pointment as first Lieutenant to the same officer, and proceeded with him in the Quebec, of 32 guns, to the coast of America, where he was ohliged to quit that ship for the purpose of recruiting his health. In 1798, we find him serving as first Lieutenant of l’Aigle frigate, on the Lisbon station; and afterwards re-joining his noble patron in the Ville de Paris, a first rate; from whence he was promoted to the command of El Corso, a brig mounting 18 guns, about the autumn of 1799.
El Corso formed part of the squadron under Lord Nelson at the capture of le Généreux, a French 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Perree, and a large armed transport; the former having a number of troops on board, and the latter laden with stores, provisions, &c., for the relief of Malta, in Feb. 1800.
The French army was at this time in possession of Egypt; and Napoleon Buonaparte, feeling it necessary to conciliate the Bashaw of Tripoli, had sent an emissary with some rich presents to that chieftain’s court; and had so far succeeded in his views as to cause the dismissal of Mr. Lucas, the British Consul General, whose return at any future period was positively forbidden by the barbarian government. Lord Nelson, however, conceiving that the re-establishment of the same functionary was intimately blended with the dignity of Great Britain, no sooner heard of that gentleman’s arrival at Palermo, than he instructed him to prepare for his immediate return, and selected El Corso for his conveyance to Tripoli; a circumstance which produced a strong remonstrance from Mr. Lucas on the inadequacy of that vessel’s force for the accomplishment of a service which he himself supposed would require the presence of a strong squadron, and an officer of very commanding rank. “My Lord,” said he, “the cruelty and perfidy of those barbarians can only be restrained by their fears; and you force me to return to a place where my life is threatened, not with a squadron, not even in a frigate, but simply in a small brig.” “I know it,” replied Nelson, coolly, “I know what I am about; we do not want a squadron at this time to blow the Bashaw’s palace about his head, we want only the British flag, and an officer who has sense
