It was during the continuance of these petty descents upon the French coast, in 1758, that Howe was directed to receive on board, as midshipman, and for service in the fleet, the Duke of York, a grandson of the reigning monarch; in connection with whom arose a saying that was long current, perhaps is still current, in the British navy.  The young lad of nineteen, before beginning his routine duties, held a reception on board Commodore Howe’s ship, at which the captains of the squadron were presented to him.  The seamen, unpractised in ceremonial distinctions other than naval, saw with wonder that the midshipman kept on his hat, while the rest uncovered.  “The young gentleman,” whispered one, “isn’t over civil, as I thinks.  Look if he don’t keep his hat on before all the captains!” “Why,” another was heard to reply, “where should he learn manners, seeing as how he was never at sea before?”

It is likewise from this period of Howe’s career that two of the rare personal anecdotes have been transmitted, illustrative of his coolness and self-possession under all circumstances of danger, as well as when under the enemy’s fire; one of them also touched with a bit of humor,—­not a usual characteristic of his self-contained reticence.  The service involved considerable danger, being close in with the enemy’s coast, which was indifferently well known and subject to heavy gales of wind blowing dead on shore.  On one such occasion his ship had anchored with two anchors ahead, and he had retired to his cabin, when the officer of the watch hurriedly entered, saying, “My lord, the anchors are coming home,”—­the common sea expression for their failure to grip the bottom, whereupon the ship of course drags toward the beach.  “Coming home, are they?” rejoined Howe.  “I am sure they are very right.  I don’t know who would stay abroad on such a night, if he could help it.”  Yet another time he was roused from sleep by a lieutenant in evident perturbation:  “My lord, the ship is on fire close to the magazine; but don’t be frightened; we shall get it under shortly.”  “Frightened, sir!” said Howe.  “What do you mean?  I never was frightened in my life.”  Then, looking the unlucky officer in the face, he continued, “Pray, Mr. ——­, how does a man feel when he is frightened?  I need not ask how he looks.”

The even, unaffected self-possession indicated by these anecdotes of the early prime of life remained with him to the end, as is shown by another incident collected by a biographer who knew many of his contemporaries.  “When Howe was in command of the Channel Fleet, after a dark and boisterous night, in which the ships had been in some danger of running foul of each other, Lord Gardner, then the third in command, the next day went on board the Queen Charlotte and inquired of Lord Howe how he had slept, for that he himself had not been able to get any rest from anxiety of mind.  Lord Howe said he had slept perfectly well, for as he had taken every possible precaution he could