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POST-CAPTAINS OF 1804.

reduction of the Mauritius in Dec. 1810[1]; and sustained a loss of 7 men killed, and 24 wounded, in an action with a French squadron, near Madagascar; the particulars of which will be found under the head of Captain Charles Marsh Schomberg, who in his official letter bears the most ample testimony to Captain Hillyar’s gallant conduct on that occasion. The Phoebe likewise assisted in recovering possession of Tamatavé, and capturing her late opponent la Nereide of 44 guns and 470 men[2].

On the 20th Aug. 1811, Captain Hillyar arrived at Batavia, in company with the Nisus and President frigates, forming part of the squadron under Rear-Admiral Stopford, who, in the Scipion 74, had previously proceeded from the Cape station to assist in the reduction of Java. The marines of the Phoebe and her consorts were immediately landed, and thankfully received by Sir Samuel Auchmuty, whose army was already much diminished by sickness: the arrival of those frigates from the Isle of France may indeed be considered as most fortunate circumstance, as they very materially contributed to ease the press of duty so severely felt in that pestilential climate, and in no trifling degree accelerated the successful termination of the expedition[3].

On the 31st day of the same month, the Nisus, President, and Phoebe, accompanied by the Hesper sloop of war proceeded to Cheribon for the purpose of intercepting the enemy’s troops in their retreat from Meister Cornelius towards Samarang, Rear-Admiral Stopford relying upon those ships for the performance of that service, and, as he says, they fully answered his expectations. Their proceedings are thus detailed by Captain Beaver, senior officer of the squadron:–

H.M.S. Nisus, off Cheribon, Sept. 4, 1811.

“Sir,– I have the honor to inform you, that, with the Nisus, President, and Phoebe, I got within 7 or 8 miles of this place last night at dark, when I anchored.

“At day-light this morning, I despatched Captain Warren, of the President, in a boat, under a flag of truce, with the accompanying summons