licans at sea[1]; and was present at the destruction of several ships of war by the squadrons under Sir John B. Warren and Sir Edward Pellew. His first commission bears date March 19, 1794[2].
Lieutenant Curry’s next appointment was to the Sans Pareil, an 80-gun ship, bearing the flag of Lord Hugh Seymour, and commanded by Captain William Browell[3], under whom he served on the Channel station and cruising off the Western Islands till Nov. 1798, when he obtained the rank of Commander in the Fury bomb.
On the 26th Aug. 1799, the Fury bombarded a military post near the Helder point, and on the following morning assisted in covering the debarkation of the army under Sir Ralph Abercromby on the coast of Holland[4]. After the surrender of the Dutch squadron lying in the Texel, she accompanied Vice-Admiral Mitchell’s flotilla to the Zuyder Zee; on which occasion, the whole of her shot, shells, iron-ballast, guns, and spare stores, were put into schuyts in order to. lighten her; but such was the intricacy of the navigation, that she repeatedly got aground during her continuance on that harrassing service.
Previous to his return from the Zuyder Zee, Captain Curry assisted in removing a large quantity of naval stores from Medenblik; the dock-yard at which place, and two frigates, were destroyed by fire. This service was performed by Captains Carthew and Curry, who had barely time to retreat before the town was entered by a body of Dutch cavalry[5].
- ↑ On the 27th May, 1793, the Venus fell in with and engaged la Semillante of 44 guns, which ship was on the point of surrendering when another under French colours appeared in sight to leeward, and enabled her to escape. She returned to Brest in a dreadfully shattered state, and entered that harbour with five feet water in her hold. A British military officer, who happened to be there at the time, reported her to have lost 12 men, including the first and second Captains, killed, and 20 wounded. The Venus also suffered very considerably in her hull, masts, sails, and rigging; and sustained a loss of 2 men slain, and 20, including Mr. Wolfe, the Master, wounded.
- ↑ He removed from the Venus to the Diana, April 10, 1794.
- ↑ Captain Browell married one of his cousins, see p. 92.
- ↑ See Vol. I. p. 415.
- ↑ The Fury was the last ship of war but one that left the Texel on its evacuation.
