fortunately a light breeze from the land enabled Captain Wight again to close with the British squadron, where he was again received in the most gratifying manner. The next morning he had the additional pleasure of finding that the whole of the enemy’s Vessels, dreading a renewal of the attack, had moved into the harbour during the night, nor were they ever afterwards seen outside of the pier-heads. Napoleon Buonaparte, then First Consul of the French republic expressed his displeasure at their conduct, but at the same time stated that they were not in an efficient state to combat. What then had become of all his celebrated artillerists, a portion of whom had been ordered for the service of each division of the flotilla on which he had rested his fondest hopes? but such excuses from his mouth were by no means uncommon.
The Wolverene being ordered into port for the purpose of repairing her damages, was applied for by Lord Nelson, as a desirable vessel to be employed in his intended attack on the Boulogne flotilla, but he was told by the Admiralty that she could not be spared from the Havre station, where Captain Wight continued to serve with his usual activity and zeal, repeatedly receiving the public approval of his superiors, during the continuance of the war. Among other vessels taken by him were a number of neutrals, the whole of which were condemned as lawful prizes. He was put out of commission April 15, 1802, and promoted to post rank on the 29th of the same month, the first Lord of the Admiralty at the same time passing some high encomiums on his professional character. On paying off the Wolverene he made a favorable report of that vessel’s qualities, and spoke of the utility of the shell shot invented by the late General Melville, and used by her in common with solid 24-pound shot, in her different actions on the French coast. The General’s own ideas on the latter subject will be gathered from the following document:
