naval academy, Portsmouth, Feb. 1, 1793. He first embarked, in Nov. 1793, as a midshipman, on board the Pegasus 28, Captain Ross Donnelly; and subsequently joined the Bedford 74, Captain Sir Thomas Byard, in which ship he was present at the defeat of the Dutch fleet, near Camperdown, Oct. 11, 1797[1]. We next find him in the Venerable 74, bearing the flag of Lord Duncan, under whom he also served in the Kent of similar force. His promotion to the rank of Lieutenant took place June 28, 1799.
On that occasion Mr. Steuart was appointed to the Jalouse sloop, in which vessel he continued, principally as first Lieutenant, under Captains John Temple, the Hon. F. P. Irby, and Christopher Strachey, until removed to the Monarch 74, Lord Keith’s flag-ship, in June, 1803. A few days previous thereto, he commanded the boats of the Jalouse at the capture of two French gun-vessels (la Commode and l’Inabordable), each mounting 3 long 24-pounders and 1 eighteen, under a heavy fire of musketry from the cliffs at the east part of Cape Blanc Nez, where they had been driven ashore by the Immortalite frigate, Jalouse, and Cruiser brig[2].
We have already stated that Lieutenant Steuart was entrusted with the charge of one of the principal explosion vessels attached to the “catamaran expedition,” in Oct. 1804; and that he afterwards received a promise of promotion from the nobleman then presiding at the Admiralty[3]. The “stone expedition” here attracts our attention.
This was an expedient proposed to block up the harbour of Boulogne, by sinking ships, loaded with stones, at its entrance; and to effect which, three merchant-vessels, of about 400 tons each, were purchased, and their holds filled with blocks of granite, well cemented and clamped together, so as to resist the action of the sea, at least for a certain time: this part of the preparation being complete, the vessels were next rendered combustible, by the addition of every thing inflammatory that could be laid in them. The projector was
- ↑ See Vol. I. Part I. pp. 150–153. The Bedford had 30 killed and 41 wounded.
- ↑ See Suppl. Part I. p. 12.
- ↑ See id. pp. 46 and 275.
