RICHARD, EARL, an English naval com- mander of distinguished eminence, was born in the year 1725, being the second son of Lord Viscount Howe, by the daughter of Baron Kilmanfegg. 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 be- ing 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, Commo- dore 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 squa- dron 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 reward- ed 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, failed with him, at which time he power- fully contributed to the reduction of the town of Cher- bourg. In 1758 his elder brother fell in North Ame- rica 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, trea- surer of the navy. He was in the year 1770, raised to the rank of rear-admiral of the blue, and chosen com- mander-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 Massachusets, as commander-in-chief of his Britannic majesty's fleet acting in North America, and in the ca- pacity of a commissioner for restoring the blessings of an amicable reconciliation. All the provincial govern- ors 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 or- dered to be inserted in all the gazettes for the exami- nation 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 aid- ed 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 une- qual contest, till the junction of France with America placed the contending parties more upon a level. On the arrival of Admiral D'Eftain in the month of July 1778, off Sandy Hook, Lord Howe was certainly in a HOW

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 vicount 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 fortresses 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 1st 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 fixle 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 found 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.

HOWE-Island, a small island of the South sea, discovered by Captain Wallis, called by the inhabitants of the Society islands Mophea; lies in S. Lat. 16. 46. and W. Long. 154. 8.

Lord HOWE'S Island, a small island in the neighbourhood of New South Wales, discovered on February 17th, 1788. S. Lat. 31. 36. E. Long. 159. 04. It is of an arched figure, lying from north-west to south-east, the two extremities including a space of about six miles, though, by reason of the curved figure of the island itself, it is near seven in length. It is deeply indented in the middle of the eastern part by a bay named Roil's bay, and on the opposite and western part has another named Prince William Henry's bay; so that the whole has the appearance of two islands joined together by an isthmus, which in some places is not above half a mile broad. On the southern part of that division which lies most to the northward are two considerable bays, named Callam's and Hunter's bay; and on the south-western part of the other are two high mountains, the most southerly named Mount Gower, and the other Mount Lidgbird. The convex part of the island lying towards the north-east, and the concave side towards the opposite quarter, is terminated by two points named Point King and Point Philip. No fresh water was found on the island; but it abounds with cabbage-palms, mangrove, and manchineel trees, even up to the summits of the mountains. There are plenty of gannets, and a land fowl of a dusky brown colour, with a bill about four inches long, and feet like those of a chicken. These were found to be remarkably fine meat, and were very fat. There are many large pigeons, and the white birds found in Norfolk island were also met with in this place. The bill of this bird is red, and very strong, thick, and sharp pointed. Great numbers of fine turtle frequent this island in summer, but go to the northward in winter. These, it was imagined, would prove of great service to the colony at Port Jackson; but, from some cause or other, it appears they have hitherto been disappointed. Plenty of fish were caught by a hook and line. At the distance of about four leagues from Lord Howe's island is a very remarkable and high rock, to which the name of Ball's Pyramid has been given. This island may be approached without danger; but about four miles from the south west part of the pyramid there is a very dangerous rock, which shows itself above the surface of the water, and appears not to be larger than a boat. The southern part of the island is lined with a sandy beach, which is guarded against the sea by a reef of coral rocks, at the distance of half a mile from the beach, through which there are several small openings for boats; but there is nowhere a greater depth of water within the reef than four feet. By the account of Mr Watts, who visited this island in his return from Port Jackson, the isthmus which joins the two parts has evidently been overflowed, and the island disjoined, as in the very centre the men saw large beds of coral rocks and great quantities of shells; and on the east, which seems in general to be the weather-side, the sea has thrown up a bank of sand from 25 to 30 feet high, which serves as a barrier against future inundations. The island also appears pears to have suffered by volcanic eruptions, as great quantities of pumice-stones and other matters of that kind were found upon it. Mr Aultin also found the whole reef which shelters the west bay a burnt-up mafs. The time he visited the island was that of the incubation of the gannets, of which there were then prodigious numbers, their nests being only hollows made in the sand, there not being any quadrupeds on the island to disturb them. Besides the large pigeons already mentioned, they met with beautiful parrots and parroquets; a new species of the coote, as well as of the rail and magpie. They found likewise a very beautiful small bird of a brown colour with a yellow breast, and yellow on the wing, which seemed to be a species of humming bird. They found also a black bird like a sheerwater, having a hooked bill; and which burrows in the ground. The only insects met with here were the common earth-worm and ants: which last were in great plenty. Besides the trees already mentioned, they found several esculent vegetables, as four-y-grafs, celery, spinach, endive, and samphire.