their failed attempt to invade and were scattered off Dungeness, on 24 February 1743–4. A few weeks later he turned over to the 50-gun , and was appointed commodore of a small squadron ordered to the East Indies. With this he put to sea on 1 May 1744, and on the 26th anchored in Porto Praya. There was already in the bay a Spanish privateer, which at first Barnett had no intention of disturbing, out of respect to the neutrality of Portugal; but being shortly after informed that this same privateer had taken and burnt some English vessels at the Isle of May, he sent his boats on board and took possession of her and her prizes without delay. The prizes he restored to their former owners, and finally sold the privateer to the Portuguese for 1,200 dollars. After they had passed St. Paul's the squadron was divided, part of it making for the Strait of Malacca; whilst Barnett, in Deptford, with the 50-gun , went through the Straits of Sunda to Batavia, and thence for a cruise in the Straits of Banca, where, on 26 January 1744–5, they encountered, and after some resistance captured, three large French East Indiamen, richly laden from China. The governor of Batavia readily bought them for 92,000l., cash down, which was at once shared out amongst the ships' companies. But with these captures the war in Indian seas was for the time ended. The French had no ships of war to fight with, no more merchant ships to seize, and Barnett's force was not equal to any operations on shore, even if he had been instructed or advised to attempt them. Last command The year 1745 was spent in a vague cruise in the Bay of Bengal, backwards and forwards from Ceylon to the mouths of the Ganges; and though two 50-gun ships, and , came out as a reinforcement, Deptford and one of the frigates were sent home with a convoy. For the time being the war was at a standstill; and a few weeks before a French squadron appeared on the station, Barnett died onboard Harwich at Fort St. David, Cuddalore, on 2 May 1746, after a few days' sickness. He had married, on 13 May 1725, Elizabeth, a daughter of Benjamin Rosewell, Esq., and had two surviving sons, Charles (1733–1811), later of Stratton Park, Biggleswade, and Benjamin (1735–1805), a banker, ancestor