sharing the fate of the Laurel frigate, by his promptitude in changing the Rhin’s course, at the very moment when her consort struck on the Govivas rock in the Teigneuse passage, from whence he himself was then not half a cable’s length distant. Nor were his exertions after clearing the danger less creditable than his coolness on that occasion; for notwithstanding the remonstrances of his pilot, he worked the Rhin among the breakers, and contributed very materially to the preservation of the officers and men remaining on the wreck, which was much exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy’s land batteries[1].
In the following summer Captain Malcolm was very actively employed on the north coast of Spain, under the orders of Sir Home Popham, as will be seen by a reference to the extracts from that officer’s despatches, which we have inserted, at p. 523 et seq. of this volume.
The Rhin was subsequently sent to the West Indies, where she captured the American privateer schooner Decatur, a beautiful vessel of 223 tons, commanded by M. Diron, a celebrated Frenchman, who had some time before succeeded in boarding and carrying H.M. schooner Dominica, of 15 guns and 77 men[2].
Captain Malcolm being put out of commission on his return to England, after the termination of hostilities, remained on half pay till Sept. 15, 1817, when he was appointed to the Sybille frigate, fitting for the flag of Sir Home Popham, with whom he served during the whole period of that officer’s command on the Jamaica station[3]. His last appointment was, July 8, 1822, to the William and Mary yacht, stationed at Dublin, to attend upon the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, on which service he is at present employed.
The subject of this memoir married, in 180$, a daughter of C. Pasley, Esq., and a niece of his maternal uncle, the late Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, Bart.
Agent.– Thomas Stilwell, Esq.
- ↑ See p. 683.
- ↑ See James’s Naval History, vol. 5, p. 397 et seq.
- ↑ Sir Home. Popham died at Cheltenham, Sept, 11, 1820, aged 58.
