return from thence, he was appointed to the Hercule 74, Captain the Hon. John (now Lord) Colville, on the Lisbon station. His subsequent appointments as lieutenant were, Dec. 30th, 1808, to the Vestal 28, Captain Edwards Lloyd Graham, refitting at Woolwich; – Aug. 2d, 1810, to be first of the Pallas 32, Captain the Hon. George Cadogan; – Nov. 12th following, to command the Active cutter, of six guns and twenty-four men, stationed off Flushing, where he was kept constantly on the alert; – Sept. 16th, 1811, to the Arrow schooner, mounting twelve twelve-pounder carronades, with a complement of fifty men; – and, June 4th, 1813, to the Telegraph schooner, of similar force.
On the 8th May, 1812, Lieutenant Scriven drove on shore, near the Penmarks, l’Aigle French cutter privateer, and totally destroyed her prize, a large English West Indiaman. On the 27th Dec. following, after an anxious pursuit of three days, he brought to action and completely silenced le Diligente, a large brig, mounting sixteen twenty-four-pounder carronades and two long twelves, commanded by Mons. Grasain, a member of the legion of honor, and said to have had on board at least 160 men, including a number of American sailors. This formidable privateer, which, availing herself of the Arrow’s inferior sailing, escaped into the river Loire, had just before captured H.M. schooner Laura, of twelve guns and 41 men.
On the 30th Jan. 1813, Lieutenant Scriven captured seven and destroyed three French coasting vessels, near Noirmoutier. On the 12th Aug. following, he had the good fortune to make prize of an American armed schooner, the Ellen and Emmeline, laden with silks and other valuable merchandize, from Nantz bound to New York. On the 7th Oct. in the same year he was promoted to the rank of commander, and re-appointed to the Telegraph, then rated a sloop of war. Six days after this, he assisted at the destruction of le Flibustier, French national brig, having on board arms, ammunition, provisions, and money, for the garrison of Santona[1].
