ships, as given by Sir Harris Nicolas (Letters and Despatches of Lord
Nelson, vol. i. p. 4, note), and with them calculating back from October
15, 1773, the day mentioned by Nelson himself as that on which he was paid
off from the "Carcass" (Nicolas, p. 5), the date of entry upon the books of
the "Raisonnable" would be November 27, 1770; unless, which is unlikely,
there were any lost days. The news of the Port Egmont business reached
England in October, 1770. Clarke and M'Arthur (Life of Nelson, vol. i. p.
14, note) infer January 1, 1771, for his entry upon the "Raisonnable's"
books; but this would not allow the times which Nicolas gives with minute
exactness. For his actually joining the "Raisonnable" they give, loosely,
the spring of 1771,--March or April. This is very possible, as rating back,
for the sake of gaining constructive time needed to qualify for promotion,
was tolerated by the practice of the day.

[2] Clarke and M'Arthur, vol. i. p. 31.

[3] Collingwood was nearly fifty when he got his flag. Howe was forty-five,
St. Vincent fifty-three, Saumarez forty-four, Exmouth (Pellew) forty-eight.

[4] This appears certain from his letters of July 28 and August 12, which
explicitly mention that ship's absence.

[5] The Caribbean was formerly thus styled in contradistinction to the
South Sea, the Pacific, which was so called because its first discoverers
saw it to the south from the Isthmus.

[6] Cornwallis was an officer of marked gallantry and conduct, who
distinguished himself on several occasions, as captain, during the War of
1778, and as admiral during the wars of the French Revolution. He was
brother to Lord Cornwallis, who surrendered at Yorktown, in 1781.