48
LETTERS.
[ 1781 .
out of bed. I have been but twice out of the Ship since herarrival. I saw Mr. Belless 5 on one of those days ; he is prettywell, and desires his compliments to you. Old Westcott, theMaster Attendant, is gone upon leave : he is very unwell. I amsorry to hear poor Captain Sutton® is gone to the East Indies.That Johnstone must be a sad villain, he hopes to kill Sutton,to escape a trial. Pray let me know what you have heardof the matter.
What sad news from America : for my part, I cannot un-derstand Mr. Graves ’ 7 letter; the French are here and there,I supposed in sight, to windward of him; at last a Frigategoes to look for them, and finds them very safe in the Chesa peake . I much fear for Lord Cornwallis : if something wasnot immediately done, America is quite lost, My orders arenot yet come down, therefore hope you will give me a line,which will much oblige
Pray [give] my compliments to the Bradleys 8 and GeorgeSmith. I hope Mr. B. is better.
5 Apparently, Robert Bellas, Surgeon of the Dock Yard at Sheerness.
6 On the 16th April 1781, the Squadron, under the command of CommodoreGeorge Johnstone, consisting, among other Ships, of the Isis, Captain Evelyn Sut-ton, (videp. 36, ante,) was surprised and attacked in Porto PrayaBay, in the Island of Saint Jago, by a French Squadron under Monsieur de Sutfrein. In his publicletter, Commodore Johnstone accused Captain Sutton' of neglect of duty, andstated that he had placed him under an arrest. He was accordingly tried by aCourt-Martial,on the 1st October 1783, and honourably acquitted. Captain Suttonafterwards brought an action against Commodore Johnstone, which was the sub-ject of two trials: by the first he obtained a verdict of 50007., and by the next 60007.damages. The cause afterwards came before the House of Lords ; and in May1787, Captain Sutton was defeated by a majority of thirteen votes. CommodoreJohnstone died in the same month.
7 Rear-Admiral Thomas Graves, Commander-in-Chief in North America , after-wards Admiral Lord Graves. The Letter alluded to described his engagementwith Count de Grasse, on the 5th September 1781, which caused much dissa-tisfaction in England.
8 “ The Bradleys” were three brothers; viz. James, Henry, and RichardBradley, and a sister, Frances. Being intimate friends of Admiral Parry, andconsequently of the Lockers, (p. 23, ante,) Nelson , when a Lieutenant, becameknown to them, and always felt great regard for the family. Mr. JamesBradley was appointed Secretary to the Board of Controul, on the institution ofthe Office, and died in 1800 without issue. His only sister, Frances, married, in
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