Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p2.djvu/445

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ROBERT WILLIAMS, ESQ.
861

the East Indies, from whence he was obliged to return home through ill-health in 1805. His subsequent appointments were to the Ruby 64, Dictator of the same force, and Gloucester 74. In these ships he served on the Baltic station during five successive seasons, and was principally employed in affording protection to the different convoys passing through the Great Belt, a service of the most harassing nature, owing to the difficulty of the navigation, and the annoyance afforded by the enemy, whose gun-boats were ever on the alert[1]. Returning to England each winter, he was occasionally sent to Leith with French prisoners; and on one occasion attached to the fleet blockading the Scheldt, under Admiral William Young.

In 1814, the Gloucester convoyed a fleet to the Leeward Islands, and from thence escorted the 90th regiment to Quebec. She returned to England with the trade from Barbadoes under her protection in September of the same year, and was soon after paid off at Sheerness.

Captain Williams was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral April 9, 1823.

Residence.– ___ near Bath.




RICHARD WORSLEY, Esq
Rear-Admiral of the Blue.

This officer was made a Lieutenant about the year 1790; obtained the rank of Post-Captain, Nov. 29, 1797; and became a Rear-Admiral, April 9, 1823.

Residence.– Isle of Wight.


end of vol. i.

  1. On the 5th July 1811, a number of merchantmen under the protection of the Cressy, Defence, and Dictator ships of the line, Sheldrake sloop of war, and Bruiser gun-brig, were attacked by a Danish flotilla, consisting of seventeen gun-boats and ten heavy row-boats. The enemy were defeated without the loss of any of the British vessels; but the greater part retreating into shoal water, effected their escape. Four of the gunboats, however, were captured, and each found to carry one long 24-pounder, 4 brass howitzers, and 30 men.