Orders of recall for both arrived at Jamaica upon the 23d of September, and the General was directed to provide the fleet with a number of commissioned Officers, and men, from the Marines, sufficient to supply its wants; also to fill up the vacancies in the eight Independent Companies raised for the defence of Jamaica. For the former purpose, eleven hundred were required, which were nearly all that were now left and fit for duty. The supernumerary Officers and sick were sent home, and the American troops were invited to become volunteers for both. Government, under the experience of past disasters, now vested the controul of the Marines in Sir Chaloner Ogle, upon whom the naval command devolved after the departure of Admiral Vernon. Notwithstanding the personal animosities that had existed, this Officer bore his testimony to the zeal and distinguished bravery of the Soldiery, whose gallant efforts and patient endurance under the greatest privations, were uniformly conspicuous throughout a series of misfortunes. Upwards of seven thousand Marines and nearly four thousand of other troops were the lamentable victims to pestilence and disunion, but not to defeat. The objects which were accomplished, although not adequate to their country's hopes, were still distressing to the enemy. Their principal harbours were in a manner rendered defenceless, and the Spanish government experienced much embarrassment from nearly a total suspension of these pecuniary supplies, which could alone enable it to maintain the war with vigour and effect, while the distress pervaded every class of its subjects. Our forces were ever after too feeble to undertake any enterprize of importance against the enemy in that quarter of the world.--Self-defence was now the system adopted by Sir Chaloner Ogle, as the Spanish squadron at the Havannah was superior to his own, since the departure of Admiral Vernon. The supplies which were voted for the year 1743 provided for a large levy of Marines to fill up their casualties--eleven thousand five hundred and fifty being the number decreed, and forty thousand seamen. Nothing further, consistent with my subject, appears on the face of the public transactions of the year 1742. CHAP. XII.