flying. The Woodlark on this occasion sustained a loss of 13 killed and wounded. In the autumn of the same year, the Duke of Kent again exerted himself in favor of Captain Watts, as will be seen by the following copy of a letter from the late Sir George Hope, addressed to H.R.H.
“Admiralty, Aug. 7, 1812.
“Sir,– I have had the honor of receiving your Royal Highness’s letter of yesterday; and, independent of my duty in paying attention to your wishes respecting Captain Watts, I can with truth assure your Royal Highness, that his merits as an officer, with which I am well acquainted, are sufficient to insure my interest in his favor, whenever an opportunity offers of mentioning him to Lord Melville for promotion. I have the honor to be, your Royal Highness’s most dutiful and obedient servant,
(Signed)“Geo. Hope.”
The writer of the above letter had been several years first captain of the Baltic fleet, and was then a Lord of the Admiralty. In Nov. 1812, he arrived at Gottenburgh, to escort the Russian fleet to England, and spontaneously offered to make Viscount Melville acquainted with Captain Watts’s claims for promotion, giving him at the same time a letter to that nobleman, with directions to forward it on his arrival in England. His lordship, in reply, assured him, “that as soon as his arrangements would permit, he would attend to his wishes,” and added, “It will give me much pleasure to be of service to an officer of whom Rear-Admiral Hope thinks so highly.” His nomination to the Jaseur of 16 guns, the first to be commissioned of seventeen brigs then building, and his appointment to the Halifax station, were the immediate results of this recommendation. His commission for the Jaseur bears date April 5, 1813. In Sept. following, his royal patron addressed the following letter to Sir John B. Warren, commander-in-chief on the coast of America, &c.
“Kensington Palace, Sept. 10, 1813.
