tenant O’Neill will accept them, with the assurance of the Commodore’s best respects.”
In the course of the ensuing month, Earl Spencer’s private secretary wrote to Lieutenant O’Neill as follows:–
“Sir,– Lord Spencer, in answer to your letter of the 10th instant, has directed me to say, that your conduct has been very satisfactory; and that, by-and-by, his lordship hopes to have an opportunity of promoting you: but he cannot do it at present. I return Commodore Capelle’s note, and am. Sir, &c.
About this period, an agreement was entered into between the hostile powers, that the fishing vessels of England and Holland should be allowed to pursue their avocations, within certain limits, unmolested. A complaint of an infraction of this agreement having been forwarded to Lord Duncan, then at Yarmouth, the commander of the Cobourg was immediately despatched, vested with discretionary authority, to take cognizance of the affair. On the 25th Mar. 1800, we find him addressing the senior naval officer at the Texel as follows: –
“I have been directed by my admiral to inform you, that the British fishing vessels have been chased and disturbed in his district by a cutter presumed to be a Dutch privateer. I am therefore commanded to acquaint you that, if enquiry be not made into the same, and satisfactory and immediate redress given, he will not permit fishing vessels to come out of any port in Holland. I have the honor to be, &c.
In answer to this intimation, Admiral De Winter and his locum tenens at the Texel both wrote to Mr. O’Neill, acquainting him that the offence had been committed by a French privateer, over which they could not possibly have any control. In addition to the foregoing services, this active officer obtained information which led to the capture of two Dutch men-of-war by the Sirius frigate. Captain (now Sir Richard) King; an event which, owing to the hitherto improper representation thereof, we shall hereafter more fully notice. On the 25th April 1800, Lieutenant O’Neill received the following satisfactory announcement:–
