cularly indebted to Captains Brenton and Foote, and Lieutenants Lake and Dobbin, whose vessels were often during the action in very shoal water, with a falling tide; indeed nothing but the bad sailing of the Merlin prevented Captain (Edward Pelham) Brenton from cutting off the sterninost brig.
“The Locust lost her main-top-mast, but I have not heard of any other loss. The conduct of Captains Sykes, James, Paul, and Beauchamp, commanding the bombs on both these occasions, was highly meritorious; and although their ships were frequently struck, it gives me great pleasure to add that no lives have been lost. What damage may be done to the enemy by near 500 shells and carcasses thrown into the town and basin last evening and this morning, it is impossible to calculate; but I may, without vanity, say, that if the exertions of the enemy’s flotilla be not much greater on our shore than on their own, we have little to dread from them. I cannot conclude without expressing my obligations to every officer and man employed in this squadron. I have the honor to be, &c.
“Right Hon. Lord Keith, K.B.”
Since his promotion to post-rank, Captain Sykes has successively commanded the Diomede of 50 guns, Ardent 64, Adamant 50, and Ocean 80; the former bearing the flag of Sir Edward Nagle, when commander-in-chief at Guernsey; and the latter, the flag-ship of Lord Amelias Beauclerk, now in the river Tagus.
Captain Sykes married, in 1811, a daughter of Edward Earl, Esq. Chairman of the Board of Customs in Scotland: one of his sisters is the lady of Captain Richard Byron, C.B.
Agents.– Messrs. Stilwell.
JAMES WATSON, Esq.
[Post-Captain of 1806.]
Entered the naval service in 1776; received his first commission in May 1782; and was wrecked on Yarmouth Sands, while commanding the Mastiff gun-brig, Jan. 5, 1800. Being honorably acquitted of all blame on that occasion, he was immediately afterwards appointed to the Kent 74, bearing the flag of Lord Duncan; and at a subsequent period to command the Saxe Cobourg cutter, on the North Sea station, in which vessel he continued until his promotion to the rank of Commander, in Jan. 1801, During the remainder of the French revolutionary war he successively commanded the Volcano
