to sea; and the Deal Castle, without a stick standing, except her fore-mast, was cast on shore at Porto Rico, in the dreadful storm that took place at that period[1]. The crew, excepting three, fortunately escaped upon rafts; and, after a detention of two months, they were at length liberated and sent to Tortola.
Captain Whitshed, on his recovery from a dangerous fever, brought on by the fatigues he had experienced, went down to St. Eustatia, where he found Sir George Rodney; and, having passed the ordeal of a Court-Martial, for the loss of his ship, he returned to England in a packet, with despatches from the Admiral, and was appointed to the Ceres, of 32 guns, then building at Liverpool.
In the Ceres, Captain Whitshed proceeded to America, with Sir Guy Carleton, the military Commander-in-Chief; whom he landed, after a passage of twenty-one days, Our officer remained in America until the final evacuation of New York; when (in Dec. 1783) he returned to England, with Sir Guy; and in Feb. 1784, the Ceres was paid off.
After a very short stay on shore, Captain Whitshed took the command of the Rose, which had been intended for the Mediterranean, but was subsequently sent to Leith, where she remained till 1785, and was then put out of commission.
It being a period of profound peace, Captain Whitshed, after residing for some time at Oxford, where he attended all the lectures in astronomy, &c., made several trips to the continent, during which he visited the Hague, Hamburgh, Lubeck, Revel, St. Petersburgh, Copenhagen,and Paris.
On the commencement of the war with France, he was appointed to the Arrogant, of 74 guns, on the home station. In the spring of 1795, he removed into the Namur, a second rate; and after cruising some time with the Channel Fleet, sailed with Rear-Admiral Parker, to reinforce Sir John Jervis, in the Mediterranean. On the 14th Feb. 1797, Captain Whitshed had the gratification of participating in the glorious victory gained over the Spanish fleet by Sir John Jervis[2], on which occasion, the Namur had 2 men killed and 7 wounded.
