I therefore give you the Africaine, one of the finest frigates in the British navy.” This ship was soon after commissioned at Deptford, and mounted 48 guns. The short interval between paying off the Juno, and his appointment to the Africaine, had been passed by our officer at Rainham Hall, Norfolk, the residence of his friend and patron, the Marquis Townshend, by whom he had the honor of being introduced to H.R.H. the Princess of Wales, who was much gratified on viewing the innumerable curiosities collected by Captain Manby on his voyage round the world, and presented by him to the Marchioness Townshend. Many articles from the South Sea were presented to the Princess, likewise some valuable furs of rare animals, procured on the N.W. coast of America; which induced H.R.H., whilst the Africaine was fitting out, to honor Captain Manby with several invitations to dinner at Montagu House, Blackheath.
Whilst off Gravesend, on his way to the Nore, Captain Manby received an express from town, directing him to commence an impress at midnight; this order was promptly obeyed, and before sun rise on the following morning, 394 prime seamen were secured. From the Nore, he proceeded with a 24-gun ship under his orders, to blockade two large French frigates, with troops on board, lying at Helvoetsluys. On this irksome service he continued about two years, during which the Africaine had many narrow escapes from the surrounding dangerous shoals, and was once set on fire in several places by lightning, which destroyed the fore-mast, killed 1 of her men, and wounded 3 others.
The blockade of an enemy’s port is a service which seldom presents any incident worthy the particular attention of the historian. The unwarrantable detention of Captain Manby’s first Lieutenant however,by order of the French consular government, at a time when he was employed in the sacred character of a flag of truce, should not be passed without notice, in a work of this description; but as it is our intention to introduce this subject when the time shall arrive for us to speak of Captain W. H. Dillon, the officer alluded. to, it may be sufficient in this place to say, that that gentleman, to the eternal disgrace of the republic, was kept in captivity for the space of five[errata 1] years, notwithstanding many appeals were made by the Bri-
- ↑ Correction: the space of five should be amended to more than four
