commanding officers in the navy appear to be vested, for punishing soldiers of every description, according to the rules and articles established for the discipline of the King’s ships; or for trying officers or soldiers of his Majesty’s land forces by naval courts martial, for any offences committed while serving on board vessels of war; we return to Captain Tyler, who, after the skirmish with the French fleet off Gourjon Bay, was entrusted with the command of a small squadron stationed in the Adriatic; and subsequently employed under the orders of Commodore Nelson, on the coast of Italy.
Our officer’s next appointment was in 1796, to l’Aigle frigate, in which he cruized with considerable success, and captured several of the enemy’s privateers; but in 1798, when conveying despatches to Sir Horatio Nelson, was wrecked near Tunis, and on that unfortunate occasion he lost all his personals, and had to sustain many severe privations and serious hardships.
Captain Tyler, on his return to England, obtained the command of the Warrior, 74, and served with the Channel fleet until the spring of 1801, at which period he accompanied the late Sir Hyde Parker on an expedition to the Baltic, where he continued till July; and during the remainder of the war was engaged in the blockade of Cadiz.
On the 20th Jan. 1802, a squadron, consisting of the Warrior, Bellona, Zealous, and Defence, under the orders of Captain Tyler, sailed from Gibraltar for the West Indies, to watch the motions of an armament despatched thither immediately after the suspension of hostilities. Our officer anchored at Port Royal, Jamaica, Feb. 15, and returned from thence to England in the month of July following.
On the renewal of hostilities against France, in 1803, Captain Tyler was appointed to the superintendence of a district of Sea Fencibles, and remained on that service until appointed to the Tonnant of 80 guns, about the commencement of the year 1805.
The Tonnant formed part of the British fleet in the glorious battle off Cape Trafalgar[1], on which occasion she appears to have been very warmly engaged, having 26 men slain and 50,
