of the Admiralty, and who possessed more of the spirit of his
profession than either of education or science, absolutely refused to
accede. He said, at the board, that his conscience would not allow him
to trust any ship of his majesty's to a person who had not regularly
been bred a seaman. On being further pressed upon the subject, Sir
Edward declared, that he would suffer his right hand to be cut off
before he would sign any such commission. In this he was, in some
degree, justified by the mutinous behaviour of Halley's crew, who
refused to acknowledge the legal authority of their commander, and
involved him in a dispute which was attended with pernicious
consequences. Mr. Dalrymple, on the other hand, was equally steady in
requiring a compliance with the terms he had proposed. Such was the
state of things, when Mr. Stephens, secretary to the Admiralty, whose
discrimination of the numerous characters, with which by his station
he is conversant, reflects as much credit on his understanding, as his
upright and able conduct does on the office he has filled for so many
years, and under so many administrations, with honour to himself and
advantage to the public, observed to the board, that since Sir Edward
Hawke and Mr. Dalrymple were equally inflexible, no method remained
but that of finding out another person capable of the service. He
knew, he said, a Mr. Cook, who had been employed as marine surveyor of
Newfoundland, who had been regularly educated in the navy, in which he
was a master, and whom he judged to be fully qualified for the
direction of the present undertaking. Mr. Stephens, at the same time,
recommended it to the board, to take the opinion of Sir Hugh Palliser,
who had lately been governor of Newfoundland, and was intimately
acquainted with Cook's character. Sir Hugh rejoiced in the opportunity
of serving his friend. He strengthened Mr. Stephen's recommendation to
the utmost of his power; and added many things in Mr. Cook's favour,
arising from the particular knowledge which he had of his abilities