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Rh  we find no farther mention of our officer till the month of March, 1799, when Lord Spencer, then at the head of naval affairs, offered him the command at the Nore, which he declined, thinking it beneath his rank. In the following year, the Earl of St. Vincent applied for him to be attached to the Channel fleet; but, unfortunately, before his application reached the Admiralty, the appointment was given to another officer; and although the gallant Nelson, with whom he was not then personally acquainted, proposed him as his successor in the Baltic, his flag was not again hoisted till the summer of 1803. During the ensuing five years and a half, a period of active war, he held the chief command at Portsmouth, and executed the arduous duties of his office to the full and entire satisfaction of six different Boards of Admiralty. Whilst there, his present Majesty (then Prince of Wales) honored that town, a second time, with his presence. Previous to the departure of this illustrious visitor, he dined with the Admiral, who afterwards received the following highly flattering letter;

“Portsmouth, Sept. 14, 1803.

“Sir. I am commanded by the Prince of Wales, to express the high satisfaction H. R. H. experienced in his visit to the fleet yesterday. The great skill and 