Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v4p1.djvu/342

 agents, from whom, when the time of distribution approached, he had the mortification to receive a letter as follows:

“New Broad Street, London, 17th June, 1819.

“Sir,– We are authorized by Lord Keith to acquaint you, that the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, to whom his lordship referred your claim to participate in the late parliamentary grant for the north coast of Spain, have decided that you ought not to share; and we think it right to add, in case you may consider it necessary to pursue your claim farther, that the only course open to you is by memorial to H.R.H. the Prince Regent in Council, as the above decision will be final and conclusive, agreeably to the Order in Council for distribution, unless His Royal Highness shall he pleased otherwise to direct within three months We are. Sir, your most obedient servants,

(Signed)“.”

Lord Keith, it should be observed, considered Commander Debenham’s claim as well founded, and so reported to the Admiralty; yet, because he had been employed as an agent of transports, the Board determined to reject it. Acting according to the advice of his lordship, he lost no time in drawing up a memorial, which was submitted in the first instance to Viscount Melville, from whose private secretary he received the following communication, dated July 3d, 1819:

“Sir,– I am desired by Lord Melville to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 24th ultimo, together with its enclosures, and to express his Lordship’s regret that, after a full consideration of the case in all its bearings, and of the claims you have set forth, he has not felt at liberty to recommend a compliance with the prayer of your memorial, although, from his Lordship’s opinion of your services, he would have felt satisfaction in being enabled to accede to your wishes. I have the honor to be, &c.

(Signed)“.”

In his memorial to the Prince Regent, after stating the peculiar nature of his services on the north coast of Spain, and making but very slight allusion to others which we have recorded, Commander Debenham expresses himself in the following terms:

“He earnestly desires to deprecate the idea of vain or presumptuous boasting, but he finds at length there are occasions on which not to have a proper sense of what one has done, and of what passes in the world, is to