64-gun ship, attached to the expedition then about to sail for the West Indies, under Rear-Admiral Christian.
In 1796, the Lion was employed on the North Sea station, where Lieutenant Tremlett brought himself into notice by his intrepid conduct in rescuing the crew of the Reunion frigate from the very perilous situation in which they were placed by her striking on a sand bank[1], where she was afterwards totally wrecked. For his “humane and manly exertions” on this occasion, the thanks of the court-martial assembled to investigate the circumstances attending her loss, were conveyed to Lieutenant Tremlett, through their President, the late Admiral Savage, who publicly declared that he deserved to have a civic crown placed on his head, and expressed a hope that the Board of Admiralty would do him justice, by immediately advancing him to superior rank.
The Lion subsequently proceeded to the Mediterranean, where Lieutenant Tremlett assisted at the capture of the Santa Dorothea, a Spanish frigate, of 42 guns and 370 men, on the 15th July, 1798[2]. A few days previous to that event he appears to have been engaged in a desperate affair with an armed Greek, off Malaga, and exposed to the most imminent peril through the misconduct of two boats under his orders, they having deserted him at the moment when he was pushing alongside, and their flight not being observed by him until too late to attempt a retreat. In consequence of this shameful dereliction of duty on the part of those from whom he expected support, he had the mortification of seeing destruction dealt with an unsparing hand among his brave companions, 20 of whom were either killed or wounded, whilst himself and 3 men only escaped unhurt. This sanguinary business occupied no more than seven minutes, during which no less than that number of shot passed through his hat and coat, whilst another knocked off the handle of his dirk; yet, strange to say, his person was never touched!!
Mr. Tremlett’s next appointment was, as first Lieutenant, to the Santa Dorothea; in which ship he assisted at the capture of the San Leon, a Spanish national brig of 16 guns, and
