time effected a diversion, by sailing with a detachment of the fleet into Table Bay; and at eleven o'clock the same evening the governor requested a cessation of arms. In consequence of this a negotiation immediately took place, and the colony was surrendered two days afterwards to Great Britain. On this occasion five Dutch East Indiamen, the Star armed brig, and property to a considerable amount, fell to the share of the conquerors. While the Vice Admiral lay in a convenient bay refitting his squadron in the beginning of August, he received intelligence. that several ships had been seen off Saldanha. On this he made preparations for proceeding to sea, but, it was the sixth before he could quit his anchorage, and between that period and the twelfth he searched for the supposed enemy in vain, notwithstanding two; fast sailing vessels had been dispatched in quest of them. Having then returned to his former station, and obtained exact information relative to the position of the strange ships, he determined to proceed once more in search of the foe, and he accordingly made the signal for the squadron to weigh; but the wind, which was then strong, having increased to a tempest, he was obliged to defer his intentions until the fifteenth he however arrived off Saldanha bay next evening exactly at sunset. The Crescent of thirtysix guns, commanded by Captain Buller, which had been sent to reconnoitre, immediately made the signal for discovering the enemy, on which Sir George Keith, who soon after perceived that they were moored in the bay, and inferior to his own squadron,

:

both

both in point of force and numbers, immediately entered, and anchored within cannon-shot.*

On this a negotiation immediately ensued, and Rear Admiral Lucas having pledged his honour that

* The following is a list of the English and Dutch squadron in Saldanha bay, August 15 1796.

Vice Admiral Ephinstone's squadron.

Commanders.

Hon. Sir George Keith
Elphinstone, K. B.

Capt. John Elphinstone.

Commodore Blanket.

612

491

none of the ships or stores should be injured during the night, on the succeeding morning the Dutch capitulated.

After having thus contributed to the reduction of a most important colony, and captured a squadron sent for its defence, as well as detached a sufficient force to Colombo, Sir George Keith Elphinstone sailed for England, leaving the command of the fleet to Admiral Pringle. On his arrival, December the twenty-second, at Crookhaven, having learned that a French squadron had been seen off Bantry bay, he prepared to put to sea with the Monarch and Daphne, but by this time the enemy had returned to their own ports.

The capture of the Cape of Good Hope not only prevented that useful settlement from falling into the hands of the French, but secured an intermediate station between our European and Eastern dominions. This was considered as an acquisition of such consequence that the greatest care was taken for its safety, and no expence spared for its defence. Indeed one of the ministers* of that day declared openly, that whenever a peace took place, this colony ought on no account to be surrendered, as it had become indispensably necessary for the convenience, and even for the preservation, of our territories in Asia.

The cabinet was so well pleased with the conduct of Sir George on this occasion, that on the 7th of March, 1797, he was created an Irish peer, by the

* Mr. Dundas, now Lord Melville.

title of Baron Keith of Stonehaven-Marischal. His lordship, nearly at the same period, joined the Channel fleet, then commanded for the second time by Lord Bridport, but as the enemy did not deem it prudent to make their appearance, no event of any consequence occurred.

A new and a more active scene soon after presented itself.

In November 1798, Admiral Lord Keith hoisted his flag on board the Foudroyant, and sailed for the Mediterranean; in 1799 he removed into the Barfleur, and thence into the Royal Charlotte, with which he returned to England in September, but sailed to his former station two months afterwards.

On the morning of the 4th of May, being then at anchor off Cadiz with fifteen sail of the line, he discovered the French fleet, which had eluded the vigilance of Lord Bridport, at some distance to windward, steering for the land with a favourable galeNotwithstanding his manifest inferiority,* the Vice

List of the: English squadron, May 4, 1799, when the French fleet appeared off Cadiz :

Admiral immediately weighed and offered battle. He was surprised, however, to find, that wholly unmindful of so favourable an opportunity, the enemy did not make an attempt to enter the bay, and join the Spaniards; yet being determined to follow whereever they might steer, his lordship chased to windward, but at daybreak next morning only four sail were to be seen, the rest having separated during a hard gale in the night.

After pursuing these without effect, he returned to his station, and on the 9th, suspecting that the enemy had passed the Straits, he first anchored at Gibraltar, and then cruised off Cape Dell Mell, Having by this time learned that the French were at anchor in Vado bay, he determined to attack them there; but Earl St. Vincent, who had received intelligence that the Spaniards meditated a descent on Minorca, immediately dispatched him to the relief of that island. In the mean time, the French commander reached Carthagena, where he was soon after joined by Admiral Massaredo, with five ships of 112 guns each, one eighty, and eleven seventy-fours, together with the following flag-officers, viz. Gravina, Grandillana, Cordova, Nava, and Villavincencis.