During the remainder of the short peace, Captain Staines was employed keeping up a communication between Malta and Naples; but immediately on the renewal of hostilities with France he entered upon a series of services much more congenial to his active mind and enterprising spirit.
On the 28th June, 1803, the Camelion joined Lord Nelson off Toulon, and after a short cruise in the gulf of Genoa, Captain Staines was sent to Barcelona, ostensibly to procure bullocks, but in reality to obtain all the information he could respecting the intentions of the Spanish government towards Great Britain; a convincing proof of the confidence that Nelson reposed in his ability and discretion.
Captain Staines returned to the blockading squadron on the 2d Aug., and was immediately detached to his former cruising ground, where the Camelion and her boats very soon succeeded in capturing nine sail of merchant vessels, and a French packet from Corsica bound to Toulon. One of the former prizes, a polacre ship, was cut out from under the batteries near Genoa, on which occasion the British had 1 man killed, and a Lieutenant (___ Jones) and 6 men wounded; the enemy 4 killed and 7 wounded. On the 29th Aug. the Camelion had also an officer and 9 men wounded,whilst endeavouring to capture five vessels which had taken shelter under the batteries at Limasol; and on another occasion her boats sustained some loss in boarding a settee off Alassio, which vessel they brought out, in conjunction with those of the Niger frigate.
On the 16th Nov. 1803, whilst lying nearly becalmed off Cape Corse, and in sight of the British fleet, Captain Staines discovered an armed schooner with a transport under her convoy: the Camelion’s sweeps were immediately maimed, and he soon had the satisfaction of securing the former, which proved to be a French national vessel, mounting 12 guns, with a complement of 90 men. Her consort was afterwards taken possession of by an English 64.
Between this period and the month of Aug. 1804, Captain Staines was most actively employed along the coasts of Italy and Provence, from Genoa to Marseilles; off which latter
