1794 D&H-13 Grades Select AU. Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe, KG (8 March 1726 – 5 August 1799) was a British naval officer, notable in particular for his service during the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. At the beginning of the American War of Independence, Howe was known to be sympathetic to the colonists.[1] He had known Benjamin Franklin,[1] who was a friend of his sister, a popular lady in London society. Howe had written to Franklin in a peacemaking effort. Because of his known sentiments, he was selected to command in America. He was joined in a commission with his brother, General Sir William Howe, head of the land forces, to attempt a reconciliation.[1] A committee appointed by the Second Continental Congress conferred with Howe in September 1776, but nothing came of it.Howe was ordered to institute a naval blockade of the American coastline, but this proved to be ineffectual. Howe claimed to have too few ships to successfully accomplish this, particularly as a number had to be detached to support operations by the British army. As a result large amounts of covert French supplies and munitions were smuggled to America. It has been suggested that Howe's limited blockade at this point was driven by his sympathy with and desire for conciliation with the Americans.