Mr. Browne joined the Carysfort of 28 guns, in which ship he completed his time as a petty officer on the Mediterranean station. We subsequently find him on board the Barfleur and Royal George, three-deckers, bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Barrington; with whom he continued till his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant about the close of 1790.
Early in 1793, Lieutenant Browne received an appointment to the Intrepid 64; and during the ensuing four years he appears to have been engaged in a great variety of services on the West India station, particularly at St. Domingo, where he was frequently landed with a division of seamen, to assist the British troops in their contest with Toussaint de l’Ouverture, and other native chiefs in the French interest; a contest attended with an alternate series of good and bad fortune, but from which our brave countrymen were at length obliged to retire, in consequence of the sad reduction of their force by that dreadful scourge the yellow fever, which is said to have carried off no less than 12,000 soldiers and 500 sailors, previous to the evacuation of the island.
In Feb. 1796, the Intrepid chased a French ship of war into a small cove near Porto Plata, on the north side of St. Domingo, where she was boarded and taken possession of by Lieutenant Browne, whose conduct on this occasion is deserving of great praise, he having volunteered to attack her
Tunis, accompanied by the Sphynx of 20 guns, was fired at three times by a Venetian 84, bearing the broad pendant of a Commodore, and forming part of a large squadron then employed in the blockade of that port. Indignant at such conduct, and observing that the last shot passed close under his bows, Captain Blankett lost no time in anchoring alongside of the Venetian, and demanding an ample apology. In this situation the ships remained till the following day; when the Commodore, who had previously sent a corvette to communicate with his Admiral in the offing, suddenly got under weigh and proceeded to sea. Captain Blankett hereupon made the signal to slip and chase; and on closing with the fugitive gave her a shot, which being allowed to pass unnoticed, a second was discharged with so much precision, as to graze the rail of the stern-gallery, where the Commodore and his officers were assembled. This unexpected salute caused the Venetian to bring up all standing; and the British ships having soon after anchored, with springs on their cables, in a very advantageous position, her commander was at length constrained to make the required apology.
