge Bay,
June 14, 1801.

"You are so very kind in every instance to me, and have been so continually my friend, that I should be most ungrateful was I not to acknowledge so many and repeated favours and attentions. I feel most particularly gratified at the receipt of your friendly epistle inclosed to my most valuable friend for me, and am happy beyond measure to tell you he has most perfectly recovered his late indisposition, which I assure you was such as to excite no little alarm in my breast, when I first saw him; but, thank God, the change of scene, added to the hopes he had of constantly receiving orders to go home from his own request, buoyed him up against the indisposition he laboured under, and the fresh and certain intelligence of another Admiral quitting England to take this command has altered him to every thing we can wish. He can, thank God, now eat and drink, laugh and joke, and in short, I never before saw him in such spirits. He purposes allowing me the honour of going home with him, and you can, I am sure, knowing the affectionate esteem I have for him, well conceive how peculiarly happy such attentions from him must make me.

"I got your letter by the Phoenix last night; she left England on the 5th, at which time Admiral Pole was at Yarmouth waiting for the Æolus's arrival to bring him out, and as the winds have been fair since that time, we are in hourly expectation of seeing him. The great and good Lord Nelson is anxious for the moment, and has so judiciously arranged all his papers that I do not think he will be six hours in preparing to quit the St. George. The great regret all the officers feel at losing their noble patron is distressing to witness. Hardy, who begs me not to forget him to you, remains with Admiral Pole, and I feel not a little interested, and indeed enthusiastic at accompanying the hero of Aboukir and Copenhagen to England. I hope my sister feels as much obliged to you as I do, and that she has not forgotten to acknowledge with respect and gratitude your mark of kindness. I have given her a strict order to wear it and reverence the man whose conduct claims such general admi

ration. I am glad to hear the beautiful Horatia is so well, and shall not easily forget your proposal, which I leave you to make to the Admiral. This day we have had grand doings on board-Lord Nelson, by the command of the King, has invested Sir Thomas Graves with the Knighthood of the Bath, and in the most handsome style, all the Captains of the fleet, full-dressed, present, under the Royal Standard, a grand guard, and a salute of twenty-one guns. I had the honour to carry the sword of the Nile with which Sir Thomas was knighted. At the close of this august ceremony Lord Nelson, with his usual goodness and ability, made one of the most appropriate and elegant speeches I ever heard; it pleased and awed everybody, and expressed how amply rewarded all glorious actions were by our Sovereign and our country. My best respects to Sir William, and Mrs. Nelson, nor do I forget Horatia, and with great esteem I remain, your Ladyship's most grateful servant,

"E. T. PARKER.

"You will soon see Lord Nelson in London. He says he will not let much grass grow under his feet after he lands until he sees you."

Another of Nelson's favourite Captains, who had heard that Sir William Hamilton was to be the Governor of Malta, wrote to congratulate her Ladyship:

"Dear Lady Hamilton,

"Minotaur, off Alexandria,
June 15th, 1801.

"Although a considerable time has passed since I had the honour of taking my leave at Leghorn, believe me, I have not been backward in my inquiries after your health and Sir William's, and I have very often thought of writing; but this country has been so dull since you left it, that nothing but misfortunes and scenes of misery have taken place, and the many comforts we used to enjoy at the different places, are now vanished, and I am sorry to say, the French, with all their villainy, have taken possession.

"I shall ever acknowledge the many kind attentions

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