Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 58.djvu/280

Vernon ralty, which refused him the title and privileges of commander-in-chief, and on 1 Dec. 1745 he wound up his complaint by assuring their lordships that their relieving him from the command by a successor would be the only favour he would think of troubling them with. He was accordingly superseded by Vice-admiral William Martin (1696?–1756) [q. v.]

Shortly afterwards his correspondence with the admiralty and the Duke of Bedford was given to the public. He was officially called on to explain this publication (Corbett to Vernon, 4 April 1746), and, his answer being considered insufficient, he was summoned to attend the board. The titles of two pamphlets—‘A Specimen of Naked Truth from a British Sailor, a sincere well-wisher to the Honour and Prosperity of the present Royal Family and his Country,’ and ‘Some Seasonable Advice from an Honest Sailor, to whom it might have concerned, for the service of the Crown and Country’—were read to him, and he was required to give a categorical answer and say ‘Aye or no, whether he was the author or publisher of those pamphlets.’ This he refused to do. ‘He apprehended,’ he said, ‘they had no right to ask him that question, and that he was under no obligations of answering it. If his continuing an officer in the service was an eyesore to any one, he was now grown to be an old man, and had reason to be tired with being treated in so contemptuous a manner.’ He was told he might withdraw, and two days afterwards, 11 April 1746, he was informed officially that the case had been laid before the king, who ‘had been pleased to direct their lordships to strike his name out of the list of flag officers.’ This, however, did not prevent his continuing to take a warm interest in service questions, and on these he frequently spoke in the House of Commons. He died suddenly at Nacton on 30 Oct. 1757. Six years later his nephew, Francis Vernon, lord Orwell (afterwards Earl of Shipbrook), erected a monument to his memory in the north transept of Westminster Abbey (the monument was designed and sculptured by Rysbrack. See, Westm. Abbey, ii. 207). His portrait, by Charles Phillips, belongs to Lord Vernon, also a bust by Roubiliac. A copy of each (both have been very frequently engraved) is in the Painted Hall at Greenwich. His portrait by Gainsborough is in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

Vernon married Sarah, daughter of Thomas Best of Chatham, and by her had three sons, who all died young.

[Memorial of Admiral Vernon, by W. F. Vernon (London, 1861), is presumably correct as to the family details, but is extremely incorrect in the account of his early service; so also is Life of Admiral Vernon, by an Impartial Hand (London, 1758, 12mo). Charnock's Memoir (Biogr. Nav. iii. 349) is better, but imperfect; that here given is from the Commission and Warrant books, Pay-books, and Logs in the Public Record Office; the Log of the Lennox for 1702–4 here referred to is that kept by Vernon himself, and is signed by him. The correspondence relating to the capture of Porto Bello is in Home Office Records, Admiralty, No. 77; that relating to the Cartagena expedition is in No. 91. This last has been printed, with slight and unimportant verbal alterations, in Original Papers relating to the Expedition to Carthagena (2nd edit. 8vo, 1744). So, also, Original Papers relating to the Expedition to the Island of Cuba (8vo, 1744), and Original Papers relating to the Expedition to Panama (8vo, 1744). There can be little doubt that these were published by Vernon himself. An Account of the Expedition to Carthagena, with explanatory notes and observations (3rd edit. 8vo, 1743), is attributed to Captain (afterwards Admiral) Sir Charles Knowles [q. v.] A Journal of the Expedition to Carthagena, with notes, in answer to a late pamphlet entitled An Account of the Expedition to Carthagena (2nd edit. 8vo, 1744), is from the soldier's point of view; so also is an Account of Admiral Vernon's attempt upon Carthagene in the West Indies (Sloane MS. 3970). Continuacion á los comentarios del Marques de S. Felipe, desde el año de 1733, por Don Joseph del Campo Raso, vol. iv. (Madrid, 1793, 4to), gives an account of the siege of Cartagena, but from English sources, though with a Spanish colouring. That it is so is proved by the dates, which are given—unwittingly—in old style. Journal kept by Augustus Hervey, afterwards Earl of Bristol (Addit. MS. 12129). Original Letters to an Honest Sailor (8vo, 1746? [not dated]) is a collection of letters addressed to Vernon between 1739 and 1746 by Wager, Pulteney, Duke of Bedford, Lord Vere Beauclerk, and others, with an account of his last interview with the admiralty and his dismissal from the service. The two pamphlets whose titles were then read to him contain his correspondence with the admiralty during his command in the North Sea. The originals are in the Public Record Office. Some of his speeches in the House of Commons will be found in Parliamentary History.] 

VERNON, EDWARD (1723–1794), admiral, fourth son of Henry Vernon (1663–1732) of Hilton, Staffordshire, was born on 30 Oct. 1723. Richard Vernon (1726–1800) [q. v.] was his younger brother. Admiral Edward Vernon [q. v.] belonged to a widely different branch of the family, their common ancestor in the male line having lived in