period and the beginning of 1809, we find him successively serving in the Prince 98, Excellent 74, and Queen 98, off Cadiz.
In the spring of 1809, Mr. Haultain was appointed first lieutenant of the Decade 36, on the Irish station; and a few months afterwards to the Active 38, Captain (now Sir James A.) Gordon, fitting out at Chatham, for the purpose of reinforcing the Adriatic squadron. While belonging to the latter frigate, he suffered so greatly in his health, from the constant severe and harrassing service on which both the ship and heir boats were employed, that he was obliged to go to sick quarters at Malta, and finally to invalid. His next appointments were, about Sept. 1811, by desire of Sir Charles Cotton, to the San Josef 110; and in the spring of 1812, shortly after the demise of that esteemed admiral[1], to the Egmont 74, Captain Joseph Bingham, then on the North Sea station. In the course of the latter year, he sailed for the Baltic, under the flag of the late Sir George Hope, who had been ordered to escort to England a Russian fleet, placed under British protection[2].
While on this service. Lieutenant Haultain was recalled home, to give evidence on the trial of the Marquis of Sligo, for seducing seamen from H.M. ships at Malta, in May, 1810. The details of the said investigation are to be found in the Naval Chronicle, vol. 29, pp. 65–73, and 163–169.
The Egmont was subsequently employed in cruising against the Americans, but met with no success. On her return to Spithead, it was understood that a number of gunboats were equipping at Sheerness (in hopes of saving Hamburgh from the grasp of the French), and Mr. Haultain, considering how little chance he had of obtaining promotion, while junior lieutenant of a line-of-battle ship, immediately wrote to Viscount Melville, volunteering to serve in this flotilla. His offer was accepted, and he soon had the satisfaction of finding himself appointed the senior officer of twelve
