The Virginia Gazette

The Remainder of Vice-Admiral Lestock's Speech

at the Bar of the Honourable House of Commons, on Tuesday the 23d of April, 1745, after the Examination of the Evidence was closed, which he was admitted to hear, began in this Paper, No. 490.

In the Night before the Action, he brought to, by his own Account, within a little more than three Guns Shot of them, and order'd the Essex to lie a Mile to Leeward of him, and the Winchelsea a good Musket Shot to Leeward of the Essex, to watch their Motions, and make their proper Signals, and stand after them, in case they should make Sail; and that he was so near that he could count the Enemy's Ships, after the Moon was down.

Here the honourable Committee will be pleas'd to observe, that all the necessary Precautions were taken, lest the Enemy should endeavour to escape us when we were not so much as form'd in Order of Battle, and they were lying by for us in good Order; but when we had gain'd the Advantage, of disabling four of their Ships, and burning another, he became more cautious, and brought to, at a much greater Distance, in Order of Battle, without sending Cruizers to observe their Motions.

What could occasion two such extraordinary Extremes, as the least Danger could not arise by going nearer at this Juncture, is impossible to say; but it is certain, they are opposite to the Rules of War and Prudence, especially as it would have been easy for us to have kept Sight of them all Night, by making more and more Sail, as they appear'd less and less perceptible.

It has been proved, that we saw the Enemy next Morning, and that I made a Signal for seeing twenty Sail of them, Mr. Mathews's Account also says, 'that he saw the Enemy next Morning, but at a great Distance. And further it says; that after the Admiral lost Sight of the Enemy's Fleet, he found all his Endeavours to rejoin them, or procure Intelligence of them, ineffectual, they being gone as he supposed, down the Straits.'

Here he acknowledges that he saw the Enemy (notwithstanding his Captain at that Time, Capt. Long, declared at the Bar, that they could not see them from the Mast-head;) but Mr. Mathews does not say one Word in his Account, of calling me off Chase; having gained so much on the Enemy, as to make them from the Deck, with a Separation between the Spanish and French Squadrons.

Not satisfied with the Signal for that Purpose, the Winchelsea was sent with Orders for me to come into the Fleet; and if it was Weather for her Boat to come on Board of me, surely it was such as might have been employed in going after a fugitive disabled Enemy, without injuring our Ships' Masts that were wounded.

Admiral Mathews says in his Account, 'that the Day before, there was great Reason to believe, that if there had been any Wind the French would have left the Spanish crippled Ships, as most of them suffer'd greatly.' And now that there was Wind sufficient to bring him up with the Enemy to gain those Ships, or force a general Engagement, he gives over Chase, passing over this Particular in his Account, or giving any Reason for extraordinary Conduct; at the same Time pretending that he us'd all his Endeavours to rejoin the Enemy, or procure Intelligence of them, when it is notorious that he lay by all Day and next Night with an Easterly Wind.

Every Consideration seem'd to enforce our Fleet pursuing the Enemy down the Straits, especially as it was reported they expected Reinforcements from Brest, and not one against it, even if it could have been possible to have trained our wounded Masts by sailing large: So great an Advantage, and such sure Omens of Victory were worth running some Risk; and as the Enemy escaped by my being call'd off Chase, Mr. Mathews, who gave the Order, is alone answerable.

After that Queries, Answers, and Replies had past between us, on the 16th of March, above five Weeks after the Action, having sent Mr. Mathews what is entitled my Rejoinder, a Paper of some Length and Reasoning, without any farther Consideration he sent me the Letter of Suspension. I struck my Flag the same Night, and the next Morning many Boats came on board of the Ship, enquiring whether I was not dead; and even some Captains ask'd the Cause of my being suspended; so little did it appear to the Fleet that I had misbehaved, or deserved this severe Censure.

However, notwithstanding this publick Censure, his Majesty's Governor of Minorca seem'd to esteem me an injur'd Man, by saluting me with fifteen Guns, when I sailed out of the Harbour, on board of the Salisbury for England; and this is what he never would have done, had he imagined I had sacrificed his Majesty's Service, and the Honour of my Country.

When Admiral Mathews arrived from England, I not only saluted him myself, but I order'd all the Ships in the Fleet to do it, and went in my Boat, out of the Port of Villa Franca, to meet him before he got in. Had he been of the Royal Blood, I could not have paid him more Respect, or Submission; in Return to which, immediately on seeing me, before Monsieur Corbeau, the Commandant of the Country of Nice, and some Field-Officers in the King of Sardinia's Service, as well as a great many Captains of the Fleet, without any Regard to Decency or good Manners, my Rank, and Reputation as an Officer, he began with reprimanding me, telling me he was surprised, that as I had been so long in his Majesty's Service, I had not yet learn'd to comply with his Instructions in writing to him, and sending a Frigate down to Gibraltar to him. I answered, that I had done both, and if he had not received my Letters, nor met with the Frigate, it was not my Fault.

I had the Satisfaction and Pleasure to receive the King of Sardinia's Thanks, as also his Majesty's entire Approbation of my Conduct, by a Letter from the Duke of Newcastle; yet it was too difficult a Task for me to please Mr. Mathews.

He began his Command over me in this Manner, and superseded all the Officers that I had made, even my own Secretary, and those that had been appointed before he sail'd from England, and had come within the Jurisdiction of his Command.

This, I humbly apprehend, he had no more Power to do, than to supersede the Officers that Mr. Haddock had appointed; since I had the King's Authority to command the Fleet.

Not to trespass any longer on the Time of the honourable Committee, having been thus arraign'd and condemn'd by Admiral Mathews, deprived of commanding in chief
I was sent home, as a Delinquent, in a Fifty Gun Ship, charged with a Convoy, fall in the Sight of the Nation, to take all the Blame and Odium of the Failure of his Majesty's Fleet: As in the Shame and open Disgrace thus put upon me, was involved the Misconduct of every Person in the Fleet, as it has appear'd that no other has been accused by Admiral Mathews:

But with what Equity and Impartiality, I submit to the honourable Committee.

Here I have been near a Twelve-months, even junior Flag Officers promoted to the Rank above me; left to struggle without any Friend, with the greatest Misfortunes and Difficulties to come at my Trial, the indubitable Right of every Englishman: And had Mr. Mathews laboured and endeavour'd as much to obtain an Enquiry, as I have done, the necessary Evidences would have been arrived to have perfected it before this Time, and entirely confuted the many scandalous Reports spread to blemish my Reputation.

I have nothing more to add, than that I hope, though I have not been armed for this Enquiry with my Evidence, yet I have given no Proof of conscious Guilt, or a defective Cause.

The Persecution of popular Clamour, and the Tortures of Misrepresentations and Calumny, have had their Days against me; but now the Time is at Hand, when they must yield to Truth and Demonstration.