ened fail, hauled down the fignal for battle, nor did he at that time, or at any other time, whilft ftanding towards the enemy, call the fhips together in order to renew the attack, as he might have done; particularly the Vice Admiral of the Red and his divifion, which had received the leaft damage, had been the longest out of action, were ready and fit to renew it, were then to windward, and could have bore down and fetched any part of the French fleet, if the fignal for battle had not been hauled down; or if the faid Admiral Keppel had availed himself of the fignal appointed by the thirty-firft article of the fighting inftructions; by which he might have ordered thofe to lead, who are to lead with their starboard tack on board by a wind, which fignal was applicable to the occafion for renewing the engagement with advantage, after the French fleet had been beaten, their line broken, and in diforder. In these inftances, he did not do the utmost in his power to take, fink, burn, or deftroy, the French fleet, that had attacked the British fleet.

FOURTH.

THAT, instead of advancing to renew the engagement, as in the preceding articles is alledged, and as he might and ought to have done, the Admiral wore, and made fail directly from the enemy, and thus he led the whole British fleet away from them, which gave them the opportunity to rally unmolested, and to form again into a line of battle, and to ftand after the British fleet. This was difgraceful to the British flag, for it had the appearance of a flight, and gave the French Admiral a pretence to claim the victory, and to publish to the world. that the British fleet ran away, and that he purfued it with the fleet of France, and offered it battle.

FIFTH

THAT, on the morning of the 28th of July 1778, when it was perceived that only three of the French VOL. III.

fleet remained near the British in the fituation the whole had been in the night before, and that the rest wore to leeward at a greater diftance, not in a line of battle but in a heap, the Admiral did not cause the fleet to purfue the flying enemy, nor even to chace the three fhips which fled after the reft; but, on the contrary, he led the British fleetanother way directly from the enemy. By thefe inftances of misconduct and neglect, a glorious opportunity was loft of doing a most effential fervice to the ftate, and the honour of the British navy was tarnished.

On the 11th of February the Court pronounced the following fentence. THIS Court, pursuant to an order of the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, dated the 31ft of December 1778, and directed to Sir Thomas Pye, proceeded to enquire into a charge exhibited by Vice Admiral Sir Hugh Pallifer, again ft the Honourable Auguftus Keppel, for misconduct and neglect of duty, on the 27th and 28th of July last, in fundry inftances, as mentioned in a paper that accompanied the faid order, and for trying the fame; and the court having heard the evidence and prifoner's defence, and maturely and feriously confidering the whole, are of opinion, that the charge is malicious and illfounded, it having appeared that the Admiral, fo far from having by misconduct and neglect of duty on the days therein alluded to, loft an opportunity of rendering effential fervice to the ftate, and thereby tarnishing the honour of the British navy, behaved as became a judicious, brave, and experienced officer: the court do therefore unanimously and honourably acquit the faid Admiral Auguftus Keppel of the feveral articles in the charge against him, and he is hereby fully and honourably acquitted accordingly.

After which the prefident, Sir Thomas Pye, returned the admiral 2 K

his

his fword, with the following short addrefs.

ADMIRAL KEPPEL,

IT is no fmall pleasure for me to receive the commands of the Court I have the honour to prefide at; that, in delivering you your fword, I am to congratulate you on it's being restored to you with fo much honour; hoping, ere long, you will be called forth by your fovereign to draw it once more in the defence of your country.

Sin

It may be proper juft to add, that the conduct of Vice Admiral Sir Hugh Pallifer was afterwards, in April 1779, fubmitted to a court-martial; when that gentleman, whose skill and bravery have never been doubted, received the following fentence on the 5th of the fame month.

THE Court having enquired into the conduct of Sir Hugh Pallifer, ViceAdmiral of the Blue, on the 27th and 28th days of July, and heard evidence on the fame, are of opinion, that his behaviour on thofe days was in many inftances highly meritorious and exemplary; but that he was blameable for not making the diftreffed fituation of his fhip known to the admiral, either by the Fox, or otherwife: yet, as he is cenfurable in no other part of his conduct, the Court are of opinion he ought, notwithstanding that, to be acquitted, and he is acquitted accordingly.

The prefident then delivered to the Vice-Admiral his fword, with this fhort addrefs

I AM directed by this Court to return you your fword.

Perhaps, in most other countries, where ftrict difcipline is preferved, the fentences on both these occafions

might have been importantly different.

After his lordship's acquittal, he continued to join oppofition, under the banners of the Marquis of Rockingham; and, on the triumph of that party, in the beginning of the year 1782, he was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, and complimented with a peerage.

On the death of the marquis, however, he went out with his colleagues; and came in with them again at the memorable coalition.

It would be the height of injuftice not to obferve, that Lord Keppel, as Firft Lord of the Admiralty, has unremittingly exerted himfelf to increafe the refpectability of the navy: his conduct in this high and important office has given univerfal fatisfaction; and if his lordship has not been thought remarkable for brilliant oratorical talents, he is at least allowed to poffefs a native goodness of heart, beneath the not unpleafing roughness almoft infeparable from a true British feaman.

His lordship is unmarried.

of a beautiful green, fometimes fpotted with white clouds, but it is fcarcely pellucid, unless when very thin.

The Emerald is fometimes found in the shape of a pebble, and at others like cryftal: both forts, when polifhed, appear of the fineft green in all it's different fhades; thofe of the pebble kind are very bright and tranfparent, but they are lefs gloffy than the cryftalline.

The Carnelian, Sarda, or Sardius, are all names of the fame gem; which is found in the different fhapes of pebbles, and, when polifhed, appears of a flesh colour: though fome carnelians are whitish, others blood-red, and fome beautifully variegated, and veined with pale red and white.

The Onyx is a precious ftone or gem, partly transparent, formed in zones about a central body, and is not inferior to other femi-opake gems, either in luftre or brightnefs. The rings of zones add a difcriminating beauty to this ftone, which admits of a very high polish.

The Sardonyx is a femi-transparent gem, which partakes of the nature of the fardius in it's flesh colour, and ofthe onyx in it's zoned or tabulated form; being distinguished into fpecies, according to it's great variety of tinges, zones, and other phænomena.

The Topaz, which is always found in an oblong pebble form, was anciently called the Chryfolite, becaufe of it's Golden Colour, in which it excels every other gem: it has all the different tinges from deep to pale; and is esteemed fo valuable, that the Great Mogul poffeffes a fingle topaz worth twenty thousand pounds.

The Sapphire is the moft fingular and beautiful of all gems, for it's noble azure or fky-coloured blue. Sapphires are fometimes found in the fhape of pebbles, and at others in that of columnar cryftals, with fhort pyramidal tops: they are from the paleft tinge of sky-blue to the deepest indigo. The pebble fort, in particular, are exceedingly valuable.

The Ruby is a beautiful gem,remark

able for it's fine glowing red colour and hardness: it is always found in the fhape of fmall, oblong, flattish pebbles. A ruby of ten carats, if of the beft fort and colour, is worth upwards of two hundred guineas. These gems have frequently fo perfect a native polish, as not to ftand in need of the smallest affistance from the lapidary's art.

The Carbuncle, fo called, because, when held up to the fun, it resembles, in colour, a glowing Charcoal, is nothing more than a fpecies of the ruby.

The Beryl is a finer fort of columnar cryftal: it is, however, fometimes found in pebbles, but it is then of an inferior quality; and is remarkable for a fine blueish green colour, which it never in the flighteft degree lofes.

The Jacinth, or Hyacinth, is a pellucid gem, of a red colour, with a mixture of yellow; and, like most other gems of this fort, is found in the form of a pebble, or of columnar cryftal, having a great variety in it's tinges, from the colour of the ruby to that of amber.

The Amethyst is a stone of a beautiful colour, being a mixture of red and blue, comprehending all the degrees of a purple hue, and is found in the form of pebbles and crystal.

The Garnet is a gem of a deep red colour, with a caft of blue, but variable in it's tinges, down to a fleshcolour. Though garnets are extremely fubject to flaws and blemishes, they do not, like most other gems, lofe their colour in the fire. Garnets are always found in the pebble form.

The Adamant, or Diamond, which is the principal of all precious ftones, excels every other body in two effential qualities; firft, in hardness; and, fecondly,in it's power of refracting light. The diamond is incapable of being cut or polished by any other fubftance than it's own when reduced to a fine powder; and it exceeds the power of refracting light in glafs or cryftal, nearly in the proportion of five to one and a half, or of ten to three. No wonder, then, that this aftonishing

2 K 2

power

power of refraction fhould make it fo brilliant and fparkling, and that it's manifeft fuperiority fhould render it of fuch prodigious value. The Great Mogul is faid to be poffeffed of the largest diamond in the world, weighing two hundred and feventy-nine carats, or two ounces and a quarter, worth 779,2441. Diamonds are found in various forms of cryftal and cryftalline pebbles, with feveral irregular fides or faces, which have often a native polish; and the heat of common fire has no effect on them. This moft precious article is the produce of the East Indies, and other parts of the torrid zone.

There are many other ftones of great note and use in medicine, arts, and trades; among which are the Lapis Lazuli, which is ufed to make that finest of all blue colours called Ultramarine; the Turquoise ftone, fometimes, though improperly, reckoned a gem; and bifmuth, and Zink, much ufed in foldering gold and filver.

ORES AND FACTITIOUS METALS.

ORE is a hard mineral ftone, rock, or pebble, more or lefs impregnated with particles of metal; thefe, being feparated from the earthy part, are melted into a folid body or mafs of pure metal. To effect this purpofe, miners make use of stamping-mills, which by degrees break the mineral lumps into fmall pieces, till at last they are reduced to duft or powder; this powder is then carried, by a ftream of water from the mill, over feveral platforms of wood, lying one below another, on a gradual defcent; and the powdered mineral lodges upon each platform, according to the fize and weight of the particles, till that on the lowest part becomes of the neceffary fineness. The pulverized ore is afterwards carried to the fmelting-house, where it is put into a large furnace, with a proper flux to promote the fufion, and there, by the force of fire, it is melted, and finks to the bottom in a fluid ftate, while the earthy part, being of courfe lighter, rifes to the top. After this

procefs, the melted metal at the bottom is drained off into proper veffels, wher it gradually confolidates into the hard maffy fubftance of the metal, and takes the form of blocks, sheets, ingots, &c.

The ores of filver and copper afford exceedingly curious objects for the microscope: the various vegetation and fhooting of filver through the whole fubftance of the ore, in all forts of configurations, like fprigs, branches, fernleaves, &c. are aftonishingly curious when beheld with the naked eye, but much more fo by the microscope; and copper in general tinges moft marcafites or mundics, cryftals, gems, and precious ftones, with their richest dyes of green, blue, and purple.

Gold, filver, copper, iron, tin, lead, and mercury, are produced from ores properly called metallic; all agreeing in the common definition and characteriftic of metal; being hard, shining, mineral bodies, fufible in various degrees of heat, particularly that of fire, concrefcible by cold, malleable or ductile under the hammer, and the heavieft of all bodies.

The fingular properties of gold, which is the principal or most valuable of metals, are, that it is the most pure as well as heaviest of all compound bodies, being nineteen times and an half more ponderous than water. It is likewife the moft ductile of all metals, and is fufible in the fire, but in that fituation is more fixed, or lofes lefs, than any other metal. Gold is yellow by reflected light, and of an azure colour by refracted light through it's thin leaves: it is diffolvable only in aqua regia and mercury, and has an obtufe found. It is fometimes, though rarely, found in ore; fometimes in it's native ftate, in large clods of pure gold; but most commonly in fmall grains or duft, in the fands of many rivers on the Gold Coast of Guinea, in Japan, and other places.

Silver is the next metal, in point of purity, fixation, and ductility: it is ten and an half times heavier than water, and it's colour is the most perfect white. Silver difcovers more of a vegetable

and

and arborefcent configuration, both in it's native and diffolved flate, than any other metal; and it is diffolvable into a pellucid fluid by means of aqua fortis. Copper has only one property which principally distinguishes it; namely, found; being the most fonorous of all metals. It is of a red, or deep purple colour, but gives a fine blue to a folution of it, as well as to crystals precipitated to the bottom. It's weight, compared with water, is nearly as nine to one, and it is for the most part found in a very hard ftone of a dark colour, running in veins or loads between beds or layers of rocky earth or ftone. Copper is fometimes found in it's pure native form, and perfectly malleable, while at others it appears to have a vegetative power of fhooting twigs and branches; and very commonly it exudes in the mine in the fhape of bluepointed fhining cryftals, in large heads of fix or eight inches wide, very beau tiful to the eye.

Iron being the hardest of all metals, is not fufible except with very intense heat; but it is malleable and ductile with a common red heat; and may be hammered till it becomes red-hot. Iron is the only metal fufceptible of the magnetic power: it's weight to that of water is nearly as eight to one; it diffolves in aqua fortis with a rapidity and effervefcence beyond any other metal; and is corroded by the acid in the air very readily, fo as to become rufty. Iron is of a whitish glittering colour when broken; and, when red-hot under the hammer, it fends off scales or flakes of calcined iron highly magnetical. It is never found pure, but always in ore, either pebble or hard stone. It may be extracted by the load-stone from the ashes of plants, though it difcovers lefs of a vegetable configuration in cryftallizing than any other metal. Tin is the lightest of all metals: it's weight to that of water is little more than as feven to one. In colour it is as white as filver; it is fofter than any other metal, except lead; is malleable to a confiderable degree, melts with a fmall heat, is very little fubject to ruft, and not at all fonorous. It has the

leaft fixation in fire of any metal, mixes intimately with every other metallic fubftance, and renders them all brittle, iron only excepted. Tin is found in ore of hard ftone, and alfo in opake pebbles...

Except mercury and gold, Lead is the heaviest of metals; it's weight, compared with that of water, being nearly as eleven to one. It is likewife the foftelt of all metals, and of course very ductile and flexible; it melts fooneft, and is lefs fonorous than any other metal; has the leaft elafticity, and is the leaft fixed in the fire. It is feldom found pure, being generally in an ore of a gloffy black colour.

Mercury, though a fluid body, is alfo a folid one: this, however inconfiftent it may appear, is ftrictly true. Fluidity is one ftate of all metals by means of a certain degree of heat; and fixity, or folidity, is another, by means of a degree of cold which our air always affords; but that degree is far from being fufficient to fix mercury, or convert it into a folid body, nor yet is it cold enough at the Arctic Circle; but, at Petersburgh, an artificial cold has been made fufficient to fix it into a body as hard as lead, and whiter than tin when cut; and it was then alfo ductile or malleable with the hammer, and had all the other properties common to

metals.

Brafs is a factitious, not a natural metal: and is made by putting feven pounds of pulverized lapis calaminaris, or calamine ftone, to five pounds of copper, letting the whole ftand in a windfurnace eleven hours, in which time it becomes brafs, as we commonly fee that metal.

Steel is not properly a different metal from iron; being only iron so altered by art as to become of a finer grain, and harder in various degrees; confequently more fit for edge-tools, and many other purposes.

Pewter is a compound of feveral metals and minerals, fuch as tin mixed with lead, brafs, bifmuth, &c. Tinplates, as they are called, are in reality iron plates tinned on both fides, and penetrated fo ftrongly by the tin, that

they