under my command, it was determined to come to an anchor for the night, under the Ilha Francess. The anchor not having taken the ground properly, the ship drove upon a bank at the very top of high water. As the tide ebbed, we laid out the small bower-anchor, broad on the larboard bow, brought the bower-cable direct to the capstan, and started about eighteen tons of water. When the tide had made sufficiently, we hove round to a heavy strain, and continuing to do so at intervals, the ship was literally dragged off by the great power of the capstan, and the strength of a new cable, leaving behind her on the shoal, as we found afterwards in dock, a great part of her false keel. Now, had it not been for the enormous power acquired by the application of your invention, I am of opinion that the ship would not have been got off without landing the whole of the guns and provisions; and as it came on to blow very fresh the next day, I am equally inclined to believe that the safety of the ship was due, in a great measure, to the facilities afforded thereby, and the promptitude with which they were applied.”
The continuation of peace since the first introduction of the improved capstan, has not permitted one of its greatest benefits to be shewn, – that of the facility which it gives to the sudden equipment of an armament at the breaking out of a war, when but few seamen can be immediately obtained. The want of such a purchase was strongly felt at the renewal of hostilities in 1803, when the first squadron was equipped at Plymouth, but supposing there was no want of seamen, and that the marines alone were sufficient for the heaviest work on board, such as swaying up the yards and topmasts, how many more men could be spared for dock-yard duty, and for other contingencies attendant on fitting out.
This most excellent invention led to Captain Phillips’s appointment, Sept. 6th, 1821, to the Spey of 20 guns; and it has recently been ordered, that, for the future, all the power capstans used in the royal navy shall be constructed upon his plan, “and that any ship upon being commissioned, having the plain capstan, may exchange it for one on the improved principle with any ship in ordinary having one of equal size, provided the public service is not interfered with by any delay in the exchange.”
The Spey proving defective, Captain Phillips was removed, on the 30th Oct. 1821, to the Bann sloop, of similar force, fitting out for the African station, where he rescued 813
