Admiral Linzee, under whom he had before served in the Saturn. His post commission bears date Oct. 7. 1794.
Some time in the course of that year, a most alarming mutiny broke out on board the latter ship, in St. Fiorenzo Bay. The reason assigned by the mutineers, was a dislike to their Admiral, Captain, first Lieutenant, and Boatswain, all of whom they declared should be changed before they would return to their duty. Captain Shield demanded a court-martial on his conduct; but there not appearing any thing to criminate him in the least, he was acquitted; notwithstanding which, Admiral Hotham, the Commander-in-Chief, to satisfy the refractory crew, sent another Captain, Lieutenant, and Boatswain, to the Windsor Castle; and strange to relate, the mutineers also received a pardon.
In the following year, Captain Shield obtained the command of the Audacious of 74 guns, and was present in that ship at the destruction of l’Alcide, a French 74, off Frejus, July 13, 1795[1]. A few days after that event he was appointed to the Southampton frigate, and employed under the orders of Commodore Nelson, harrassing the enemy’s coasting trade on the western shores of the Gulf of Genoa, and in co-operation with the Austrian army encamped at Savona.
Our officer’s next appointment was to l’Unite, another frigate, stationed in the North Sea, the command of which he resigned on her being ordered to the West Indies, in 1799; and from that period we lose sight of him until the summer of 1805, when he commanded the Illustrious of 74 guns, on the coast of Spain. His subsequent appointments were as follow: To be Commissioner at Malta, about May, 1807;– In the following year, to superintend the payment of ships afloat at Portsmouth;– From thence to be Commissioner at the Cape of Good Hope, where he remained about four years, and then succeeded the late Captain Schomberg at the Navy Board;– In the summer of 1814, to be Deputy Comptroller of the Navy; and, finally, at the latter end of 1815, Resident Commissioner at Plymouth[2].
- ↑ See Vol. I. note at p. 264.
- ↑ Plymouth dock-yard was first established in 1691; previous to which year the master shipwright and artificers were borne on board one of the King’s ships, fitted for their reception. Woolwich (called by Camden
