This letter was signed by 19 masters of ships, and forwarded to Captain Edgcumbe through the Admiralty, whose secretary had previously acquainted him that their lordships approved of what he had done.
The sloop of war in which Captain Edgcumbe performed the above service was a merchant-built ship, of 339 tons, flat-floored, and having the very same masts and yards that were in her when she was purchased by government. She was a wretched sailer, and rolled prodigiously, as might be expected from her construction, and insufficiency of canvas, now that her hold was always comparatively empty. With such a vessel it would have been useless to go in pursuit of any enemy’s cruiser; and Captain Edgcumbe therefore could only hope to make prizes by decoying suspicious vessels under his guns. During the Heron’s first cruise, she met with what may be considered wonderful success, her lofty sides (appropriately painted), her stump top-gallant masts, and general appearance, having thrown a smuggler off his guard, and thereby enabled her commander to boast that he made one capture in the course of two years and a half. It is but justice to the memory of the late Viscount Melville to state, that he was compelled to order several vessels of the Heron’s description to be purchased in consequence of his predecessor having sold many effective sloops out of the service, and the exigency of public affairs not allowing his lordship to wait until others could be built in the King’s yards.
On one occasion, whilst passing Deseada and Guadaloupe, on his way to Antigua, Captain Edgcumbe observed a large schooner creeping out from under the land: there was then very little wind, but, as usual on that spot, a heavy swell; to hoist the boats out would have been impracticable, as the Heron’s lower yards were not square enough to carry them clear of the side under such circumstances; therefore every thing depended upon the success of deceptive measures. After hailing the vessels under his charge, and ordering them to continue their course. Captain Edgcumbe hoisted American colours and hove too; he then dressed a young Midshipman in white, so as to resemble a lady passenger, caused him to be raised on
