The enemy's force at Cadiz being now so inferior, even to the squadron he at first commanded, he was enabled to send the Audacious and Bellona to refit at Gibraltar; while he detached the Warrior and the Phoebe to cruise off Lisbon, and other smaller vessels in different directions. He never doubted that he should be continued in the chief command; and his hopes of the pleasing intelligence had been raised to the highest pitch, when the long-expected despatches arrived. His surprise and mortification, therefore, may be imagined, when, on opening the very first letter from the Admiralty, he found himself superseded by a senior officer, on a plea which had no just foundation, namely, _the increase of the enemy's force at Cadiz_! whereas, on the contrary, that force had not only been decreased by the loss of two of its largest ships, but _all_ the rest had been so materially damaged in the late actions as to be rendered for the present unserviceable. As might be expected, Sir James felt so indignant at this, to say the least of it, ill-timed arrangement, that he considered it a duty he owed to his character to express his feelings strongly in a respectful answer to this communication, both to the Board, and to Earl St. Vincent; which produced an explanation, in which it appeared that the Admiralty, having determined to make Cadiz a separate command from that of the Mediterranean, it became necessary to employ two flag-officers. Sir James being the last on the list, none could be found junior; and they were, therefore, under the necessity of appointing a senior officer. As it could not be disputed that the Admiralty had a right to make the dispositions for which they alone were responsible, the correspondence in which Sir James's services were acknowledged, and wherein regret was expressed by their lordships at the necessity they had been under of appointing a senior officer, ended in a satisfactory manner; and Sir James was contented to remain as second in command under Vice-admiral Pole, who arrived on the 31st August, in the St. George, to assume the chief command of the squadron. Two of the letters which Sir James received on this occasion have been given in the preceding chapter, in order to show the reception which the intelligence of his victory met with in England. The following are copies of the official letters alluded to, and also of some private letters, which express his feelings on the occasion. Admiralty, 2nd August 1801. SIR,