doubted, that on one element at least, it was not inconsiderable. The moment his appointment was notified to him, Vice-Admiral Mitchell repaired on board the Isis, of fifty guns. He then visited those parts of the coast in which transports had been collected; and partly by the zeal of the inhabitants, partly by the skill and assistance of the captains and officers of the sea-fencibles, embarked the different divisions of the army, towards the autumn of 1799, with inconceivable order and celerity. No sooner was this accomplished, than he proceeded to join Admiral Lord Duncan, then cruising in the North Seas. In consequence of the lateness of the season, a scries of tempestuous weather and contrary winds ensued, which had nearly put a period to the expedition. This circumstance proved peculiarly unfortunate, partly on account of the delay, and partly from the number of troops on board, so that as water began to be scarce, it was determined, if a landing ́had not been effected by a certain day, to abandon the enterprize, even although they had once got within sight of the coast. At the expiration of a fortnight, however, the shore of the Helder was descried a second time, and the He concluded by notifying that in a short time "his dearly be loved son, who was in possession of all his confidence, and deserv. ing of theirs, would put himself at their head, and following the steps of his illustrious ancestors, spare neither his property nor his life, in order to assist with them, and for their sakes, in bringing this great undertaking to a successful issue." troops troops disembarked; previously to which, Lord Duncan, as Commander in Chief, dispatched a letter to the Dutch Admiral Storey, then anchored at a short distance, stating "that he had now an opportunity of manifesting his zeal to the Prince of Orange, by declaring for him, together with all the ships that might follow his example." But as the tide of success was at this moment uncertain, and victory appeared to be weighed in equal scales, the answer returned was such as might have been expected, viz. "that the enemy might expect a defence from him worthy of his nation and his honour." No sooner did prosperity dawn upon the English, than it was apparent that a considerable degree of disaffection prevailed on board the Dutch men of war. This was fully evinced on the evacuation of Notwithstanding this seeming determination, it was then supposed, nor have subsequent events given the lie to that suspicion, that this officer was attached to the cause and person of the Prince whose interests were espoused by Great Britain; although in the American war he had distinguished himself by his valour, during the well-fought action off the Dogger Bank, and acquired a high reputation both for his courage and his seamanship. On the conquest of Holland by the French, he was also one of the first to swear allegiance to the Batavian Republic, and hoisted his flag as a rear-admiral on board the States General, a seventy-four gun ship, during the engagement in which Admiral De Winter was defeated. His conduct, however, on the latter occasion, was said to be equivocal in the extreme; for although he commanded in the centre, yet he abandoned his superior officer with part of his division, soon after the commencement of the action, and actually made a merit of his conduct upon this occasion, as he ascribed to it alone the safety of part of the fleet. the the Helder,* into which had been thrown a garrison of two thousand men, in consequence of its being menaced with an assault on the part of Sir Ralph Abercrombie. When the ships stationed before this important fortress withdrew to the Nieuve Diep, a secret communication having been previously opened with their commander, nine of them, together with three Indiamen, immediately surrendered.† * In consequence of the meditated attack on this fortress, a detachment of British seamen was sent on shore to assist in dragging the artillery. The following anecdote relative to one of these, is well known to many of the officers who served in Holland: A grenadier having dropped, Jack immediately started from his gun, and examining the body, declared he was a dead man; and as he had belonged to the covering party that protected them, and consequently died in his defence, by G- he would take his place. He accordingly stripped off the belt, tied on the cartouch-box, and seizing the firelock, discharged his piece six different times, with such an unerring aim, as to wound six of the enemy. At length, as he was preparing for another shot, he himself received a ball through his knee-pan, and was carried on board the hospitalship to have his leg amputated. Soon after this operation, and while in a convalescent state, he was told by one of his officers that he would be tried for deser tion, having left his post as a seaman, and acted as a soldier. "But," replied this brave unfortunate fellow, "I killed six of the enemy."—"That may be," rejoined the lieutenant; "you, however, as you well know, flew from your quarters." "Egad, I never thought of that," said he, "but if his honour the captain will forgive me this once, I am determined to kill no more Frenchmen on land." + Here follows a list of the Dutch men of war, &c. obtained upon this occasion. 1. Urwachten, Guns 66 2. Bro Having readily obtained pilots, and all the necessary information at the Helder, Vice Admiral Mitchell determined to sail in quest of the remainder of the squadron, which he threatened to follow "to the walls of Amsterdam." He, at the same time, conjured the officers and crews to avoid the effusion of human blood, by an immediate surrender, either to the British, or to the Prince of Orange, whose flag they would be permitted to bear. To give greater effect to his proceedings, at five o'clock in the morning of August the 30th, he forined the following line of battle, by way of exhibiting the strength of the squadron under his command. Guns. Men. A signal for action having been hoisted, the English Vice-Admiral set sail; but two ships and a frigate, in consequence of the intricacy of the navigation, got aground. Notwithstanding this, he entered the Mars Diep, and continued his course in the Viciter Channel along the Texel. Having by this time drawn near to the Dutch fleet, then at anchor at the Red Buoy, he dispatched Captain Reinnie with the following letter, containing a peremptory summons: "Isis, under sail, in line of battle, “Sir, "I desire you will instantly hoist the flag of his Serene Highness the Prince of Orange. If you do, you will be immediately considered friends of the King of Great Britain, my most gracious sovereign; otherwise take the consequences. Painful it will be to me for the loss of blood it may occasion, but the guilt will be on your own head. "I have the honour to be, Sir, "Your most obedient humble servant, "To Rear-Admiral Storey, or the Commander in Chief of the Dutch squadron.” "ANDREW MITCHELL, Vice-Admiral, and Commander of his Majesty's ships employed on the present expedition." The |