Being A Man Of
Uncommon Spirit, He Never Suffered The Least Insult Or Affront To
Pass Unchastised.
He had repeated opportunities of signalizing
his valour against the Turks; and by dint of extraordinary merit,
and long
Services not only attained the chief command of the
gallies, with the rank of lieutenant-general, but also acquired a
very considerable share of the king's favour, and was appointed
commandant of Nice. His Sardinian majesty found his account more
ways than one, in thus promoting Mr. P - n. He made the
acquisition of an excellent officer, of tried courage and
fidelity, by whose advice he conducted his marine affairs. This
gentleman was perfectly well esteemed at the court of London. In
the war of 1744, he lived in the utmost harmony with the British
admirals who commanded our fleet in the Mediterranean. In
consequence of this good understanding, a thousand occasional
services were performed by the English ships, for the benefit of
his master, which otherwise could not have been done, without a
formal application to our ministry; in which case, the
opportunities would have been lost. I know our admirals had
general orders and instructions, to cooperate in all things with
his Sardinian majesty; but I know, also, by experience, how
little these general instructions avail, when the admiral is not
cordially interested in the service. Were the king of Sardinia at
present engaged with England in a new war against France, and a
British squadron stationed upon this coast, as formerly, he would
find a great difference in this particular.
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