which she took shelter was very narrow. But the Spaniards soon found that British seamen were not to be deterred by difficulties; the Arethusa was quickly anchored alongside, and so judiciously, that the guns from the fort annoyed her but little. The Pomona soon struck, and was taken possession of. Good use, however, had been made of the time occupied by the Arethusa in preparing for action; for the whole of the money was removed into the fort under the superintendence of the governor of Cuba, assisted by a party of soldiers from the Havannah. So far as the destruction of the Pomona went the enterprise had prospered; but, on making sail, Captain Brisbane found his ship exposed to a heavy fire from the fort, while, the wind being against him, it was impossible to beat out, from the narrowness of the passage. Every expectation of escape now seemed hopeless; and the destruction of the Arethusa herself was looked upon as certain by the thousands of spectators from the Havannah who lined the heights over the bay. Fortune, however, favoured the brave; a lucky shot from the Arethusa blew up the magazine in the fort; and, during the consternation thereby occasioned, the ship was warped out by a masterly manœuvre and extraordinary exertions. The Spanish ladies who witnessed the feat (and who partook of the chivalry of their countrymen) were so delighted with the gallantry of Captain Brisbane, that they expressed their sincere sorrow that the "brave Englishman" had not got the money.

"Sir Charles received his commission as governor of St Vincent and its dependencies, on the 14th of November, 1808, and as vice-admiral on the 18th. He arrived there on the 21st of January, 1809, in his majesty's ship Glory, and was sworn in on the 23d. On the 25th the two houses of legislature met, when his excellency briefly addressed them, informing them of his appointment, and expressing a hope that he would be cordially supported by them in all matters relating to the welfare of the colony. On the 15th of February the legislature again met, when his excellency's salary was fixed at £4000 currency. It was afterwards increased to £5000. Sir Charles went to Europe on leave of absence in July, 1810, and returned in August, 1812; he again went in July, 1816, and returned in December, 1817; and from that time to the day of his death resided continually in the colony.

"It requires a much abler pen than ours to do any thing like justice to the wise administration of Sir Charles Brisbane during his unprecedented and fatherly sway over this colony. His merits, however, and his valuable services, are so deeply engraven on every class of society, -we may say on the heart of every individual in the community capable of estimating them, that the task becomes comparatively easy. Under him St Vincent has been blessed with plenty and domestic quiet. The first was the gift of the Ruler of the universe; the last was the effect of his prudent measures: and did Sir Charles's claim to the gratitude of this community rest upon no other foundation, the fact of his having for twenty-one years preserved his government from internal discord, and reconciled conflicting wishes and conflicting interests, would well entitle him to it. But he has other claims equally as potent: he has stood as a rampart against the attacks of our inveterate foes in the mother-country; who, finding all efforts to turn him aside from the paths of honour and truth ineffectual, have assailed him with scurrility; railing at that which they cannot imitate. By his firmness

St Vincent's has been put in a position to take a proud stand, and to repel the aspersions of the common enemy of the West Indies. In all other matters connected with his government, Sir Charles also deserves the warmest commendations: the success of his administration kept pace with its duration; and the one, as well as the other, is beyond all precedent.

tact.

"His excellency well understood the true method of governing to advantage; he had studied mankind successfully, and knew exactly how to comport himself to the character with whom he came in conIt was to this judiciousness that those singular and unexpected revolutions in the sentiments of many who commenced their political career with a determination to oppose him, but who suddenly sided with him, are to be ascribed. There was an indescribable something in his bearing that disarmed opposition; the manners of the gentleman were so blended with the open, manly freedom of the true British seaman, that it was impossible to leave his presence dissatisfied. If a favour within his power were asked, the kindness of his nature insured success to the applicant; but if it could not be granted consistently, the refusal was so couched as to wear more the appearance of an obligation than a denial. By harmonizing the machinery of his government its duties were rendered easy, and conducted without difficulty; and this accounts for the little cause for interference that his majesty's govern ment ever had with our internal affairs while under his control. During the multifariousness of Sir Charles's duties, and the various interests of suitors who came to his court, it cannot be expected that all went away content: he had, however, the satisfaction to find that in almost every case his judgments were confirmed when appealed against. His attention to the duties of his high station was proverbial; never was he behind-hand with an appointment; never was an applicant neglected; never was justice withheld. But Sir Charles appeared to the greatest advantage on public occasions. There he stood unrivalled. No hollow ostentation marked his presence, no ridiculous pride damped conviviality. His graceful mien and address were remarkably pleasing; and while his affability and condescension banished restraint, his dignified appearance forbade improper familiarity. His were pre-eminently the singular properties of commanding respect and inspiring attachment at the same moment. Yet, pleased, as he certainly was, and as he had cause to be, with his government, he often sighed for the choice his youthful mind had made. The sea was his natural element, Neptune the sovereign of his heart. With what tenacity he clung to his early predilections, may be learned from the following touching circumstance. When he found his end approaching, he clasped the hand of a friend, and exclaimed, Would that I had ended my days on the quarter-deck of a British man-of-war, fighting for my country!'

·

"In stature Sir Charles Brisbane was about the middle size, with a frame strong, active, and light; in manner the perfect courtier, in appearance elegant. From the early period in which he embarked in his profession, his education could not be expected to be what is called a finished one; but he possessed great powers of mind, and strong natural abilities. His judgment was sound, his intellect excellent."

Sir Henry Clinton.

BORN A. D. 1767.-DIED A. D. 1829.

SIR HENRY CLINTON was the younger son of Lieutenant-general Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. He commenced his military career in 1787, as ensign in the 11th foot, from which he was removed to the 1st guards, March 12th, 1789. From October, 1788. to August, 1789, he served in the Brunswick corps, under Lieutenant-general de Riedesel; and on the 25th of March, 1790, joined his regiment, the 1st guards. He received a company in the 15th foot on the 6th of April following, from which he exchanged into the guards, November 30th, 1792. In January, 1793, he was appointed aid-de-camp to his royal highness the duke of York, in which capacity he served the campaigns of 1793 and 1794, in the Netherlands. He was present at the action of St Amand, battle of Famars, siege of Valenciennes, action of Lidreghem, battles of Wattignies and Maubeuge, and action of Vaux. On the 22d of April, 1794, he was appointed major by brevet; and with that rank was at the action of Camphin on the 10th of May following, in which being wounded, he was absent from the army to the 10th of August, when he joined near Breda. Major Clinton next served at the siege of Nimeguen by the enemy. He returned to England with the duke of York, and remained aid-de-camp to his royal highness, until promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 66th regiment, September 30th, 1795. In the following month Lieutenant-colonel Clinton proceeded to join that regiment in the West Indies. He was present at the landing in St Lucia, under Sir Ralph Abercromby, and at the siege and surrender of Morne Fortunée; after which he joined the 66th at Port-au-Prince in St Domingo. The 20th of October, 1796, he again exchanged to the 1st guards, and sailed from St Domingo to join that corps, but was made prisoner on the passage, and did not arrive in England until June, 1797. He served with the guards in Ireland in 1798, and in that year was appointed aid-de-camp to Lord Cornwallis, the lord-lieutenant and commander-in-chief in that country, under whom he served the short campaign in Connaught, and was present at the surrender of the French force under General Humbert at Ballinamuck.

In April, 1799, Lieutenant-colonel Clinton, being attached to Lord W. Bentinck, employed on a mission to the Austro-Russian army in Italy, was present at the battle of Trebia, sieges of Alexandria and Serravalle, and at the battle of Novi; after which, being appointed to attend Marshal Suwarrow, on his march into Switzerland, he was present at the action in forcing the passage of St Gothard; at those of the Teufels Brüch, Klonthaler See, and Glarus. Early in 1800, being employed on a mission to the Austrian army in Swabia, he was present at the battles of Engen and Moeskirck, and during the retreat from the Upper Danube to Alt Otting in Bavaria. At the end of the campaign he joined his battalion in England. In June, 1801, he was appointed assistant adjutant-general in the eastern district; and in June, 1802, adjutant-general in the East Indies. He received the brevet of colonel, September 25th, 1803; and in October he joined the army

under Lord Lake, at Agra. He was at the battle of Laswaree, on which occasion he was intrusted by his lordship with the command of the right of the army: he continued to serve in Hindostan until Oct., 1804, and then he resigned the appointment of adjutant-general. In March following he sailed from India.

In November, 1805, Colonel Clinton was employed on a mission to the Russian army employed in Moravia under General Kutusoff; and, at the conclusion of the peace between Russia and France, returned to England. In July, 1806, he embarked for Sicily, in command of the flank battalion of the guards. He commanded the garrison of Syracuse from December, 1806, to November following, and returned with his battalion to England in January, 1808; the 25th of which month he was appointed Brigadier-general, and as such commanded a brigade in the armament that sailed under the late Sir John Moore to Sweden. On his return from the latter place he was appointed adjutant-general to the army in Portugal; he was present at the action of Vimiera, and with Sir John Moore during the campaign in Spain, and retreat through Galicia, to the embarkation at Corunna in January, 1809. On his return from Spain he published a pamphlet, entitled A Few Remarks explanatory of the motives which guided the operations of the British army during the late short campaign in Spain;' the object of which was to justify the retreat of Sir John Moore, and "to clear his reputation from that shade, which by some has been cast over it."

The 25th of January, 1809, Colonel Clinton was appointed adjutantgeneral in Ireland, and on the 25th of July, 1810, a major-general. In October, 1811, he was removed from the Staff of Ireland to that of the army under Lord Wellington in Portugal, and was appointed to the command of the sixth division. In June, 1812, he was charged with the siege of the forts of Salamanca; and he was present at the battle fought near that city on the 22d of July. When Lord Wellington marched against Joseph Buonaparte at Madrid, Major-general Clinton was intrusted with the command of that part of the army left upon the Douro, to observe the enemy in that quarter. He was present at the siege of the castle of Burgos, and in the several affairs which happened in the retreat from thence to the frontiers of Portugal. Major-general Clinton received the thanks of parliament for his conduct at the battle of Salamanca; on the 29th of July, 1813, he was appointed an extra knight of the order of the Bath, and, on the enlargement of the order, nominated a knight Grand Cross. In April, 1813, he was appointed a lieutenant-general in Spain and Portugal; he was present at the investment of Pampeluna in July, and at the actions which were fought upon passing the Nivelle in November, and the Nive in December, of that year. During the winter he was employed in the blockade of Bayonne; was present at the battle of Orthes on the 27th of February, 1814; affair of Caceres, on the 2d of March; affair at Tarbes, on the 20th; and at the battle of Toulouse, on the 10th of April. Lieutenantgeneral Sir Henry Clinton received the thanks of parliament for his services in these several actions.

Sir Henry was appointed colonel-commandant of the first battalion 60th foot, May 20th, 1813; lieutenant-general in the army, June 4th, 1814; the same year inspector-general of infantry, and, subsequently, second in command in the Belgian army. He commanded a division

of infantry at the battle of Waterloo; and for his conduct on that occasion was appointed knight of the Austrian order of Maria Theresa ; knight of the third class of the Russian order of St George; and knight of the third class of the Wilhelm order of the kingdom of the Netherlands. He afterwards commanded a division of the British contingent in France. On the 9th of August, 1815, he was removed from the sixth battalion 60th foot to the colonelcy of his late regiment, the 3d foot; and on the 20th of May, 1816, he again received in person the thanks of the house of commons."1

George Tierney.

BORN A. D. 1761.-DIED A. D. 1830.

His father was a na

THIS eminent statesman was of Irish descent. tive of Limerick, but became a prize-agent at Gibraltar, where his son George was born in 1761. Young Tierney was educated at Eton and Cambridge. He was originally destined for the profession of the law; but finding himself, after the successive deaths of three elder brothers, in possession of a competent fortune, he determined to devote himself to politics, and with this view stood for, and gained, an expensive election for Colchester. In 1796 he became member for Southwark.

From the first moment of his entering parliament he ranged himself with the whig opposition, and, although he did not at first assume a very formidable position, yet his assiduity and moral courage, aided by practice in speaking, soon rendered him one of Pitt's most formidable antagonists.

66

During the debate on Friday, May 25th, 1798, on the bill for suspending seamen's protections, Mr Pitt was so far thrown off his guard -a rare occurrence with him-as to declare, that he considered Mr Tierney's opposition to the measure, as proceeding from a wish to impede the service of the country.' Mr Tierney immediately called the chancellor of the exchequer to order, appealed to the house, and invoked the protection of the speaker. Mr Addington, who then occupied the chair, observed― That if the house should consider the words which had been used as conveying a personal reflection on the honourable gentleman, they were in that point of view to be considered as unparliamentary and disorderly. It was for the house to decide on their application, and they would wait in the mean time for the explanation of the right honourable gentleman.' Mr Pitt, instead of apologizing, immediately said, If he were called on to explain away any thing which he had said, the house might wait long enough for such an explanation ! He was of opinion that the honourable gentleman was opposing a necessary measure for the defence of the country, and therefore he should neither explain nor retract any particle of what he had said on the subject.' Here, of course, the affair did not end. Mr Tierney sent his friend, Mr George Walpole, with a message to Mr Pitt; and, at three o'clock, on the next Sunday afternoon, Mr Pitt, accompanied by Mr Ryder, (now Lord Harrowby,) and Mr Tierney, accompanied

Gentleman's Magazine.