“Sir.– I cannot sufficiently express the extent of my gratitude, and that of my wife, for the extraordinary care and trouble which you have so willingly taken, during our passage from Leghorn to Naples. It is to your solicitude, in shortening, as much as possible, the sufferings which the bad weather might have occasioned to a woman, in the ninth month of her pregnancy, that my wife is indebted, for not having eventually suffered from those shocks, which might perhaps have occasioned an irreparable loss to our family, had she been exposed to them twenty-four hours longer. Our gratitude will consequently be proportionate to the obligation which you have conferred upon us; and it will always be with pleasure that we shall remember our acquaintance with an officer of merit and capacity, in all respects like yourself. I flatter myself that you will be convinced of the sincerity of these sentiments, as well as of the constant interest which I shall take in every thing that may concern you; and that I shall esteem myself happy in being able to distinguish you upon every occasion. It is with these sentiments that I am, Sir, &c. &c.
In July 1801, we find Captain Downman escorting three Swiss regiments land the corps of Lamenstein to Egypt, where he received the gold medal of the Turkish Order of the Crescent. He subsequently removed into the Caesar of 84 guns, bearing the flag of Sir James Saumarez, Bart., which ship was paid off at Portsmouth, July 23, 1802. In Jan. 1804, he was again selected by that excellent officer to be his Flag-Captain, in the Diomede 50, on the Guernsey station, where he continued about fourteen months. He afterwards commanded the Diadem 64, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Home Popham, at the reduction of the Cape of Good Hope[2]; from whence he returned to England with the Commodore’s despatches, announcing the conquest of that important colony, and from which we make the following extract:
“Captain Downman, of the Diadem, will have the honor of delivering this despatch to their Lordships; and from the intelligent manner in which I am satisfied lie will explain every movement, and the causes by which I have been actuated, I trust he will require no further recommendation to their Lordships’ protection.”
Having executed this mission, Captain Downman proceeded to the Rio de la Plata, where he resumed the Command of his
- ↑ Victor Emanuel, King, of Sardinia, Duke of Savoy, Piedmont, and Genoa, abdicated his throne March 13, 1821; and was succeeded by his brother Charles Felix, son-in-law of Ferdinand IV. King of Naples and the Sicilies.
- ↑ See Vol. I. note †, at p. 622, et seq.
