“There is no opportunity,” says the Author of the ‘Naval Atalantis,’ “which enables an aspiring young officer to distinguish himself in the navy, with so much eclat, as when his country is attacked by increasing foes. It was at the period when the ungrateful republic of Holland, by her inimical acts in favour of our nautical enemies, rendered it necessary for Great Britain to commence hostilities against her, that Mr. Trollope, at that time commander of the Kite cutter, stood forth an active champion hi his country’s cause. His uncommon exertions in the Channel of England occasioned the unweildy Dutchmen to crowd our ports for many succeeding weeks, and the hovering Kite scarce ever saw one of them upon which she did not fix her fascinating talons.”
Lord Sandwich, then at the head of the Admiralty, was so sensible of Lieutenant Trollope’s services, that his Lordship thought fit to put the Kite upon the establishment of a sloop of war, by which this officer obtained the rank of Commander. In the spring of 1781, he accompanied Vice-Admiral Darby’s squadron to the relief of Gibraltar[1]; and, on the 4th June, in the same year, was promoted to the rank of Post-Captain.
The first ship to which he was subsequently appointed, was the Rainbow, of 48 guns. On the 4th Sept. 1782, having sailed from Plymouth two days before, for the purpose of joining Commodore Elliott, in the Channel, he fell in with, and, after a running fight, captured, off the Isle de Bas, la Hebe, a French frigate, of 40 guns and 360 men, five of whom, including her second Captain, were killed, and several wounded; but the Rainbow lost only one man. Captain Trollope continued in that vessel till the peace of 1783, when he purchased the lease of a castle in Wales, where he diffused with liberality the ample fortune which he had acquired by his professional exertions.
During the Spanish armament our officer commanded la Prudente, of 38 guns; and in the following year was appointed to the Hussar frigate, in which he was employed for some time on the Mediterranean station.
In 1795, owing to the alarming aspect of public affairs, the greatest exertions were made in every department of
- ↑ See p. 4, and note ‡, at p. 33.
