Above £300,000 in money, which was intended to answer the contingencies of these expeditions, was found on board the Men of War, which altered its course to the Bank of England, and whither it was escorted by a party of Marines, in military procession, amidst the acclamations of the populace.
For this achievement the Vice Admiral was created a Peer of Great Britain, and Rear Admiral Warren was invested with the Order of the Bath.—The whole Fleet received the cordial thanks of their Sovereign, through its Commander, in these words, and who became the organ of the Royal wish:
"Sir, you have done me a great service—I thank you, and desire you to thank, in my name, all the Officers and Private Men, for their bravery and conduct, with which I am well pleased."
Soon after the enemy sustained a heavy commercial loss in forty-eight sail of homeward bound West Indiamen.
The 14th of October, in this year, memorable for our naval successes, was another day of triumph.
Rear Admiral Hawke, whom the vigilance of our Ministry detached early in August to intercept a numerous convoy then collecting for the West Indies, continued upon his cruizing ground until that morning, when their wished-for object was espied. After the most gallant defence, six ships of the line struck their colours, and were carried into Portsmouth. The Order of the Bath was the well-earned laurel of this victory to the Commander, and the legislative thanks of a grateful country were rendered to the subordinate Officers, Seamen, and Marines of the Squadron.
While victory thus crowned the British Flag, its Commerce also continued protected by the same guardian care. A few short months accomplished the conquest of the flower of the French Navy, the consequences of which were soon felt in the security of our trade and the increase of public credit. Those of the enemy were both fast on the decline, and a general despondency prevailed throughout their country, from which all their boasted victories upon the Continent could not revive the nation.
Towards the close of this year, Rear Admiral Boscawen sailed for the East Indies with a powerful squadron, having nearly two thousand troops on board, in order to reinforce our ships then inferior to the enemy upon that station, and to retrieve our affairs in that quarter of the globe. All our exertions during this era were employed on our proper element, in which the Marines bore a share, and they leave not to me a single detached incident for record.
In the early part of this year, his Majesty directed that the several Regiments of Marines which were then existing, or might afterwards be raised, should for the future obey such orders as they, from time to time, might receive from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, from which period our present Constitution may, in some degree, be dated.