Our officer’s next appointment was in Oct. 1807, to the Sultan, a new 74, forming part of the fleet employed in watching the port of Toulon. On the 12th August in the following year, whilst lying in Mahon harbour, Minorca, that ship was struck by lightning, which killed 9 men, and badly wounded 3 others. The momentary alarm and consternation which it produced throughout the vessel, may be readily conceived, but not easily described. Had it struck the hull, instead of the jib-boom, which it shivered to atoms, her destruction would have been inevitable. Fortunately, after running along the boom, and reaching the cap of the bowsprit, which was also rendered useless, it fell into the water close to the bows.
From this period we lose sight of Captain Griffith until Aug. 1812, on the 12th of which month he was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral, and soon after appointed to a command on the coast of North America. In Sept. 1814, he conducted an expedition up the Penobscot river, for the purpose of bringing that part of the province of Maine under the British dominion; which was attended with complete success, and a provisional government established for the district. The troops employed on this service were under the orders of Lieutenant-General Sir J. C. Sherbrooke. The United States’ frigate Adams, lying at Hampden, a considerable distance up the river, was burnt by the enemy to prevent her falling into the hands of the British.
Rear-Admiral Griffiths remained in America until relieved by Sir David Milne, in 1816; and at the expiration of that officer’s period of command, about the latter end of 1818, he was again appointed Commander-in-Chief at Halifax, where he continued until the month of December, 1821, since which he has not been employed. Previous to his departure for England, he received an address from the council, magistrates, and inhabitants of Halifax, regretting that the circumstance of his promotion to the rank of Vice-Admiral, on the 19th July preceding, should occasion him so soon to return to Europe. His assumption of the name of Colpoys, took place subsequent to the demise of the venerable Admiral of that name.
The subject of this memoir, if we mistake not, married the widow of the Hon. Sir John Wilson, one of the Judges of
