first rate, fitting for the reception of Lord Nelson, who hoisted his flag on board her May 18, 1803, and sailed to assume the chief command in the Mediterranean, on the 20th of the same month.
On his Lordship’s arrival off Brest, he removed into the Amphion frigate, leaving the Victory to communicate with Admiral Cornwallis. A few days after, Captain Sutton captured l’Ambuscade, a French frigate of 32 guns and 187 men, from St. Domingo bound to Rochefort.
The Victory re-joined Lord Nelson off Toulon on the 30th July, when Captain Sutton exchanged with the present Sir T. M. Hardy, into the Amphion frigate, in which he was very actively employed during the most important part of his Lordship’s command on the Mediterranean station, and had the good fortune to assist at the capture of a Spanish squadron laden with specie, Oct. 5, 1804. The Amphion on this occasion was opposed to la Mercedes, the Spanish Admiral’s second astern, which blew up with a tremendous explosion in less than ten minutes after the commencement of the action, and all on board, except 40 men, perished[1]. From this period we lose sight of Captain Sutton till July 19, 1821, on which day he was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral.
Residence.– Ditchingham Lodge, near Bungay, Suffolk.
SIR ROBERT LAURIE,
Bart. Rear-Admiral of the Blue.
This officer, a son of the late Lieutenant-General Sir R. Laurie, M.P., was made a Lieutenant in 1790; and served in that capacity on board the Queen, of 98 guns, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Gardner, in Earl Howe’s action, June 1, 1794[2], on which glorious occasion that ship had 36 men killed, and 67, including Lieutenant Laurie, wounded.
Some time after this event, our officer was promoted to the rank of Commander, and appointed to the Zephyr sloop, stationed in the North Sea. Towards the latter end of 1796, he received orders to proceed to the Leeward Islands
