the date of Lord Keith’s letter[1]. On a former occasion, he had met with a similar disappointment, as will be seen by the following letter, intended for Sir Andrew Mitchell, K.B. commander-in-chief at Halifax, but which he never had an opportunity of presenting:–
“Dear Mitchell, – This will be presented to you by a very fine young man, who unfortunately left me when my flag was struck, and went to the West Indies, by which he lost promotion. If you can give him a lift, it will be a very great favor conferred on, my dear friend, your faithful humble servant,
“P.S. – Higgs is my young friend’s name.”
On the 26th April, 1808, Mr. Higgs was ordered by Lord CoUingwood to act as commander of l’Espoir. “During the time I commanded that sloop,” says Captain Hope, “he served as my senior lieutenant, and, upon every occasion, conducted himself very much to my satisfaction, as an officer deserving of promotion” “In the following year, being then under the command of Captain Robert Mitford, he assisted at the capture of the islands of Ischia and Procida; and in April 1810, at the capture and destruction of several Neapolitan vessels on the coast of Italy[2]. In 1812, l’Espoir formed part of a light squadron employed in the Archipelago, for the purpose of conciliating, as far as possible, the good understanding then subsisting between England and the Sublime Porte, and of affording protection to our commercial relations in that quarter. From April 14th, 1813, until July 7th following, she was again commanded, pro tempore, by Lieutenant Higgs. On the 8th Aug. in the same year, then under the command of the late Hon. Sir Robert C. Spencer, she assisted at the attack of Cassis, near Toulon, on which occasion five land batteries, three heavy gun-boats, and twenty-five French merchant vessels, were captured and destroyed[3].
