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1829.]

Domestic Occurences.-Promotions, &c.

infringement of our liberties, and the introduction of Popery into every department of the State." In the correspondence of March 19, which arose from the above remarks, it was required, on the part of the Duke, that Lord Winchilsea should forthwith write to the secretary of the King's College, and express his desire to withdraw his public letter, as one which attributed motives highly offensive to the Duke of Wellington, and state also, that upon reflection he was not justified in attributing such motives to his Grace. The Earl refused to adopt this course; and the Duke of Wellington immediately sent a challenge,

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which was accepted. The Duke of Wellington was attended by Sir H. Hardinge as his second, and the Earl of Winchilsea by the Earl of Falmouth. After the necessary preliminaries had been settled, the parties took their ground. The Duke of Wellington fired first, but without effect. The Earl of Winchilsea then discharged his pistol in the air. After satisfying his honour, Lord Winchilsea felt himself at liberty to present a written apology, agreeably to the terms dictated by the Duke, which was delivered by Lord Falmouth to Sir H. Hardinge, and accepted by him as a satisfactory reparation to the Duke of Wellington.

PROMOTIONS AND PREFERMENTS.-
GAZETTE PROMOTIONS, &c.
War Office, Feb. 23. 5th Dragoon Guards,
Capt. Trevor Wheler, to be Major.-63d
Foot, Lieut.-Col. Holman Custance, to be

Lieut.-Col.-65th Foot, Capt. Geo. Wilson,
to be Major.

Unattached, Major Thomas Perronnet Thompson, 65th Foot, to be Lieut.-Col. of Inf.

Feb. 26. Edwin Burnaby, of Baggravehall, co. Leicester, esq. to be one of His Majesty's Privy Chamber in Ordinary.

March 14. Royal Eng.-Capt. S.Romilly, to be Lieut.-Col.

March 16. J. S. Wanley Sawbridge, of Charborough Park, Dorset, esq., and Jane Frances, his wife, to take and use the names of Erle Drax, in addition to that of Sawbridge.

March 19. 16th Foot, Lieut-Col. Lionel Smith Hook, from the Ceylon Regiment, to be Lieut.-Colonel.-60th Foot, Capt. Lord Geo. Hervey to be Major.-Ceylon Regiment, Lieut.-Col. Henry Bird, 16th Foot, to be Lieut.-Col.

Unattached, Major Jas. Holmes Schoedde, 60th Foot, to be Lieut.-Col. of Inf.

Brevet. Lieut.-Gen. Geo. Earl of Dalhousie, G.C.B., to have the local rank of General in the East Indies only; Col. Jas. Butler, Royal Invalid Art. to be Major-Gen; Major-Gen. James Butler, to be Lieut.Gen. Capt. Robert Bateman, 77th Foot, to be Major.

Col. Sir Geo. Scovell, K.C.B. of the Royal Waggon Train, to be Lieut.-Governor of the Royal Military College.

Members returned to serve in Parliament.
Aldeburgh.-Marquis of Douro, vice
Wyndham Lewis, esq.

Bath.-The Earl of Brecknock.
Carlisle.-Sir. W. Scott, bart, vice Sir
Geo. Graham, bart.

Corfe Castle-P. J. Miles, of Leigh-court,
Somerset, esq. vice N. W. Peach, esq.
Edinburghshire.-Sir Geo. Clerk, of Pen-
icuick, bart., re-elected.

Launceston.-Sir J. W. Gordon, Bart. Marlborough.-T. H. Sutton Bucknall Estcourt, esq. vice Earl Bruce; W. J. Bankes, esq. vice Hon. T. Wodehouse. Sadler, esq. vice Lieut-Gen. Sir Win. Henry Newark-upon-Trent.-Michael Thomas

Clinton.

Newport (Cornwall).-Rt. Hon. W. G. Vesey Fitzgerald.

Oxford Univer.-Robert Harry Inglis, D.C.L., vice the Right Hon. Robert Peel. Ripon.-Geo. Spence, of Pall-mall, London, esq. vice Sir R. H. Inglis, bart.

Truro.-John Scott, esq., commonly called Lord Visct Encombe, vice Lord Fitzroy Somerset; Nath. Wm. Peach, esq. vice Wm. Edw. Tomline.

Westbury.-The Right Hon. Robert Peel, vice Sir Manasseh Masseh Lopez, bart.

ECCLESIASTICAL PREFERMENTS.

Rev. R. A. Musgrave, Preb. of Windsor. Rev. T. Anderson, Ch. and Parish of Crawford, co. Lanark.

Rev. J. Driver, Elleh and Shireshead P. C.
co. Lancaster.

Rev. T. Evans, Longdon-upon-Feru Ch.
Salop.

Rev. D. Felix, Llanilar V. Cardiganshire.
Rev. R. C. Griffith, Fifield R. Wilts.
Rev. R. Hammond, Harpley and Great Bir-
aham R. Norfolk.

Rev. J. Hindle, Higham V. Kent.
Rev. J. Horseman, Little Gaddesden, co.
Hertford.

Rev. F. Howes, Framlingham Pigott R.
Norfolk.

Rev. J. Husband, Allerton Maulverer P. C.
co. York.

Rev. H. Huxham, St. Sampson P. C. Corn-
wall.

Rev. C. R. Jones, Noath V. Glamorganshire
Rev. E. C. Hemp, Whissonsett R. Suffolk.
Rev. Rich. Messiter, Purse Candle R. with

Stourton Candle Perp. Cur. Dorset.
Rev. J. L'Oste, Caister St. Edmund R. with
Marketshall annexed, Norfolk.

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Jan. 1, 1829, at Lincoln, Thos. Yorke, esq. of Churchfield, near Oundle, co. Northt. to Eliz. second dau. of the late John Green, esq. of Dowsby-Hall.-15. At Llangwm, co. Denbigh, Lieut.-Gen. John Manners Kerr, son of the late Dr. Kerr, of Northampton, to Catherine Mary Margaretta, dau. and coh. of Edw. Loyd, esq. of Maesmur, co. Denbigh.

29. At Great Ealing, co. Middx. the Rev. W. Stoddart, M.A. of Northampton, to Fanuy, youngest dau. of the late Capt. John Woodhouse, 7th Regt. Madras Cavalry.

-12.

Feb. 11. At St. Peter's, Dublin, the Rev. Robert Trail, son of the Archd. of Connor, to Anne, eldest dau. of the late Sir Samuel, and sister of the present Sir Edm. Hayes, bart. of Drumboe Castle, Donegal. At Leatherhead, Samuel Brooke, esq. of Croydon, to Eleanor, dau. of Lieut.-Col. Watts.At Thenford, the Rev. Francis Leighton, Rector of Cardiston, Salop, only son of the late Major-Gen. Thos. Leighton, E.I.C., to Catherine, second dau. of S. A. Severne, esq. of Wallop-Hall.- -At Clifton, the Rev. Giles Pugh, of Chalbury-Hill, Dorset, to Janet Pomeroy, only dau. of the late Robert M'Ghie, esq.- -At Southhampton, the Rev. Fred. Russell, to Ellen, eldest dau. of the late Geo. Harrison Cosens,

esq. of Jamaica.- -At Marylebone church,

the Hon. H. Stafford Jerningham,eldest son of Lord Stafford, to Miss Howard, dau. to the late Edw. Howard, esq. F.R.S., and niece to his Grace the Duke of Norfolk.-17. At St. George's, Hanover-square, Lieut.Col. Freemantle, Coldstream Guards, to Agnes, third dau. of the late David Lyon, esq. of Portland-place.- -AtTrinityChurch St. Marylebone, T. J. Ireland, esq. to Eliz. dau. of Sir W. Earle Welby, bart. of DentonHall, Lincolnshire.-18. At St. George's, Chas. Scrase Dickins, esq. to Lady F. Eliza Compton, sister of the present Marq. of Northampton.-19. At Walton, Burtonon-Trent, John, eldest son of Theophilus Levett, esq. of Witchner Park, co. Stafford, to Sophia Eliza, third dau. of the Hon. Robt Kennedy. -19. At Bristol, Capt. W. Martin, R.N. to Anna Maria, eldest dau. of B. O. Donnoghue, esq.- Thos. Fensome, of Astwoodbury House, co. Bucks, to Miss Missenden, dau, of Mr. M. of Whaddon, co. Bucks.21. W.Corrie, esq. of Baker

street, Portman-square, to Catherine, youngest dau. of the late John Taylor, esq. of Everley, Yorkshire.At St. Mary's, Bryanstone-square, Henry, youngest son of John Cape, esq. of Panton-square, to Sarah, second dau. of the late Wm. Davidge, esq. of Gloucestershire.-24. At Loddeswell, the Rev. C. G. Owen, Rector of Dodbrooke, co. Devon, to Susan Harrington, eldest dau. of the late Thomas Burnard, esq.At Stoke Damarel, Devonshire, R. N. Julian, esq. only son of Major Julian, of Estover, near Plymouth, to Fanny, second dau, of John Briggs, esq. of Devonport.28. John Johnston, esq. of Swaffham, to Marianne, second dau. of the Rev. G. Martin, of East Winslow, Lincolnshire..

-26.

Lately. At Lincoln, the Rev. W. J. Charlton Staunton, only son of the Rev. Dr. Staunton, of Staunton-Hall, Notts, to Isabella, only daughter of the Dean of Lincoln. At Berkswell, Warwickshire, Geo. Graham Blackwell, esq. of Ampney Park, Gloucestershire, to Eliz. Emma, eldest dau. of Sir E. Eardley Wilmot, bart.At Nottingham, W. D. Jones, esq. R.A. to Eliza Margaret, second dau. of Geo. Smith, esq. of Plumptre House, Nottingham.

March 2. At St. Alban's, S. F. T. Wylde, esq. barrister-at-law, to Margaret, youngest dau. of P. Martineau, esq.-3. At the Rectory-House, St. Marylebone, J. F. W. Herschell, esq. of Slough, Bucks, to Margaret Brodie, second dau. of late Rev. Dr. Alex. Stewart, Canongate, Edinburgh.At St. Mary's, Marylebone, Alex. Taylor, esq. to Lydia, widow of Col. Wm. Cooper.

5. At Hackney, the Rev. W. Tait, of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, to Katherine, eldest dau. of Benj. Adain, esq. of Homerton.6. The Rev. Geo. Dewdney, Rector of Fovant, Wilts, to Penelope, second dau. of John Jabor, esq. of Finsbury-square-At Dalry House, Edinburgh, T. H. Graham, esq. of Edmond Castle, Cumberland, to Mary, dau. of the late Sir David Carnegie, of Southesk, bart-9. At All Souls, Langham-place, Bertram Mitford, esq. of Mitford Castle, Northumberland, to Frances, eldest dau. of the late Capt. H. Mitford, R.N. of Fisbury, Hants.-10. At Richmond, Surrey, Don Manuel de la Torre, late of Devonshire-street, to Miss Anne Jones Har

rison.

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THE EARL OF HUNTINGDON. Dec. 9. At Green-park, Youghal, the residence of his son-in law Capt. Henry Parker, R.N. in his 50th year, the Right Hon. Hans-Francis eleventh Earl of Huntingdon of the family of Hastings, a Captain in the Royal Navy.

This Nobleman, so memorable from having attained to his ancient and most honourable Earldom after it had been for thirty years considered as extinct, was the fourth and youngest, but only surviving, son of Lt.-Colonel George Hastings, of the third Guards, and seventh in descent from Francis the second Earl of Huntingdon, and K.G. who died in 1560. His mother was Sarah, daughter of Colonel Thomas Hodges, by a daughter of Sir Thomas Fowler, Bart, It was remarkable that, although up to a certain period there were much nearer male beirs to the Earldom in the branch of Hastings of Woodlands, the branch of which the Earl now deceased was a member, had been especially cherished by the heads of the family. Colonel George Hastings was even designed for the husband of Lady Selina, who prematurely died in 1763, when about eight years of age. Francis Earl of Huntingdon, his predecessor, placed the subject of our memoir at Repton school. He bad remained there nearly three years, when the Earl died; and it was found that, whilst bis Baronies and the bulk of his estates had devolved on his sister the Countess of Moira, and he had amply provided for an illegitimate son, the Colonel and his elder brother the Rev. Theophilus (who then in fact became Earl of Huntingdon), were dismissed with but trifling legacies. Earl Moira, to whom the subject of our memoir, then eleven years of age, was now taught to look for patronage, soon after removed him to Bettesworth Academy at Chelsea, in order to fit him for the naval profession. Having completed the usual preparatory course of study, he was placed, early in 1793, under the protection of Sir J. B. Warren, who at that time commanded the Flora, 36, fitting at Deptford. Sir John sailed soon after from Spithead together with the Inconstant, Captain Montgomery, as convoy to the Lisbon and Oporto fleets; and during a cruise taken in the interval between the arrival and departure of the convoy, chased a frigate into l'Orient, and captured l'Affamée privateer. The Flora, in company with the Endymion Irigate and Fury sloop, afterwards pro

ceeded to escort the two merchant fleets, consisting of ninety-seven sail, and arrived sately with them in the Downs, about the middle of October. In November of the same year, Sir John received orders to hoist the flag of RearAdmiral M'Bride, who commanded a squadron of several frigates, then ordered to escort, to the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, the British troops under the Earl of Moira, destined to succour the Royalist army in France; when Lord Moira and several officers of high rank embarked in the Flora. After the disembarkation of four thousand men at Guernsey, and their subsequent removal to the Isle of Wight, Admiral M'Bride shifted his flag, and sent Sir John, with the Crescent, la Nymphe, Druid, and Fury sloop, under his command, to cruise off the coast of France, where be captured la Vipere, a national corvette brig of 18 guns and 110 men, off Havre de Grace, and drove two other cruisers of the enemy on shore. In March 1794, after several months spent off Cherbourg, Havre, and St. Maloes, with Admiral M'Bride's force, Sir John was by that officer dispatched as Commodore in the Flora, with the Arethusa, Sir E. Pellew, Concorde, Sir R. Strachan, la Nymphe, Captain Murray, and Melampus, Captain Wills, under his orders, to watch a squadron composed of the best frigates the French Navy then possessed, which generally rendezvoused at Cherbourg or Concale. They were found in Conclave bay, April 23, 1794, lying in wait for the trading fleet from Cork; and, after a contest of three hours, succeeded in capturing la Pomone 44, l'Engageant 34, and le Babet 22. The subject of our memoir was at this period Aid-de-camp to Sir John Warren, and continued so till removed from his command in 1799. This was the first general action in which Lord Huntingdon was present. During the whole of the contest he kept his station on deck, firm and collected; though so rough a taste of his profession might be supposed to produce other sensations in a mind not long released from school, more especially as the only man lost in the Flora, was killed by a cannon shot so close to him, that the brains bespattered his face and clothes all over. Sir J. B. Warren was soon after created a Knight of the Bath.

After some time spent in refitting at Portsmouth, the Flora, together with the Arethusa and Melampus, were

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The Earl of Huntingdon.

again detached from Admiral M‘Bride's squadron, on a separate service, cruising off the western coast of Brittany and la Vendée. At one time, owing to a peculiar combination of chances, they had no alternative but to steer directly through a part of the great convoy bound from America to France, laden with provisions and corn for the latter, then afflicted by her extremest distress. In this critical predicament they were pursued by three of the enemy's seventyfours and three frigates, for several hours; and, though Sir John passed within sail, and spoke some of the rear of the convoy, he at length escaped from so unequal a force by superior nautical skill.

At the commencement of 1795, Sir John received orders to hoist his broad pendant on board la Pomone 44, (the largest of the frigates captured in the late action,) as Commodore of the expedition then planned against the French coast, as an effort to assist the French loyalists. During the gallant and perilous, but unsuccessful operations at Quiberon Bay, Lord Huntingdon, being engaged in the boats commanded by Lieutenant Burke, in the desperate service of bringing out a British vessel which had run on shore, received a severe wound in the left leg.

After the failure of the enterprise at Quiberon, Sir John proceeded to the mouth of the Loire, where the Isle Dieu was for three months occupied by the British forces; and, after its evacuation, toward the close of 1795, he was employed in continual and successful cruises off the coast of France, under the immediate orders of the Admiralty. By the vigilance of his squadrons, and that under Sir E. Pellew, the convoys to the Frencb fleet at Brest were continually intercepted. At one time, on occasion of his having captured l'Etoile sloop of war and four merchantmen, the Committee of Merchant-seamen, for the encouragement of the capture of the enemy's privateers, presented him with a sword of 100 guineas value, in consideration of the protection which the commerce of Great Britain bad derived from his squadron, the list of its services then amounting to no less than 23 neutrals detained; 87 merchantmen captured and 54 destroyed; 25 ships and vessels of war captured and 12 destroyed; besides 19 vessels re-captured, making a total of 220 sail. Soon after this the squadron was attached to the Channel fleet, and afterwards dispersed on other points of service.

In 1797, Sir John Warren was appointed to the Canada 74, stationed off

[March,

Brest, to watch the enemy's fleet; and in October of the following year, when it at last succeeded in escaping, he was by Sir Alexander Gardiner despatched in pursuit. After struggling with very unfavourable weather, he arrived off the coast of Ireland without meeting a single vessel of war; but at length, on the 12th of October, he fell in with and engaged la Roche 80, eight frigates, a schooner and a brig, which were bearing succour to the Irish rebels. The ship of-the-line and three frigates were taken, as in the subsequent pursuit were three others of those which were put to flight.

After this brilliant affair, Sir John Warren received the thanks of the Parliaments both of England and Ireland, and was honoured with the freedom of the cities of London and Londonderry. Lord Huntingdon having accompanied his friend and patron through six years of arduous service, being present in every action without receiving any very serious injury, had thus honourably gone through the professional ordeal of a midshipman, and now passed his examination for a lieutenancy. He was thereupon appointed acting-lieutenant in the Sylph brig, commanded by Captain J. Chambers White, and in that vessel cruised for two months off the Western Islands, and was present at the capture of two Spanish merchantmen. On his return to Plymouth with the prizes, he received the commission of second lieutenant of his Majesty's sloop Racoon, Captain Lloyd, of Sheerness, and continuing on the Downs station for the protection of trade, captured several row-boat privateers, and re-took the Benjamin and Elizabeth of Loudon, belonging to Alderman Lushington. Early in 1800 he was appointed first lieutenant of the Thisbe, Captain Murrison, in which ship he accompanied the expedition to Egypt, and served the whole of that naval campaign.

He returned late in 1801, and, on the subsequent short peace of Amiens, retired into Leicestershire, where he settled with his uncle the Rev. Theophilus Hastings, at Leke, Colonel Hastings, his father, having died shortly before.

This interval of repose, however, as that of the country, was only of short duration. Through the interest of the immortal Nelson, he was appointed second lieutenant of l'Aigle, Captain Wolfe, and afterwards, on the breaking out of the new war in 1803, sent from Portsmouth to Weymouth roads to im press seamen for his Majesty's service. Whilst performing this unpopular duty in the island of Portland, the party under his command were furiously attacked

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by a tumultuous assemblage, and a conflict ensued, in which seventeen of his men were wounded, and three of the assailants unfortunately lost their lives. Captain Wolfe immediately dispatched him to London, to lay a proper account of this unpleasant affair before Government; but, on his landing at Weymouth he was recognised by the mob from Portland, who seized him, and by their threats compelled the Mayor to commit him to Dorchester gaol for the alleged murder. Lieutenant Hastings humanely complied, and even advised the Mayor to acquiesce in the wishes of the populace for his detention. He was allowed to remain in confinement for six weeks, and then, having been removed by Habeas Corpus to Westminster, was there bailed by Lord Moira. Immediately on his liberation, with a rapidity of movement which characterizes the elasticity of youthful spirits, as well as the vicisitudes of the naval profession, he posted off to Ipswich, carried to London the lady afterwards his first Countess, to whom he had previously paid his addresses, and married her at St. Ann's, Soho, May 12, 1803. This lady was Frances, third daughter of the Rev. Richard Chaloner Cobbe, (a descendant of the Earls of Godolphin,) rector of Great Marlow, and son of the Rev. R. C. Cubbe, nephew and chaplain to Dr. Chas. Cobbe, Archbishop of Dublin, and Vicar of St. Anne's and of Finlas, and treasurer of St. Patrick's. By this lady, who died in 1820, (and whose portrait was published in Mr. Bell's "Huntingdon Peerage,") the Earl had four sons and four daughters, who shall be more particularly noticed hereafter.

Early in the morning following his marriage, Lieutenant Hastings was obliged to part from his bride to join his sloop at Plymouth, in consequence of peremptory orders to that effect. On bis arrival, he found l'Aigle just getting under weigh for a cruise, to intercept French merchantmen then coming from the West Indies, and be was fortunate in making some very valuable captures before his return to stand his trial at the Summer Assizes at Dorchester. At the necessary time he and his brother offi cers gave themselves up to the law, and were all honourably acquitted.

Lieut. Hastings was next removed by his friend Lord Nelson to the Diamond 38, Captain Elphinstone, where he remained till the death, in 1804, of his uncle the old Leicestershire clergyman, (then in right Earl of Huntingdon,) on which event he procured leave of absence from the Admiralty to investigate bis claim to the dormant Earldom. Un

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happily, however, he was prevented from prosecuting his right at that time by peculiar and discouraging circumstances, and, after some inquiry respecting legal expences, which only served to deter him, he turned once more to the tardy honours of his profession in lieu of the hereditary dignities which seemed lost to bim. In the latter end of the same year he was appointed second lieutenant in the Audacious, Captain Lewford, in which ship he served in the Channel fleet till 1805. Another change then made him flag lieutenant to Admiral Douglas, in the Hibernia, where he continued until the Admiral struck his flag.

At this period his Lordship, perhaps weary of such frequent changes with but little advancement, repaired to London, and waited on Lord Moira, expecting, in view of his long and various services, and through the recommendation of that nobleman, the rank of Commander; but was told that Lord Barbam had so completely shut the door of promotion, that his only chance was to go out to the West Indies, and wait a death vacancy. This proposal of his noble relation be indignantly rejected, as both his elder brothers, sent out to the same quarter by Lord Moira's interest, had fallen victims to the inhospitable climate. After this refusal, Lord Moira had him appointed Acting Ordnance Barrackmaster in the Isle of Wight; and, in 1808, Ordnance Store-keeper in Enniskillen. In this humble situation, on a salary of 1504. his Lordship lived for more than nine years in domestic retirement, the honours of bis ancestors, and the rights of his birth, almost forgotten. Among a warm-bearted and hospitable people, his benevolent and generous nature, and the conciliating affability of his manners, at once effaced all distinctions of country, and made him beloved and respected by all classes of society.

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"It was," continues Mr. Nugent Bell, from whose work on "The Huntingdon Peerage' we have all along been quoting, "it was towards the close of the above period, that an accidental conversation, in a social hour, with the writer of the present memoir, (with whom and whose family his Lordship had long been on terms of familiar friendship,) led to the revival of his hereditary claim to the Earldom of Huntingdon." Mr. Bell's most interesting narrative of his singular and even romantic adventures, in the pursuit of this objeet, was published in 1820, and it is probably the most entertaining of any genealogical work extant (see it reviewed in vol. xc. ii. 521, xc. i. 44).

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