the Barfleur, a second rate, in which latter ship he joined the Channel fleet under Admiral Cornwallis, and was present in the skirmish between Sir Robert Calder and Admiral Villeneuve, July 22, 1805[1]. The Barfleur on this occasion had 3 men killed, and 7 wounded.
At the general promotion, November 9, in the same year, Captain Martin was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral, and soon after hoisted his flag as second in command at Portsmouth during the absence of Sir Isaac Coffin on Admiralty leave. In 1807 we find him serving off Cadiz, and afterwards commanding the naval force employed in protecting Sicily from the hostile designs of the French, and cooperating with the Anglo-Sicilian army on the coast of Calabria. In the autumn of 1809, he proceeded down the Mediterranean, and joined the fleet under Lord Collingwood engaged in the blockade of Toulon.
The Commander-in-Chief having received intelligence that it was the enemy’s intention to relieve the garrison of Barcelona, took a station off Cape St. Sebastian, for the purpose of intercepting their fleet should they attempt to do so. On the night of the 22d October, he was joined by Captain Barrie, of the Pomone, who informed him that the day before several of the enemy’s squadron had put to sea from Toulon, that others were coming out when he left them, and that there was every appearance of the whole being on the move. On the following morning, one of the advanced frigates made the signal for a fleet to the eastward; and at ten o’clock, the Pomone gave information that the enemy had hauled to the wind, and the transports separated from the ships of war. Lord Collingwood thereupon ordered Rear-Admiral Martin to chase them with eight of the best sailing ships, two of which parted company in consequence of a shift of wind, during the ensuing night.
In the evening of the following day, the Rear-Admiral got sight of four sail, and pursued them till after dark; when the land near the entrance of the Rhone being directly to leeward, it became necessary to keep to the wind during the night. On the morning of the 25th, the same ships were again seen and chased between Cette and Frontignan, where they ran
- ↑ See Vice-Admiral Charles Stirling.
