The defenceless state of the French Carribee Islands, induced an expedition against them, which sailed from Europe towards the end of November, 1758, under General Hopson and Commodore Hughes, and arrived at Barbadoes upon the 3d of January following. This Squadron, consisting of seven sail of the line, one of fifty guns, besides frigates, had on board nearly eight hundred Marines, headed by Brevet Col. Rycaut, of the Portsmouth Division, which were intended to form a battalion, to co-operate with the army; but Commodore Moore assuming the command of our Naval Forces in these seas, after this junction, cancelled that plan, and adopted the idea of landing each party in detachment, when necessary. By this measure the public character of Colonel Rycaut was suspended, and that regular system of discipline, which must ever result from the union of many under one form, was sacrificed. This leads me to notice, that the Marine Soldier is peculiarly exposed to a great disadvantage upon every service of combined operation. Constantly employed in small detachments, it is frequently his lot, at a short notice, to enter the field against the well-trained legions of his enemies, and to unite his energies with the Regular and Brigaded Forces of his country. He, in this new scene, perhaps, knows not his file leader, and is probably a stranger to his officer. As the predominant duties of this class of men are on board our navy, where military evolutions can only be performed upon a narrow scale; considering that a sudden and unforeseen emergency may place them in the situation I have described, it might be a means of rousing an emulous zeal between each, and of fixing that intimacy which is requisite to promote a mutual confidence, to form the detachments in every Fleet, or Squadron, into one battalion, or more; which being constantly maintained in a state of arrangement, would be better prepared for these momentary calls. The benefit which must arise would far counterbalance any trifling expence that might be incurred in the different necessary appendages to such establishments, and would afford opportunities by which to recompence the meritorious individuals of a Corps, whose hopes cannot now aspire above one uniform level. The whole of this armament sailed against Martinico on the 13th day of January; the land forces, having been already reduced by the fever and small pox. During the night of the 15th the squadron beat up into the Bay of Port Royal, and on the following morning his Majesty's ship Bristol attacked and silenced Fort Negro, a strong battery of seven guns. Her Marines, as well as those of the Rippon, were immediately landed, who, with fixed bayonets, climbed up the rocks and entered the embrazures, without resistance, as the enemy had abandoned the works. The British colours were hoisted at ten, and the army was afterwards disembarked in the neighbourhood of that post, where they slept on their arms.