the 15th and 28th it blew one of the most tremendous gales ever experienced, dispersing the convoy, and reducing the Courageux to a mere wreck, thereby compelling her to bear up for Plymouth, where she arrived with the remnant of her scattered charge on the 1st of February.
From some family distress, Captain Bertie was suddenly obliged, after the Courageux had been docked and nearly prepared for sea, to resign the command of her, and he remained without any other appointment until the latter end of Dec. 1805. He then obtained the command of the St. George, a second rate, attached to the Channel fleet, and continued in that ship until the general promotion of flag-officers, April 28, 1808, which included, and stopped with him.
Rear-Admiral Bertie was soon after appointed to a command in the Baltic, under Sir James Saumarez. He accordingly proceeded thither in the Rosamond sloop, and on his arrival off Helsinburgh, hoisted his flag in the Orion of 74 guns, from which ship it was afterwards shifted, first into the Vanguard, 74, and then into the Dictator, 64; he returned to Yarmouth roads, Jan. 6th, 1809, having been driven from his station in the Sound, by the sudden appearance of the ice, and its great solidity, on the last day of the preceding year. On the 20th March, the Rear-Admiral again sailed for the Baltic, in the Stately, another 64-gun ship; and immediately on his arrival resumed his former occupation, namely, that of blockading the island of Zealand, and affording protection to the coast of Scania, and to the British and Swedish convoys passing through the Malmoe Channel, in doing which he had repeated skirmishes with the Danish batteries and armed vessels.
From the heavy gales of wind which began to set in about the 12th Dec. 1809, Rear-Admiral Bertie found it advisable to quit his anchorage off Hoganis, nearly at the entrance of the Sound, and proceed with the ships under his command to Gottenburgh, where he received orders from Admiral Dickson to return to England express.
On the 19th Feb. 1810, finding his health to be in a very impaired state, our officer was obliged to strike his flag, and come on shore. Since that period, we believe, he has not been employed.
