cumstance he thanked Captain Spear for putting money in his pocket so soon, informing him, at the same time, that the despatches he had brought out contained orders to seize all vessels belonging to the Batavian republic. The brig thus judiciously detained was the Vrow Elizabeth, with a cargo of coffee and cotton, which sold for 20,000l. Barbadoes currency.
After assisting at the reduction of St. Lucia, Tobago[1], Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice[2]. Captain Spear proceeded to Tortola, and took charge of the homeward-bound trade, consisting of sixty-three sail, the whole of which reached England in safety, although the fleet was thrice dispersed by different gales of wind, and the Chichester had only one small vessel of war to assist her in re-collecting them.
Having refitted his ship at Portsmouth, Captain Spear again sailed for the Leeward Islands, to join Rear-Admiral Cochrane, by whom he was successively appointed, pro tempore to the Ethalion frigate, to command the Dart sloop, and to act as Captain of his own flag-ship, the Northumberland 74. Whilst in the Ethalion, he recaptured the ship Eliza, from Cork bound to Antigua, with a cargo of provisions.
Captain Spear’s appointment to the Northumberland took place about the time that Monsieur Villaumez made his appearance in the West Indies, with a French squadron under his orders, consisting of the Foudroyant 80 (flag-ship), Cassard, Impétueux, Patriote, Eole, and Vétéran, 74’s (the latter commanded by Jérome Buonaparte); the Valeureuse frigate; and two brig-corvettes, with the names of which we are not acquainted.
On the 9th June, 1806, Jérome Buonaparte anchored in Fort Royal bay, Martinique, having narrowly escaped an encounter with the Northumberland, which ship arrived a few hours afterwards from Barbadoes, in consequence of informa-
- ↑ See Vol. I note at p. 481.
- ↑ Demarara and its dependencies were taken possession of by the British Sept. 20, 1803; Berbice also surrendered by capitulation on the 25th of the same month. The Dutch shipping captured at those places consisted of one corvette, one schooner, and twelve merchantmen.
