the Mediterranean; after which he went to Quebec, and subsequently served in the North Sea. We next find him proceeding with a convoy to the East Indies, on which station he captured la Modeste of 20 guns.
Towards the latter end of 1797, the Fox was employed in the China Seas, under the orders of the late lamented Captain Edward Cooke of the Sybille; and the following account of their proceedings will shew that those frigates were particularly active during their continuance on that station;
On the 5th Jan. 1798, they sailed from Macao Roads, and proceeded towards Manilla, for the purpose of attempting to cut out from under the batteries of that place the Rey Carlos, of 800 tons, belonging to the Spanish company, and the Marquesetta, an Amoy trader, reported to have on board 500,000 dollars. On the 12th they captured a small coaster from Manilla, which was permitted to proceed on her voyage after having taken out of her about 5,000 dollars. From this vessel intelligence was obtained of a Spanish squadron, consisting of four sail of the line and the same number of frigates, being in Cavita, but that one only of each class was ready for sea. Measures were now adopted for disguising the Sybille and Fox, which perfectly succeeded. On the afternoon of the 13th they passed the island of Corrigidore under French colours, and anchored as necessity made expedient. At 10 A.M. on the following day, the Fox being a-head of her consort, working up Manilla Bay towards the town, then distant nearly three miles, and the road of Cavita open, a boat came along-side with an officer, to enquire who the strangers were, and from whence they came. In answer to this interrogatory, Captain Malcolm, through the medium of his pilot, Mr. Bernard, who was conversant with the French and Spanish languages, informed him that the frigates belonged to Monsieur Serci’s[1]
- ↑ M. de Serci, a pupil of the famous de Suffrein, already alluded to at p. 421 et seq., at this time commanded that part of the republican marine employed in the Eastern hemisphere, and was esteemed the most active and distinguished officer in the French service. Himself and Captain Edward Cooke were afterwards opposed to each other in Balasore Roads. The French commander was killed outright, and our brave countryman was so dreadfully wounded that he died soon after. An account of the action between the Sybille and her opponent, la Forte, will be given under the head of Captain Lucius Hardyman, in our next volume.
