and future safety of the illustrious voyagers and their loyal followers, Sir W. Sidney Smith took his leave, to rejoin that division of his squadron left to observe the Tagus, making the charge of the Brazil convoy over to the able and judicious Captain of the Marlborough, the present Sir Graham Moore.
On the Rear-Admiral’s return to his station, he found Lisbon occupied by the French troops under Junot, who had obtained possession of the forts, without the slightest opposition on the part of the Portugueze. Sir W. Sidney Smith continued to blockade the coast until the 15th Jan. 1808, on which day he was superseded in the command of the squadron by the late Sir Charles Cotton. On the 24th of the same month, our officer had the satisfaction of receiving despatches from the Admiralty, conveying their Lordships’ high approbation of his whole conduct in the management of the service committed to his charge, and in the execution of the various orders he had received from time to time.
About the middle of the following month, Sir W. Sidney Smith was relieved by Rear-Admiral Otway; and, with his flag in the Foudroyant of 80 guns, proceeded to South America, where he assumed the chief command. During his continuance on that station he rendered essential services to the commercial and shipping interests of the United Kingdom, for which he received the grateful thanks of the Committee of Merchants trading to Brazil.
On the 14th June following, Sir W. Sidney Smith gave an entertainment to the whole Portugueze royal family and court, on board his flag-ship, when the Prince Regent presented him, with his own hands, the standard of Portugal, to be borne as an augmentation to his coat of arms, and declared the revival of the Order of the Tower and Sword, instituted by Don Alfonso V, surnamed the African, in 1459, of which order the Rear-Admiral was afterwards created a Knight Grand Cross.
Sir W. Sidney Smith returned to England in the Diana frigate, Aug. 7? 1809, and soon after struck his flag. On the 31st July, in the following year, he was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral; and about the same period received the honorary degree of D.C.L., the grace for which passed the senate of the University of Oxford, in 1805[1]. The degree of
- ↑ On the 20th April, 1822, Sir W. Sidney Smith presented to the Bod-
