Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p2.djvu/62

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486
VICE-ADMIRALS OF THE WHITE.

merchant vessels. The Argo 44, and Juno, by means of the most skilful manoeuvres, escaped with the rest of the fleet, although twice chased by the enemy.

Soon after his return to England, Lord Amelius Beauclerk was appointed to the Dryad, of 44 guns and 251 men, stationed off the coast of Ireland, where he cruized with considerable success against the enemy’s privateers; and on the 13th June, 1796, captured, after a most spirited action which lasted 45 minutes, la Proserpine, of 42 guns and 348 men, of whom 30 were slain and 45 wounded. The Dryad had 2 killed and 7 wounded.

Towards the close of 1800 his Lordship commissioned the Fortunee, of 40 guns, in which frigate he was employed in the Channel, and attending on his late Majesty at Weymouth, during the remainder of the war.

On the renewal of hostilities in 1803, our officer obtained the command of the Majestic, a third rate, attached to the Channel fleet. In the summer of 1805, he removed into the Saturn, also a 74-gun ship, and subsequently into the Royal Oak, of the same force. His appointment to the latter vessel took place about May 1809; and in the ensuing summer we find him superintending the debarkation of a division of Lord Chatham’s army, with its guns, &c. on the pestilential island of Walcheren. After the performance of this service, which, we have reason to believe, was exclusively conducted by Lord Amelius, and executed by him with much skill and activity, he assumed the government of Campvere, and the charge of the fleet and store-ships in the Roompot, during the absence of Sir Richard Strachan, the Commander-in-Chief, with the army at Flushing. On her return from this expedition the Royal Oak resumed her station in the Channel.

His Lordship was nominated a Colonel of Marines July 31, 1810; and advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral Aug. 1. 1811, on which occasion he hoisted his flag in the North Sea fleet. In 1813 he was sent with a squadron to cruize off the North Cape, for the purpose of intercepting the American Commodore Rogers, but who had left that quarter previous to the arrival of the British. At the latter end of the war Lord Amelius commanded the force stationed in Basque Roads; and entered into a negotiation with the General of Division,