With what vigilance and spirit they were exerted In the various services wherein he had the honour to command, Will be more properly recorded in the annals of On this tablet, Affection with Truth must say, Possessed all the amiable qualities of the friend, Whom alone he feared, and whose gracious pro- Was pleased to remove him from a place of honour On the 29th day of July, 1752, In the 46th year of his age. Susannah, his afflicted wife, caused This Monument to be erected. The place of Sir Peter Warren's birth is not known: but the date of it, if the representation of his epitaph be true, must have been the year 1703. It is generally reported that he entered the navy at an early age, and yet no account has been preserved of his services, until the year 1727, when he was a Post Captain on board the Grafton, which was one of the ships under Sir Charles Wager in the Mediterranean. Upon this station he could have spent no great time, for he is soon after found sailing to the West Indies, in the Soleby frigate, for the purpose of executing the conditions of a peace with Spain. From this voyage he returned in 1729, and was removed into the Leopard, of 50 guns, with which he joined Sir Charles Wager, at Spithead, and there remained for two years in consequence of the unsettled state of our foreign relations. In 1742, he was again in the Mediterranean, but on board a new ship, the Launcestor, of 40 guns, in which he captured the Peregrina, an 18 gun privateer, off Port Mahon. His next ship was the Superb, of 60 guns, and his next station the West Indies, where he became commodore of a small squadronat Antigua, and distinguished himself by the alacrity of his exertions, and the success of his movements; for, between the 12th of February and the 24th of June, 1744, he captured no less than four-and-twenty prizes. In 1745 an attack was made on Louisbourg, the capital of Cape Breton, in North America, and Commodore Warren was sent from the Leeward Islands to superintend the naval operations connected with the siege. Arriving at Canso, in Nova Scotia, with four ships of 40 guns each, on the 25th of April, he found the troops prepared for service, and re-embarking on the 29th, came to an anchor in Gabarus Bay, which is only a mile below Louisburg, on the 30th. The opposition offered to a descent was feeble in the extreme; and while the city was formally invested by military, under General Pepperel, Commodore Warren disposed the fleet with vigilance and fortune. Receiving a reinforcement of three ships of the line, he seized upon two French frigates and a snow on the 20th of May. The following morning he sailed in pursuit of a large ship, which was reported to be hovering off the station, came up with her during the course of the day, and after a short but earnest contest, made her a capture. She proved to be the Vigilante, a new French man-of-war, mounting 64 guns, carrying 560 men, and commanded by the Marquis de Fort Maison. Her destination was the relief of Louisburg, for which she was heavily laden with stores, cannon, and gunpowder, besides the proper equipments for a seventy gun ship, which was on the stocks at Canada. While this advantage was acquired in one direction, a French Brigantine, charged with brandy and provisions, made her appearance nearer shore, and was also taken with ease. The beneficial consequences of these enterprises soon became evident. The French saw themselves bereaved of all succour, and the garrison was reduced to an extremity. On the 14th of June, the preparations for a general assault by land and sea were completed, but at four o'clock on the following morning a flag of truce came from the city, and tenders of capitulation were submitted to the besiegers. The messenger was ordered to return for an answer on the following day, when the commanders thought proper to take possession of the place, upon the condition of trans. porting the French free of expense to Rochefort, and permitting them to keep their effects. The French flag was accordingly lowered, and the British colours hoisted in its place on the morning of the 17th instant, and in the afternoon of the same day, Warren entered the harbour with considerable state. Thus, after a siege of forty-seven days, the Island of Cape Breton was subjected to the crown of England, an essential victory, for which Warren was made Rear-admiral of the Blue squadron. Returning to England, he enjoyed an interval of relaxation, but was nevertheless promoted to be Rear-admiral of the White during the ensuing year. Early in 1747 two French squadrons, of great force, were reported to be in a state of equipment in Brest harbour, and Warren was appointed second in command of a fleet under Admiral Anson, which was commissioned to counteract their movements. The armament, with which Anson now came in contact, amounted to thirty-eight sail, led by Monsieur de Jonquiere, and was discovered off the coast of France the 3d of May. As soon as the British Admiral recognised the enemy, he hung out signals for a line of battle, which Warren with great judgment, but most dangerous boldness, affected not to observe, but, on the contrary, gave notice of a general chase, for which he set his top-gallant sails with instant ardour. For this daring act of presumption, which the laws of the service punished with certain death, he justified himself at the moment, by observing to his captain, that if he lost time in following the orders of his superior, the French must inevitably escape, and he was resolved * This Captain was Temple West, who afterwards became an admiral, and usurped a conspicuous portion of public regard, by the disinterestedness of his conduct, when the unfortunate Byng was tried and executed. Upon that occasion he was sent to England under arrest in the same ship with the admiral, but was released from confinement, and made a principal witness on the Court Martial. In this capacity his conduct proved so acceptable to the ministry, that he was instantly promoted in his flag, and nominated a Lord of the Admiralty. But he had too much honesty to avail himself of such inviduous circumstances. He saw that Byng was sacrificed to a faction, and he resolved not to act under them. Accordingly, the first command to which he was appointed was no sooner gazetted, than he addressed a public letter to the Admiralty, and spiritedly declared that he would accept of no responsibility while the principles upon which Byng had been executed, were inculcated by Government. He has received the tribute of a monu to satisfy his conscience. Fortunately for the result, Anson no sooner observed these proceedings, than he fell in with Warren's views, and, abandoning his first intention, made signs for a general chase. The British sailed on with eagerness, and the battle terminated highly to their glory. But the business of this sketch is confined to the conduct of Rear-admiral Warren. He carried his flag on board the Devonshire, of 60 guns, and fell close upon the Serieux, which carried the French Admiral. Having silenced. this opponent, he hastened to attack the Invincible, bearing the flag of the Chevalier de St. George, who was second in command; and after a short encounter dismasted her also. The vigour of these assaults, being ably seconded by his companions, the victory was speedily completed, and six two deckers, and four frigates, were captured. It was for the gallantry displayed upon this me ment in the north aisle of Westminster Abbey, from which the following expressive inscription is copied :— "Sacred to the memory of Temple West, Esq. who dedicated himself, from his earliest youth, to the naval service of his country, and rose with merit and reputation to the rank of Vice-admiral of the White. Sagacious, active, industrious, a skilful seaman, cool, intrepid, and resolute, he proved himself a gallant officer. In the signal victory obtained over the French, May 3, 1747, he was Captain of the ship which carried Sir Peter Warren, and acquired peculiar honour even on that day of general glory. In the less suc cessful engagement near Minorca, May 20, 1756, wherein, as Rear-admiral, he commanded the second division, his distinguished courage and animated example were admired by the whole British squadron; confessed by that of France, and, amidst the national discontent which followed, rewarded, as they deserved, by the warmest applauses of his country, and the just approbation of his Sovereign. On the 17th of November following, he was appointed one of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. He adorned his station by a modesty which concealed from him his own merit, and a candour which disposed him to reward that of others. With these talents he possessed the milder graces of domestic life; to the frank and generous spirit of an officer, he added the ease and politeness of a gentleman; and with the moral and social virtues of a good man, he exercised the duties of a Christian. A life so honourable to himself, so dear to his friends, so useful to his country, was ended at the age of forty-three, A.D. 1757. To preserve to posterity his fame and his example, this monument was erected by the daughter of the brave unfortunate Balchen, the wife of Temple West, A.D 1761" morable occasion, that Warren was honoured with the Order of the Bath. Persevering in active service, Admiral Warren was stationed with a squadron off Cape Finisterre in the month of July following, where he fell in with two French ships of war, convoying four valuable merchantmen. Giving instant pursuit, the whole body ran into a bay on the Island of Sisorgo, where one of the menof-war was fired in despair by her crew, and the merchantmen On the were got off with safety, and conducted to Portsmouth. following day he received notice from a privateer that a numerous fleet of coasters had taken refuge in Sediere Bay, near Cape Ortegal, and forthwith detached a sloop and dogger, who returned to him two days after with five prizes, and a Spanish frigate, and the more agreeable assurance, that the guns lay spiked, and the batteries overturned at Sediere, and that no less than four-and-twenty vessels had been destroyed in the bay. After driving a French frigate, of 36 guns on shore, near Cape Pinas, on the 8th of July he returned to England, and was made Vice-admiral of the White squadron. On the 2d of September he set sail on another cruise, but fell so ill that he was obliged to resign his command, and retire to his seat at Westbury, in Hampshire. Nor was he destined to render any farther services to his country; for peace being proclaimed during the following year, the fleet was dismantled, and he was left without opportunity for distinction. He carried with him, however, into private life a character the most estimable, and a popularity the most enthusiastic. It was at the general election, in 1747, he became representative of Westminster, and on the 12th of May, 1748, was nominated Vice-admiral of the Red. Another instance of the confidence with which he was regarded occurred in 1752, when the Alderman's gown for the Ward of Billingsgate became vacant, and he was unanimously presented with the freedom of the city of London, for the express purpose of being elected into the Court of Aldermen. This unexpected honour he endeavoured to decline, conceiving the duties it would impose upon him incompatible with his professional avocations. The livery of the ward however persisted in their ideas, and he was unanimously returned for the office, but paid a fine of 5007. rather than undertake it. This amicable |
