HOWE, RICHARD, EARL, an English naval commander of distinguished eminence, was born in the year 1725, being the second son of Lord Viscount Howe, by the daughter of Baron Kilmansegg. From his early attachment to the life of a mariner, he quitted the school of Eton at the age of 14, and went on board the Severn, the honourable Captain Legge being commander, destined for the South seas under Commodore Anson. Mr Howe next appeared in the Burford, Captain Luthington commander, who being killed in an expedition against the Caraccas, Commodore Knowles made Mr Howe an acting lieutenant. At the age of 20 he was promoted to the rank of command-
er in the Baltimore sloop of war, and he joined a squadron at that time cruising off the coast of Scotland, where he met with an opportunity of displaying his undaunted courage and intrepidity, by engaging and beating off two French frigates of 30 guns each, by the assistance of another armed ship, notwithstanding he was severely wounded in the head during the action. This service was immediately and very justly rewarded with the rank of post-captain. He was soon after appointed to the rank of captain on board Commodore Knowles's own ship of 80 guns, with which he returned to England in the year 1748. When hostilities again commenced, he commanded the Dunkirk of 60 guns, in North America; which ship constituted part of the squadron under Admiral Boscawen, and with which he captured a French man of war of superior metal off the coast of Newfoundland; viz. the Alcide of 64 guns. In order to annoy the coast of France, he received, in the year 1758, the command of a small squadron, with which he effected the destruction, at St Malo, of a number of magazines and ships. When he served on board the Essex, Prince Edward, afterwards duke of York, sailed with him, at which time he powerfully contributed to the reduction of the town of Cherbourg. In 1758 his elder brother fell in North America in the service of his king and country, on which event the young commodore succeeded to the family title and estate. In the following year he participated of the honourable victory gained by Sir Edward Hawke over the French fleet under Admiral Conflans. He afterwards served in the Channel, and was captain of the Amelia, the ship of admiral the duke of York. On the restoration of peace, he was nominated one of the lords of the admiralty, and some time afterwards, treasurer of the navy. He was in the year 1770, raised to the rank of rear-admiral of the blue, and chosen commander-in-chief on the Mediterranean station. In 1775, he rose to the station of rear-admiral of the blue; in consequence of which rapid promotions, Lord Hawke paid him the following compliment in the house of peers: “I advised his majesty to make the promotion. I have tried my Lord Howe on important occasions; he never asked me how he was to execute any service, but always went and performed it.”
In the summer of 1776, Lord Howe appeared off Massachusetts, as commander-in-chief of his Britannic majesty's fleet acting in North America, and in the capacity of a commissioner for restoring the blessings of an amicable reconciliation. All the provincial governors were made acquainted with his arrival by means of circular letters, expressive also of the full extent of the authority invested in him and his fellow commissioners; but as congress did not deem the conditions which these letters contained to be at all satisfactory, they were ordered to be inserted in all the gazettes for the examination of the people. His powers being thus circumscribed at the very commencement, he could only act in the capacity of a naval commander, in which he aided the operations of the land forces with uncommon skill. It was not to be imagined, however, that much glory could redound to his lordship from such an unequal contest, till the junction of France with America placed the contending parties more upon a level. On the arrival of Admiral D'Estaing in the month of July 1778, off Sandy Hook, Lord Howe was certainly in a
very critical situation; but by an exertion of uncommon skill and dexterity, the French commander thought it prudent to retire, when he was pursued by Lord Howe to Rhode Island, after he obtained a reinforcement under Admiral Byron. The intentions of the enemy were completely counteracted, and the campaign was finally terminated with honour. Here he resigned his command, and came over to England; but in 1782 he was promoted to the rank of admiral of the blue, made a viscount of Great Britain, and chosen commander of the fleet which was sent for the relief of Gibraltar. The combined fleets of France and Spain were about a third superior to that under Lord Howe, who, with 34 sail of the line, appeared off Gibraltar in the month of October, being driven into the Mediterranean by contrary winds. Although he was pursued by the combined fleet, he found means to supply the fortifications with provisions. He checked the enemy by a partial action, and notwithstanding he offered to give them battle, it was declined on their part; and he had the satisfaction to execute his commission prior to his return home, in spite of the numerous difficulties which he had to encounter.
He was nominated first lord of the admiralty on the termination of the war, which he both resigned and resumed by different changes of administration. In the year 1787 he was chosen admiral of the white, and created an earl of Great Britain in the following year. When hostilities were renewed with France in 1793, his lordship accepted the command of the channel fleet, at the express desire of his Britannic majesty, but he had it not in his power to do any thing decisive till the summer of 1794. On the ever memorable 1st of June, with a fleet consisting of 25 sail of the line, he gave battle to a French fleet of 26, gaining a most signal victory over the enemy, capturing seven of their ships, one of which was so shattered as to go to the bottom, and several others were, in the language of seamen, very much crippled. His lordship had the good fortune not to lose a ship, and comparatively but a few men, considering the prodigious loss in this respect sustained by the enemy. The gratitude of the nation was suitable to the importance of this naval victory, and it is more than probable that the first of June will never be forgotten. In 1795 he was made general of marines; but the infirmities which seldom fail to be the concomitants of old age, induced him to resign his naval command in the year 1797, and on his final retreat he was presented with the honours of the Garter. His great influence as a beloved officer, contributed greatly to stifle a spirit of mutiny and discontent which at this time exhibited alarming symptoms among the seamen of his majesty's fleets. He terminated his brilliant and honourable career on the 5th of August 1799, in the 73d year of his age, leaving none but female issue behind him. His lordship's valour, always cool and steady, was consequently of that nature which enables a commander to make the most of his situation; his judgment was sound and penetrating, which prevented him from being easily imposed upon by external appearances; and his seamanlike was of the most consummate and masterly kind. It is with pleasure we close this concise account of his lordship's public life by observing, that his country was deeply sensible of the value and importance of his services, a
truth fully evinced by the honours and preferments which it heaped upon him.