In 1792 Captain Buller was appointed to the Porcupine, of 24 guns, from which ship he removed into the Adventure, 44. In the latter, when on his return from Canada and Nova Scotia as convoy to a valuable fleet of merchantmen, he narrowly escaped being captured by a French squadron, cruizing expressly to intercept him. In this fleet were thirteen Dutch vessels, with rich cargoes, which, as soon as they quitted Captain Buller’s protection, were taken by our cruizers, in consequence of an embargo having been laid upon all Dutch property[1].
Our officer’s next appointment was to the Crescent frigate, in which he proceeded to the Cape of Good Hope, and was present at the capture of a Dutch squadron in Saldanha Bay, Aug. 18, 1796[2], On his return from that station he was nominated to the command of the Sea Fencibles, from the river Lyne to Cawsand Bay, including the whole of the southern coast of Devonshire; and by his judicious arrangements, that newly raised corps was placed on the most respectable footing[3].
In 1799 Captain Buller obtained the command of the Edgar, 74, and subsequently removed into l’Achille, of the same force. In these ships he was principally employed in the blockade of Brest and Rochefort until the cessation of hostilities[4]; soon after which he was elected M.P. for East Looe, and at the same time chosen Recorder of that borough.
- ↑ See note †, at p. 20.
- ↑ See p. 50.
- ↑ In the spring of 1808, a corps of Sea Fencibles was raised, on a plan proposed to the Admiralty by Captain (afterwards Sir Home R.) Popham, to be composed of the fishermen and seamen employed in coasters, and other men employed on the water in the different harbours, rivers, and creeks along the coast. Agreeably to the regulations adopted, a Post-Captain, with a certain number of inferior officers, according to the extent of the district, were appointed to command them. The men received protections from the impress, and at each muster or exercise one shilling each, on the conditions, that, in garrisons and land batteries, they should learn to exercise the great guns; and that, where those did not exist, they should be exercised in the use of the pike, so as to be able to oppose an invading enemy, either afloat or on shore.
- ↑ On the 1st Oct. 1801, the preliminaries of peace were signed between his Britannic Majesty and the French Consular Government; and on the 27th March 1802, the definitive treaty was signed at Amiens by the plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, France, Spain, and the Bataviau republic.
