any time afflicted with that disorder, or any other illness. Jan. 11th, sailed from Lintin, with nine of the Hon. East India Company’s ships under our protection; arrived at Malacca on the 23d, and there gave the charge of the convoy to H.M.S. Drake, agreeably to orders received from Sir Edward Pellew.”
Captain Johnston’s next appointment was to the Powerful, a leaky old 74, of which ship he assumed the command, at Madras, Feb. 18, 1808. Towards the close of the same year he encountered and providentially weathered two very heavy gales of wind, while cruising off Lagullas bank in search of some French frigates. The Powerful’s condition for encountering Cape seas and storms may be estimated by her carpenter’s report of defects at that period – viz:
“1st, The frame of the ship, where it can be seen, appears very rotten. 2nd, The stern-frame has fallen three inches from its station, and both main and lower-deck beams appear to have fallen. 3d, A dangerous leak in the after wooden-ends. 4th, The 3d, 4th, 5th, and 6th lower-deck beams from aft are quite rotten through, and several of the foremost ones appear to be decayed, as the rotten wood falls through the scarfs, which are very open. 5th, The clumps of the lower-deck beams are very rotten, and several of the hanging and lodging knees and beam-arms are quite decayed. 6th, The lower-gun-deck works very much at sea, and starts at the butt-ends. The spurquiting is quite rotten fore and aft. The cells and timbers of the ports are also rotten. 7th, The streets work very much, and the fastenings are all slack. The sides are decayed in the wake of the scupper-laps. 8th The step of the fore-mast is so rotten as to render the mast unsafe; and all the wedges are bad. 9th, The apron, both above and below the breast-hook, is very rotten. 10th, Most of the hanging knees on the main-deck are decayed in the throat. 11th. The quickwork of the main-deck and poop is very rotten. 12th, The chain-plate-bolt-streak, in the topside, is rent all along the channels, and labours very much. 13th, The copper is off the ship’s bottom in nearly all directions, and all the lead is worn off the cutwater. 14th, The ship is extremely weak, labours and strains heavily, and by her working the lead of the taffrail, stern, and quarters, is entirely broke. 15th, The ship wants caulking inside and out.”
In consequence of her defective state, the Powerful was soon ordered to England; but instead of being paid off on her arrival, she was then attached to the armament destined against Antwerp[1]. On his return from that disastrous expedition, Captain Johnston was put out of commission, after being constantly and actively employed for upwards of 22 years. The
