I have not much weight in that, nor indeed in any other public, department; however, we will hope it may be of use.
“I assure you, it was a real mortification for me, to find that I missed your good father and yourself, when you did me the favor of calling at Kensington Palace; it was impossible for me, overwhelmed as I have been with business, from my arrival until now, to receive any of my friends, without their making an appointment beforehand; but I trust you both know me too well to doubt the sincerity of my regard. To your mother and sisters I desire my affectionate remembrance, and I remain ever, with friendship and esteem, my dear St. Clair, yours faithfully,
(Signed) " Edward."
It is proper here to observe, that Commander St. Clair’s father served at Gibraltar when the Duke of Kent was attached to that garrison, as colonel of the Royal Scots; and that he was always considered by the Prince “as one of his best friends.” The commander married, in 1819, his cousin, Elizabeth Isabella, daughter of John Farhill, of Chichester, Esq. and grand-daughter of Sir Thomas Wilson, Knt. His brothers, three in number, made choice of the military profession:– the eldest, James Paterson St. Clair, was a lieutenant-colonel in the royal artillery; – the next in succession, William, a captain in the 25th foot, after distinguishing himself on several occasions abroad, was killed at the storming of the heights of Sourrier, in Martinique, Feb. 2d, 1809, on which occasion he commanded a regiment composed of the flank companies of the army; – the youngest, Thomas Staunton St. Clair, lieutenant-colonel of the 94th foot, was honoured with four medals for his services during the peninsular war. The Hon. Matthew Sinclair, who perished when commanding the Martin sloop of war, in 1800, was a cousin to those gentlemen.
JOHN BERNHARD SMITH, Esq.
[Commander.]
We first find this officer serving as midshipman of the Hercule 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral J. R. Dacres, on the Jamaica station; where, April 8th, 1806, being then in command of that ship’s tender, the Gracieuse, mounting twelve guns, he captured a large Spanish schooner, full of passen-
