That the “Duke of Marlborough” was much shattered in this action is not surprising. What is really extraordinary is that she was not blown out of the water at an early stage of the affair. The “Primrose” carried sixteen 32–pound carronades, one 12–pound carronade on the forecastle, and two long 6–pounders. Her crew consisted of one hundred and twenty-five men. The “Marlborough” carried twelve guns, mostly 6–pounders, and none heavier than nine, with thirty-two men and boys. She had also on board seven male passengers; but it is not stated that any of these took part in the action, except Lieutenant Andrews, who was unfortunately killed. On the arrival of the “Duke of Marlborough” at Lisbon, the passengers, feeling grateful to Captain Bull not only for his gallantry, but also for his kind treatment of the ladies who were on board, presented him with a sword, and distributed four hundred dollars among the crew. The account of this action given by James (_Naval History_, Vol. VI., page 278, ed. 1837) is not written with the evident desire to be fair which that historian usually evinced. The story as told by him suggests that Captain Bull was solely, or at least chiefly to blame; and as the Post-Office came to a totally different conclusion, while the Admiralty itself censured Captain Phillott, and made no complaint concerning Captain Bull, it cannot be presumptuous to question the accuracy of Mr. James’ conclusion. In an earlier edition of his history it appears that an account more favourable to Captain Bull appeared; but in the edition of 1837 this account was revised; and the author states that when the former one was written, he had not seen the minutes of the court-martial on Captain Phillott. As reference is thus pointedly made to the court-martial, it would have been more candid to notice the fact that the finding of that court imputed negligence to Captain Phillott. The sentence of the court, held at Plymouth on April 16th, 1814, was in the following words: “The Court is of opinion that the circumstance of the ‘Duke of Marlborough’ being in moderate weather without any lower studding sails, and with her royal masts down, appears to have left the Prisoner, Captain Phillott, and the officers of the ‘Primrose,’ under an impression that she was a merchant vessel; and the very small size of the flag and pendant used by the Packet in making the private signal, and the topgallant sail being close up to the masthead, may reasonably account for not seeing the signal; and the night private signal made by the Packet, viz., two false fires, appears not to have been seen on board the ‘Primrose.’ But the Court is of opinion that when the Packet was found to be an armed vessel, by firing a stern chase gun, it was the duty of the Prisoner to have made the private signal. And the Court laments that the then near approach of the vessel induced Captain Phillott to prefer hailing the Packet; and this Court doth therefore