narrow escape, the master of an English merchant ship, although aware that peace had taken place, having opened a warm fire of round, grape, and musketry upon the felucca, which was then becalmed near Port Royal, and within hail of her wanton assailant, one of whose shot (a 9-pounder) tore away part of Lieutenant Dillon’s trowsers; but providentially neither himself nor any of his people sustained the least injury. Our officer’s active and zealous conduct had by this time obtained him the favorable notice of his new commander-in-chief, the late Sir John T. Duckworth, who placed him on his list for preferment; but unfortunately Mr. Dillon’s health became so bad that he was obliged to return home as first Lieutenant of the Judo 32, which frigate was paid off at Woolwich, in Aug. 1802.
At the renewal ot hostilities, in 1803, the subject of this memoir was employed raising seamen at Hull; and after remaining a short time on that service, he received a commission appointing him first Lieutenant of the Africaine 38, then considered “one of the finest frigates in the British navy[1].”
In July, 1803, Lieutenant Dillon experienced one of the most extraordinary vicissitudes of a naval life. On the 20th, whilst blockading Helvoetsluys, he was sent into that port with a flag of truce from Lord Keith to the Dutch Commodore Valterbuck, who gave orders for him to be detained, separated from his men[2], and placed in confinement on board a small schooner lying in the harbour. In this state of durance he continued until the arrival of despatches from the Hague, which were given to him with an intimation that be was at liberty to depart. The order for his release, however, proved to be a mere pretence; for when on the point of shoving off from the Dutch schooner, an armed launch belonging to a French frigate demanded his immediate surrender; and, having no means of making resistance, he was obliged to submit to this unwarrantable summons. On hearing of his captivity, remonstrances were made by England, first to the Batavian republic, and finally to the French government, for the libe-
- ↑ See Vol. II. Part I, p. 208.
- ↑ A boat’s crew belonging to the Leda frigate, Captain Robert Honyman.
