Captain Rennie had distinguished himself, when a lieutenant, at the
Helder; and Admiral Mitchell had mentioned him in such high terms of
commendation in his public despatches, that he was made a
post-captain. After remaining for some time unemployed, he was
appointed to the Invincible, and proud of his first command, full of
life and hope, he had just put to sea when this melancholy catastrophe
closed a career that held out such bright prospects for the future.

We must not be supposed to have more feeling for an officer than for
the men before the mast. If we dwell with peculiar sorrow upon the
loss of a brave commander, like Captain Rennie, it is not that we are
indifferent to the fate of the four hundred gallant men who perished
with him; but there is something in human nature that compels even the
most generous spirit to speak more of the loss of a man in a
responsible station than others; and one reason for this may be, that
our hopes under God, for the safety of our fleets and our armies, rest
on our brave and efficient commanders.

No one can read such records of British seamen, as appear in this
volume, without joining heart and soul in the sentiment expressed by
the poet:--

To them your dearest rights you owe;
In peace, then, would you starve them?
What say ye, Britain's sons? Oh, no!
Protect them and preserve them;
Shield them from poverty and pain;
'Tis policy to do it:
Or when grim war shall come again,
Oh, Britons! ye may rue it.