HOWE, EARL (RICHARD HowE), British admiral, was the second son of Emanuel Scrope, second viscount Howe of the Irish Peerage. He was born in 1725, and edu cated at Eton. Having a boyish passion for the sea, he left Eton at 14, and went to the south seas in the squadron under Anson. He was with admiral Vernon in 1745, and at the time of the Scottish rebellion, being in command of the Baltimore sloop, took part in the siege of fort William. IIe also, with another vessel, beat off two French ships conveying troops and ammunition to the pretender, for which he was made post-captain. In 1755 his ship, the Dunkirk, captured the Alcide. a French 64, off Newfoundland. He next served under sir E. Hawke in the expedition against Rochefort. He was ordered to attack the fort on the isle of Aix with his ship the Magnanime, compelled it to surrender after an hour's cannonade, and achieved the only material success which attended the expedition. He was commodore of the squadron which sailed in 1758 for St..Malo. The troops were landed and re-embarked without loss, after destroying all the magazines and shipping in the port to the number of 120 sail. In the same year he took Cherbourg. Nearly 200 pieces of iron cannon and mortars were here rendered unserviceable; the brass cannon were brought to England; the celebrated basin was destroyed, and 27 ships and vessels were burned or sunk. A second attack upon St. Malo was less successful. The French troops assembled in force at the bay of Sr. Cas, and it was only by the intrepidity of Howe, who went in his own barge into the center of the enemy's fire, that the re-embarkation of the rear-guard was effected, wiAI great loss of life. In 1758 he succeeded to the Irish title of viscount, on the death of his brother, the brig.gen., who was killed before Ticonderoga. He took part in the defeat of the fleet under the marquis de Conflans, and captured tke Hero, 74 guns. In 1760 he was made
col. of the Chatham division of marines, and afterwards a 1,rd of the admiralty, and treasurer of the navy. In 1776 he commanded a fleet on the American coast, when the conquest of New York, Rhode Island, Philadelphia, and every settlement within the reach of a naval force, testified to his skill and energy. In 1778 lie defended the American coast against a superior naval force under D'Estaing. He was made a vis count of Great Britain in 1782, and sent out with a fleet to relieve Gibraltar. He suc ceeded in disembarking troops, ammunition, and supplies, and then offered battle to the combined fleets of France and Spain, which declined an engagement. He was made first lord of the admiralty in 1783, and received an English earldom in 1788. When war with France broke out in 1793 he took the command of the channel fleet, and next year gained the victory which will long be known as that of "the glorious first of June." The French fleet consisted of 26 ships of the line, and the English of 25. Howe in his flag-ship, the Queen, Charlotte, engaged in the Bay of Biscay, off Eshant, the French admiral, who in less than an hour crowded all the sail he could carry, followed by as many of his ships as could get away. The English captured two ships of 80 guns, and tour 74's; another 74 sank immediately after she was taken possession of. London was illuminated three nights in honor of the victory. The thanks of parlia ment were voted to Howe. George III. visited him on board the Queen, Charlotte, gave kim a sword, and made him a knight of the garter. His last service was in bringing back the mutinous seamen at Portsmouth to their duty in 1797: He died August 5, 1799, aged 74, leaving a name high in the roll of English naval worthies.