hollow square, and commenced an irregular fire of musketry. At this time the General had ordered Major Madden of the dragoons to proceed with a flag of truce, and summon them to surrender; when Major Watson, of Hompesch's hussars, arriving at the moment, volunteered his services on the occasion, and carried the General's message to the French commander; who, after some parley, agreed to the terms.

After the capitulation of Grand Cairo, General Hutchinson in his despatches expressed his obligations to General Craddock and Doyle, and recommended them as officers highly deserving of his Majesty's favour. About this time the country fever seized many of the troops, and General Doyle, with several others, was sent ill to Rosetta, where, before he had recovered, he heard a rumour of an intended attack upon the French at Alexandria.

Urged by this intelligence, he left his sick bed, mounted his horse, and rode forty miles through the Desert, under an Egyptian sun, with the fever upon him, and arrived the night before the attack. In that successful enterprise he commanded, and had the good fortune to defeat the attempts subsequently made by General Menou upon a part of his position. The Commander-in-Chief next day, in the most animated manner, thanked him publicly on the field; but in writing his despatch he not only forgot to transmit General Doyle's official report, or mention even his name or exertions, but actually stated his brigade to have been commanded by another. On discovering his mistake, General Hutchinson felt as every man of honour would have done, and immediately wrote to Lord Hobart, the War Minister, expressing his regret that in his former despatch he had omitted the name of General Doyle. This letter fortunately arrived in time to enable Lord Hobart to do justice to the wounded feelings of this officer; and in moving the thanks of Parliament to the army and navy, his Lordship eulogised, in the warmest terms, the gallantry and services of General Doyle. We should further observe that General Hutchinson, not satisfied merely with this public reparation to General Doyle's feelings, addressed, on his

arrival at Malta, a letter to him, which, whilst it must have been highly gratifying to that General, did his own head and heart the highest honour:

"Malta, December 22. 1801.

"MY DEAR DOYLE, — Though I sincerely regret the cause of your letter, I am at the same time extremely happy that you have given me an opportunity of explaining my conduct. I do assure you that I had no intention of wounding your honourable feelings, or of detracting from that merit or those services of which no man can be more sensible than I am. You would be convinced, from what I said to you next day, how perfectly satisfied I am with your conduct; and, indeed, I had a feeling at that time, that you had ventured your valuable life rashly, in quitting a sick bed to do your duty in the field, to which your health appeared to me to be entirely unequal. That sentence in my letter I confess to be confused and embarrassed, and not at all conveying my real meaning; but I wrote it in extreme haste, broken in upon almost every instant, and under the pressure of severe pain. Nothing can affect me so deeply as the wound it has given to your feelings; but I hope you will do me the justice to suppose that it was an unintentional act upon my part, and that you will not entirely condemn me for an awkward expression occasioned by the inadvertence of the moment, and the pressure of a thousand disagreeable circumstances. Nothing can be so far from my heart as to do injustice to those brave men whom I was so fortunate as to command in Egypt, particularly one whom I have so much reason to love and esteem. It was not only on the 17th of August that I had reason to applaud your manner of acting best during the whole course of a long and arduous campaign: your zealous exertions gave me the greatest reason to approve of your conduct; and I shall ever acknowledge them to have been highly beneficial to the public service. You must see, that, upon all occasions, and to all persons, I shall be ever ready to do you that justice which you deserve; and were I not, it would be a severe accu

sation against my own head and heart. Believe me, what

has happened has given me more pain than I can express. "Believe me to be, my dear General,

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Truly and affectionately yours,

"J. H. HUTCHINSON, Lieut.-General.

"Brigadier-General Doyle."

After the close of the Egyptian campaign, General Doyle repaired to Naples, where he purposed to continue some time for the recovery of his health: but this resolution his zeal for the service induced him to relinquish; and at the request of the British Minister he became the bearer of important despatches to Government. This proved a service of great danger, as the country through which he passed was much infested with banditti, who robbed and assassinated every one who fell into their hands. His handsome conduct on this occasion was gratefully acknowledged by his Majesty's Ministers.

The friendship of the Earl of Moira had before introduced him to the Prince of Wales, and he was now considered the most efficient person for that secretaryship afterwards occupied by their mutual friend, Col. M'Mahon. In 1804 he quitted this quiet employment, in which he might have enjoyed a seat in the British Parliament, for the active and important Government of Guernsey. The islands at the mouth of the Channel had long before been supposed to be wavering under the influence of French revolutionary principles, through the emissaries that had, during the short peace of Amiens, been sent among them. Nothing could be more desirable, therefore, than that the new Governor should be one who united with the qualities necessary to a Commander-in-Chief a capacity for civil government: none could be found more fitting than MajorGeneral Doyle.

The new Governor commenced his rule by convincing the people of the real nature of French fraternity, and at the same time raising their opinions of themselves as British subjects. He told them that from their proximity to France they were the advanced guard of the British empire: he taught them

how to strengthen the various points of their little sea-girt isle; and made them proud of their efficiency as militia, appointing as their inspector his nephew and godson Col. John Milley Doyle. He then turned his attention to the civil state of the island, with the native ruling powers of which he became as popular as with the army. Among other objects a primary one was the state of the roads, which remained as they had been for two centuries, marring not only the beauties which nature had every where spread over the territory, but the usefulness of the farmer and gardener. Even the capital, St. Peter's Port, which presented in its fine and safe pier, extensive quay, and light range of warehouses, with the shipping before them, all the aspects of wealth, was deformed by narrow and steep roads that obstructed commerce, and produced much danger. Still, a sort of Indian prejudice had resisted improvement. The Governor conquered it; and no better proof can be given of his tact than the speech made by him in St. Peter's Church, which obtained the assent of the parish that would be most burdened by a rate, previous to its introduction to the island states, where he was certain of a majority.

In October, 1805, he was created a Baronet of the United Kingdom, and received his Majesty's royal license to wear the order of the Crescent, given him by the Grand Seignior, and to bear supporters to his arms, and an additional crest. In April, 1808, he was promoted to the rank of LieutenantGeneral, and in 1812 he was created a Knight of the Bath.

Sir John Doyle was selected to organise and command the Portuguese army; but the despatch ordering him to report himself for that purpose to the Secretary of State was prevented reaching him by a gale of wind that lasted for twenty-eight days, and another officer was of course sent upon that service, which did not admit of further delay.

Whilst the sovereign and the government were thus marking their approbation of his services, the inhabitants of the island of Guernsey, whose government he had so long administered, were not slow in manifesting their gratitude for

the benefits they derived from his fostering care. The states of the island voted him an address of thanks under their great seal, and presented him with a splendid piece of plate in form of a vase, with suitable inscriptions. Their example was followed by the militia and other public bodies with similar valuable and elegant tokens of affection; and such was the confidence established between the Governor and the governed, that they granted him supplies beyond the accumulated grants of a century, amounting to not less than 30,000l., a circumstance totally unknown before his administration; and, finally, when he was recalled in consequence of the reduction of the staff on the peace, they unanimously petitioned the Prince Regent that they might retain their Lieutenant-Governor, and voted the erection, nearly in the centre of the island, of a granite pillar, at the public expense, as a memorial of their appreciation of the services he had rendered to the inhabitants. The inscription on this pillar is simply

In 1819 Sir John Doyle attained the rank of full General; and subsequently received the almost honorary appointment of Governor of Charlemont. From the preceding statements it appears that he served in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. He was present at twenty-three general actions, besides innumerable affairs of posts: he received seven wounds, and the public thanks upon nine different occasions, including those of both Houses of Parliament. His affection for his regiment was not satisfied till he obtained for its colours the inscription of the places in which it had distinguished itself. On an occasion of its passing near the capital, he met and addressed his men with the fondness of a father.

With the exception of public festivals, to most of which he was invited, and those of the Freemasons', St. Patrick's, and other charities, where he was always an eloquent advocate, Sir John Doyle retired to the bosom of his family of nephews and nieces; for he was never married. In the