worthy;” and his subsequent behaviour on board the Earl Camden, East Indiaman, where he had the superintendence of the signals in Captain Dance’s celebrated rencontre with Mons. Linois, was such as to gain him the warmest commendations. The loss of the Porpoise, and the discomfiture of the French squadron, are described in pp. 367–378 of Suppl. Part. II.
Mr. Franklin next joined the Bellerophon 74, and “had charge of the signal department, the duties of which he performed with very conspicuous zeal and activity,” at the memorable battle of Trafalgar. The loss then sustained by that always highly distinguished ship amounted, according to the official returns, to 27 officers and men, including her captain (John Cooke) killed, and 123 wounded[1]; we are informed, however, that at least ten men received wounds, some of a severe nature, who did not report themselves injured. Of about forty persons stationed with Mr. Franklin on the poop, not more than eight escaped unhurt. Among the fortunate few was a veteran sailor, named Christopher Beaty, yeoman of the signals, who, seeing the ensign shot away a third time, mounted the mizen-rigging with the largest union-jack he could lay his hand upon, deliberately stopped the four corners of it, with as much spread as possible, to the shrouds, and regained the deck unhurt, the French riflemen in the tops, and on the poop of l’Aigle 74, seeing what he was about, and seemingly in admiration of such daring conduct, having suspended their fire for the few seconds that he remained aloft: this forbearance on the part of the enemy was the more noble, as they had previously picked off every man that appeared before the Bellerophon’s mizen-mast.
Mr. Franklin continued in the same ship until Oct. 1807, when he joined the Bedford 74, Captain (now Rear-Admiral) James Walker, of which latter he was appointed an acting lieutenant on the 6th of December following: his first commission bears date Feb. 11th, 1808.
