The defeat of Buonaparte and the disastrous retreat of his army released the countries which surround the Baltic from the oppression to which they had been subject, and an English fleet was no longer necessary in that sea. The enemy indeed had still possession of Dantzig, and Denmark held out during the year 1813; but a small squadron under Rear-admiral Sir George Hope acting now in conjunction with Sweden, the co-operation of Russia was all that was wanted to carry on the blockade in the Belt, and to protect the commerce. The services of a full admiral not being required, Sir James remained at home, chiefly in his native island. The command in the Mediterranean, which he would have had, had he not been requested to continue on the command in the Baltic, was occupied by Sir Edward Pellew, which, as will be hereafter seen, was an unfortunate circumstance. Although retired from active warfare, it cannot be said that Sir James had retired from public life;--he was the patron of every useful institution, not by mere nominal sanction, but also by very munificent pecuniary contributions. He was one of the oldest members (I believe, President) of the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, having become a subscriber to that institution in the year 1789; he was also president of the Royal Naval Charitable Institution, and of the Naval and Military Bible Society, as well as a large contributor. He was, moreover, vice-president of the British and Foreign Bible Society, and of the Society for promoting Christianity among the Jews; patron of the National Schools of the Bethel Union; the Provident Society; the Church of England Sunday School; the Church of England Missionary Society, &c. His mind and his time, therefore, were employed in a manner no less honourable and useful than it had been in his Majesty's service; and it does not appear that he had taken any notice of the manifest neglect of his claims until the peace of 1814, when, at the conclusion of the war, peerages were conferred on those officers of the army and navy who had most highly distinguished themselves. He now found his name omitted; while Sir Edward Pellew, an officer junior to him on the list of admirals, who had never commanded a ship in a general action, and who was not even a Knight of the Bath, was raised to the dignity of baron.