the capture of three French 2-deckers, off l’Orient, on the 23d June, in the following year[1].
In the autumn of 1795, the Prince George received the flag of Rear-Admiral Christian, and made an ineffectual attempt to clear the Channel, in company with a large armament destined to act against the enemies’ colonies in the West Indies. The Glory, another second rate, into which Lieutenant Sanders had removed with the Rear-Admiral, being equally unsuccessful[2], he returned to the Prince George in July, 1796; and on the 14th Feb. following, had the honour of participating in the victory obtained by Sir John Jervis over the Spanish fleet off Cape St. Vincent. On that memorable occasion, the Prince George bore the flag of Rear-Admiral William Parker, and sustained a loss of 8 men slain and 7 wounded.
Lieutenant Sanders’ next appointment was in March 1797, to the Victory of 100 guns, bearing the flag of his Commander-in-chief, whom he afterwards accompanied into the Ville de Paris, also a first rate. During the time he belonged to the latter ship he was twice engaged in her boats with the Cadiz flotilla, and on one of those occasions received a severe wound. His promotion to the rank of Commander took place about November, 1798.
On the 22d Feb. 1799, Captain Sanders, in l’Espoir, a brig mounting 14 long 6-pounders, with a complement of 70 men, part of whom were absent in a detained neutral, after a sharp conflict of an hour and fifty minutes, captured a Spanish national xebec, of 14 long 4-pounders, 4 swivels of the same calibre, and 113 men. The following is a copy of his official letter on the occasion:–
