We find from Mr. Elliot's
letters that he was accustomed to send his parcels of books to London by
the Leith fleet, accompanied by an armed convoy. In June 1780 he wrote:
"As the fleet sails this evening, and the schooner carries 20 guns, I
hope the parcel will be in London in four or five days"; and shortly
afterwards: "I am sending you four parcels of books by the _Carran_,
which mounts 22 guns, and sails with the _Glasgow_ of 20 guns." The
reason of the Edinburgh books being conveyed to London guarded by armed
ships, was that war was then raging, and that Spain, France, and Holland
were united against England. The American Colonies had also rebelled,
and Paul Jones, holding their commission, was hovering along the East
Coast with three small ships of war and an armed brigantine. It was
therefore necessary to protect the goods passing between Leith and
London by armed convoys. Sometimes the vessels on their return were
quarantined for a time in Inverkeithing Bay.
The first Mrs. Murray died, leaving her husband childless, and he
married again. By his second wife he had three sons and two daughters,
two of the sons, born in 1779 and 1781 respectively, died in infancy,
while the third, John, born in 1778, is the subject of this Memoir.
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