On 4 May he was detached, with a squadron of six
ships of the line, to convoy a large fleet of merchant ships as far as
Cape Finisterre. His further orders were to cruise to the westward till 20 May, in the hope of meeting the French provision convoy daily expected from America. The convoy, however, did not arrive at that time, and Montagu, after making several important captures, returned to
Plymouth on 30 May. He had extended his cruise for several days beyond the prescribed limit, but had not been able to communicate with Howe. On 2 June he received orders from the
Admiralty to put to sea again with every available ship, and to cruise off
Brest in order to intercept the French provision fleet. On the 3rd the
Audacious came in with news of the partial action of 28 May; but Montagu, having no other orders, put to sea on 4 June with nine ships of the line. On the evening of the 8th he chased a French squadron of eight ships into Brest, and at daybreak on the 9th found a French fleet of nineteen ships of the line a few miles to the westward of him. Though several of these were under jurymasts, or in tow of others, they all appeared capable of defending themselves, and fourteen of them seemed to be ordinarily effective. Of
Howe's success Montagu had no information. All he could hope was that by stretching to the southward, with a northerly wind, he might tempt the French so far to leeward of their port that Howe, if following them up, might be able to secure them. The French commander,
Villaret, however, was not inclined to run such a risk, and, after a slight demonstration of chasing him, resumed his course and steered for Brest, while Montagu, after looking for Howe to the north-west, and failing to find him, bore away for the
Channel, and on the 12th anchored in
Cawsand Bay. In 1823
Captain Brenton, in relating these events in the first volume of his
Naval History, pp. 296–300, attacked Montagu's conduct in not bringing on a general action, and said that
"Lord Chatham and the board of admiralty expressed some displeasure at the conduct of the rear-admiral, and he was ordered or permitted to strike his flag." Montagu published ''A Refutation of the Incorrect Statements and Unjust Insinuations contained in Captain Brenton's "Naval History of Great Britain," as far as the same refers to the Conduct of Admiral Sir George Montagu; in a Letter addressed to the Author.'' Montagu was perhaps too old, too angry, and too little practised in literary fencing to punish Brenton as he deserved; but he had no difficulty in showing that Brenton's facts were untrue. Howe and the Admiralty fully approved of Montagu's conduct; and when, in bad health, rendered worse by the shock of his brother's death during the battle, he applied for permission to resign his command, they both expressed their regret and a hope that his absence might be short. On 1 June 1795 he was promoted to vice admiral, and in March 1799 he was offered the command at the
Nore, which he declined, as beneath his rank. In April 1800
Lord St. Vincent offered him the post of second in command in the Channel; but other officers were appointed by the admiralty, and there was no vacancy (Addit. MS. 31158, ff. 113, 117). On 1 January 1801 he was made admiral; but when shortly afterwards he applied for a command, St. Vincent, who had become
first lord of the admiralty, replied that he had learned there was
"an insuperable bar" to his
"being employed in any way". He refused to say what the bar was; but it would appear to have been some misunderstanding of his conduct in 1794, as it gave way on a perusal of the official letters which Montagu had received at the time, and in 1803 he was appointed
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. He held this post for five and a half years, and in August 1810 was presented with
"a superb piece of plate" as
"a tribute of respect and esteem" by the captains who had fitted out at Portsmouth during his command. On 2 January 1815, he was nominated a
G.C.B., but had no service after the peace. He died on 24 December 1829. ==Family==