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on board from Halifax to lend their assistance. Among the number was an amiable young man, Lieutenant James, * of the Nova-Scotia regiment, to the unspeakable distress of his worthy parents, and the sincere regret of an extended circle of friends. The loss of the Tribune should operate as a lesson upon all who are avariciously inclined. Had the master not been anxious to grasp the money allowed by government to the pilot who conducts the ship into port, the Tribune, and the many poor souls that perished in her, might have been saved. A war with Spain necessarily rendered Spain's colonies an immediate object of attack to her powerful maritime opponent. Accordingly, on the 12th of February, an expedition, composed of four sail of the line, two sloops and a bomb-vessel, under the command of rear-admiral Harvey, in the Prince-of-Wales, having on board his ship Lieutenant-general Sir Ralph Abercromby, as the commanding officer of the troops to be employed, quitted Port-Royal, Martinique. On the 14th the rear-admiral arrived at the port of rendezvous, the island of Carinacou ; and was there joined by another sail of the line (the Invincible), two frigates, three sloops, and several transports, containing the troops destined for the attack. On the junction of this reinforcement, the admiral's force consisted of the:
Frigates, Arethusa, and Alarm. On the 15th the squadron and transports again set sail, running between the islands of Carinacou and Grenada. On the morning of the 16th the whole arrived off Trinidad, and steered for the gulf of Paria ; when at about 3 h. 30 m. p.m., just as the British squadron had passed through the Great Bocas channel, a Spanish squadron was discovered at anchor in Shaggarainus bay, consisting of the following four sail of the line and one frigate:
* Neither related, nor personally known, to the author. ^ back to top ^ |