An Account of the Trial, to which is subjoined all the principal Official Documents relative thereto.

The peculiar interest with which an account of this memorable Trial must ever continue to be read by every British seaman, has induced us to step beyond our usual limits in the following Abstract, and to omit nothing that tended to elucidate so extraordinary an occurrence; so that the Navy will now for the first time be presented at one view with a complete account of the Life and Trial of this distinguished Officer.

Lord Keppel was the second son of William Anne, second Earl of Albemarle, by Lady Anne Lenox, daughter of Charles Lenox, first Duke of Richmond. He was born on the 2d of April, 1725. His earlier years we shall pass over in silence. The interesting part of a seaman's education commences at his entrance on board of ship. At the age of thirteen he was placed under the care of Lord Anson, whom he accompanied in his expedition to the South Seas. He soon distinguished himself by a sedulous attention to his professional studies, and a zealous and chearful activity in the execution of his duty. He became the favourite of his Commander, who, in the course of the voyage, never allowed any opportunity to escape, of placing him in situations that afforded scope for the exercise of his growing knowledge of nautical affairs. In all the operations of the squadron against the Spanish settlements on the coasts of Chili and Peru, and during the great mortality that prevailed in the different ships while they remained at Valpairaiso, he acquitted himself in a manner correspondent to the expectations which were naturally formed of him, from the ardour and diligence with which he applied himself to every part of his profession.

We have a peculiar satisfaction in recording the exploits of those heroes, who, as it were, have hereditarily been employed, and distinguished themselves, in the naval service of their country. Among these are branches of the families of Hood and Saumarez, on whose gallant actions we have often dwelt with national pride and satisfaction, happy in the feeling of belonging to a country, which has produced such defenders, and secure in the conviction, that should the hour of danger again arrive, some of these warriors, or their descendants, will appear in arms to avenge their country's wrongs, and vindicate her honour.

Among the names which hold a distinguished place in the annals of the British Navy, that of Graves will long be mentioned with admiration and respect. Sir Thomas Graves is the son of a clergyman who settled in the north of Ireland, and had an exceeding large family; four of whose sons, viz. Samuel, John, our present subject Thomas, and Richard, after a considerable length of services, were advanced to the rank of Post Captains in the Navy.

The period of which this volume treats, and the events which it records, though less brilliant and interesting than those that occupied our preceding volumes, are yet calculated to afford much rational entertainment. The long and splendid series of victories and achievements which the late war has added to the Naval Annals of England, must ever be matter of generous exultation to many of our readers, and a subject on which all of them will dwell with an enthusiastic delight. But the solid and permanent advantages resulting from those victories, have hitherto been lost in the blaze of glory, by which they have been surrounded, and which, while the war continued, was every month rendered more dazzling by new triumphs. The re-establishment of Peace will enable the nation justly to appreciate, by actually feeling, the lasting benefits which have been derived from the invincible bravery of our seamen. These benefits will be felt in the increased respect entertained for the English character by foreign nations; in the additional facilities which our commercial intercourse with them will thereby derive; and in the strengthened confidence with which our merchants may augment the external trade of the empire, and carry it on in perfect security, from any the slightest aggressions of rival States. Such are the advantages accruing from our Naval Victories, which will be the most immediately and universally felt.

Sir Charles Saunders was one of the most distinguished Officers of his time, and arrived at the highest rank in his profession. He entered early in life into the service of his country, and passed through all the subordinate stations of the Navy with the approbation of his superiors. He attained the rank of Lieutenant some time before the memorable expedition of Commodore Anson to the South Seas, and on the recommendation of that brave and judicious Officer, was appointed First Lieutenant of the Centurion, on board which ship Mr. Anson sailed. This appointment, at the express request of so accurate a judge of naval merit as Mr. Anson, is a sure testimony that at an early period of life Mr. Saunders afforded, by his zeal, activity, and conduct, a strong promise that he would prove an honour to the service, an ornament and a benefit to his country.

The squadron under Commodore Anson sailed from Spithead September the 18th, 1740, and the Captain of the Pearl frigate dying on the coast of Brazil, the January following, a promotion of Officers took place, when Mr. Saunders was appointed to the command of the Trial sloop.

Richard Kempenfelt was the son of Colonel Kempenfelt, a native of Sweden, who obtained from Queen Ann a Colonel's commission in the British army. He is said to have been honoured by the friendship of Addison, and to have been the person whose character is so admirably drawn in the Spectator, under the name of Captain Sentry. He died in the reign of George the First, when he was Lieutenant-Governor of the island of Jersey. His son, who is the subject of this narrative, was born at Westminster, in October 1718. He entered the Navy as a Midshipman at ten years old, and got his commission as Lieutenant on the 14th of January 1741. In this rank he continued many years, during which the circumstances of his life are too uninteresting to claim our attention.

In 1756, he was made a Master and Commander; and on the 17th of January 1757, he was appointed to the Elizabeth, of 64 guns, as Captain to Commodore Stevens, who hoisted his broad pendant on board of that ship, on his getting the command of a small squadron destined to the East Indies. This squadron proceeded to its destination soon afterwards, and in the month of April 1758, Kempenfelt signalized himself in a very eminent degree, in the engagement which took place between the English squadron and that of the French under Count D'Achê, and he is mentioned in the Commodore's official dispatch on the occasion, in terms of the highest commendation.

The noble family of Cornwallis are said to have come originally from Ireland, and it was a younger branch of the house which settled in this kingdom about the reign of Edward the Third.

William Harvey, Esq. Clarenceux, King of Arms, in his visitation of the county of Suffolk in 1561, mentions Thomas Cornwalleys (as the name was anciently written), of London, merchant, who is the first that appears in this account, and gives the particulars of a deed drawn in Edward the Third's time, which he saw, and also the arms of the family engraven on stone in the church porch of Otley, near Broome, which corresponded with the seal on the above mentioned deed; this gentleman was Sheriff of London in 1378. In the succeeding reign of Richard the Second, John Cornwallis was Knight of the Shire for Suffolk in two Parliaments.

The Honourable Edward Boscawen was the third son of Hugh Lord Viscount Falmouth, by Charlotte Godfrey, eldest daughter and coheiress of Charles Godfrey, and of Arabella Churchill, sister to John Duke of Marlborough; so that he derived from his birth all the advantages which an ancient and affluent family, and illustrious connexions may be supposed to confer. He was born on the 19th of August, 1711. Of his early years, and of the progress of his education previous to his entering the naval service, we have not been able to obtain an account; neither have we heard whether he shewed any juvenile indications of that promptitude, decision, and bravery, which marked and distinguished the events of his future life. In consequence of his expressing a boyish fondness for the sea service, he was sent on board a frigate as a Midshipman, at the age of twelve years; and after serving in that capacity the allotted time, he was appointed a Lieutenant, in which station he gained high credit, as a skilful seaman, and a spirited and active Officer.

On the 12th of March, 1737, he was promoted to the rank of Captain, and soon after obtained the command of the Leopard, a fourth rate, of fifty guns.