during the last three days' negotiations with the Dey, were found particularly useful; and "the prudence, firmness, and ability with which he conducted himself" on that delicate occasion were highly praised by His Lordship.

In September, 1816, Sir Charles Penrose once more assumed the chief command on the Mediterranean station; and shortly afterwards he was presented by Pope Pius VII. with two superb marble vases, in consideration of the expeditious and humane manner in which the emancipated subjects of His Holiness were forwarded to the Roman States: an appropriate despatch accompanied this present.

Sir Charles Penrose afterwards accompanied his friend Sir Thomas Maitland, Lord High Commissioner of the Ionian Islands, to Prevesa, in Albania, where they were for several days entertained by the celebrated Ali Pacha, during which time business of much importance was transacted. In August, 1817, being then off Leghorn, with his flag on board the Albion, 74, Sir Charles was honoured with a visit by a party of distinguished individuals, amongst whom were Leopoldina Carolina, the present Empress of Brazil, who had recently been married by proxy; Maria Louisa, widow of Napoleon Buonaparte; several others of the Austrian Arch-Duchesses; Leopold II. Grand Duke of Tuscany; Leopold Count of Syracuse; Prince Metternich; General Count de Neipperg; and the Portuguese Admiral Souza.

On the 27th of April, 1818, the Order of St. Michael and St. George was instituted for the Ionian Islands, and for the ancient sovereignty of Malta and its dependencies. By the rules of that Order, the naval commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean is to be the first and principal Knight Grand Cross thereof, but only for the time that he holds his professional appointment. Sir Charles Penrose, however, was specially authorised to bear the title and wear the insignia for life, in consequence of his long services on that station, and his having been there at the institution of the Order. We believe that the late Lord Guildford and himself were the only persons to whom that privilege was allowed.

Shortly afterwards, Sir Charles's second daughter, Charlotte, was married to Captain Mainwaring, of the 10th Foot, both of whom died without leaving issue: and subsequently his eldest daughter was united to Captain John Coode, C. B., who was then commanding the flag-ship.

The term of our officer's command expired in 1819, to the regret of the whole station. The feeling of the Captains of the squadron was expressed by presenting him with a splendid silver salver; and that of the merchants of Malta in a handsome present of plate. Indeed, the urbanity of his general carriage, and the judicious kindness with which he could. temper the forms of discipline, had endeared him to all classes; while his lively wit and acquirements rendered his society particularly desirable. He was sometimes caustic in administering corrective sarcasm, when it was merited. For instance, on the occasion of the head of Memnon being embarked in the ship which carried the architectural relics of Leptis Magna to England, a pragmatical officer of the staff switched the Egyptian with his whip, and drawled forth, "Memnon, eh! pray who was he?"-" You cannot have forgotten the famous Turkish Aga," said the Admiral, with his peculiar look: 66 you must have heard of Aga-Memnon!"

Sir Charles retired to his seat of Ethy, near Lostwithiel, where he continued till his death. He there experienced the full value of the attention he had, at various times, bestowed on Natural History, Numismatics, and Antiquities, in each of which branches he had formed interesting and rare collections. Nor was he less alive to other pursuits; for he was one of the most scientific navigators of his day, and, moreover, possessed a decided literary taste. In 1824 (at which period he was a Vice-Admiral of the White, having been advanced to that rank on the 19th of July, 1821,) he published "Observations on Corporal Punishment, Impressment, and other Matters relative to the present State of His Majesty's Royal Navy." From that short, but ably-written little work, we extract the following passages, as illustrative at once of the gallant author's style, disposition, and judgment:

"One argument has been, that certain foreign services have gone on without corporal punishment. The fact so stated may be at once denied; for where the regular ordering of a certain number of lashes has not been in force, other still more severe punishments have been inflicted; and dark and solitary confinement, on bad bread-and-water diet, are pretty severe corporal punishments.

"With respect to foreign naval services, I am pretty sure, from the evidence of seamen themselves, that in none is the discipline so mild and just as in our own. Those of our seamen who have been in the American navy, can give ample information as to that national practice; and when our seamen, in discontent, went into foreign services, I once received a petition from several on board a Netherland ship of war, the discipline of which they described as most severe. I replied that their voluntary entry prevented my interference; and that I trusted their example would open the eyes of their brother sailors to their true duties and interests. So little fear had I that the corporal punishment, and the other treatment of seamen in our navy, would appear harsh and severe, in comparison with others, that I was pleased to hear that some of our then mistaken men took this method of being convinced. And I would here ask those gentlemen who hold up other services as an example to ours, whether they will agree to be judged by effects; and will they venture to state that an equal degree of moral comfort is enjoyed in those exemplars? I believe I need not appeal to the nautical or military superiority.

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*

"I can truly aver that, while I was a captain, I attended with most earnest endeavours to be just without harshness, and lenient without weakness, in awarding and inflicting punishment, or pardoning offenders. The result of my best judgment was, that there are few cases for which corporal punishment should be inflicted for a first fault; for there are men who will strive long to avoid the shame as well as pain of a public exposition and flogging, who, when that shame

and pain has once been surmounted, care much less for a repetition.

*

"It requires considerable judgment to find whether the best effect will be produced on the individual by remitting punishment conditionally, or by a free pardon; and here that most requisite of all knowledge for a commander of men, the knowledge of human nature, is of the greatest avail. On some characters, a free pardon will operate as a security from future crime; and I heartily wish I had found them more common. When a man was brought forward for punishment for a first fault, or when a culprit appeared to plead with proper feeling, and I considered him as not one on whom a free pardon could usefully be bestowed, I then made it a clearly understood case, that if the delinquent were brought before me again for a crime for which he was to be punished, he should first receive that which had been remitted, as his subsequent conduct had shown that he did not merit forgiveness. I can safely say, that I have known the happiest effects arise from this mutual understanding; and crime, and of course punishment, prevented.

"I have known an opinion entertained by some very respectable officers, but which I have always deemed erroneous, that no reasoning communications should ever be made to seamen. My practice as a captain was different. When coming into port, under circumstances which would not admit of leave of absence, I always made it a rule to inform the ship's company, before anchoring, that such must unavoidably be the case, as the necessities of the service would not allow me to grant it. On the contrary, whenever I saw that leave could be granted (and I always granted it if possible), I never waited for that leave to be asked. I called the ship's company together, and told them I should direct the first lieutenant to give leave to a third or fourth watch, or a certain number at a time, while they continued to merit the indulgence.

"For instance, I returned to England in the Cleopatra from the American station, with about three years' pay due.

The day before the ship went from Spithead into the harbour, I informed the ship's company that the necessary repairs would keep us long in port, and that they would have leave to go on shore in divisions, as long as they continued to conduct themselves well, or till the ship came out of dock. We were thirteen weeks in harbour; I had not one complaint: after about three weeks there was seldom a man wished to go on shore. I left the port at last with only two men absent without leave; and I should add, that during the time the ship was in dock, many were employed in the disagreeable service of fitting out other ships. From a 74 and a frigate near me, under the same circumstances of long detention in harbour, no leave was granted; boats rowed guard every night to prevent desertion, and yet the loss by desertion was very great.

"More than one circumstance occurred in a short time to show that my indulgence had not been thrown away. My ship was the first at Portsmouth, and I believe any where, when the payment took place in the one and two-pound banknotes, then first issued; and I learned that the greatest possible, pains were taking, by some who sought political mischief, and others who sought emolument, to persuade the people that this paper-money was of little worth, and offered, by way of favour, to give the men a low value for their notes. I explained the case, and directed that if any one offered or accepted less than a full value, the offender should instantly be brought to me, that he might be treated as an enemy to his king and country. The pay was cordially received, which was at the moment of no small consequence, as there were many then ready to follow any bad example that might be set. To afford my ship's company another opportunity of showing good conduct, the payment was scarcely over, and the ship was still crowded with women, children, and slop-sellers, when a telegraphic signal announced an enemy's frigate off Portland; and never were supernumeraries more quickly disposed of, or a ship more quickly unmoored and under sail. We were baulked of our expected prize, and returned to