elapsed before it reached England. It contains the following passage:
“The batteries were commanded by Lieutenant Hamley, first of this ship, whose gallant conduct, and able direction of them, claim my warmest admiration, and add another to the three occasions I have already had to call your attention to his services, since I have had the honor to serve under your command.”
Previous to his quitting the Adriatic, Lieutenant Hamley received a very handsome letter from the Emperor of Austria. He returned home first lieutenant of the Milford 74, and, on his arrival in England, found himself promoted to the rank of commander, by commission dated June 15th, 1814. In the following year, he obtained the royal licence and authority “to accept and wear the insignia of the order of Leopold, with which the emperor had been pleased to honor him, as a testimony of the high sense which his Imperial Majesty entertained of the services rendered by him at the siege of Zara.”
In April, 1823, Commander Hamley was appointed to the Pelorus sloop, fitting out at Plymouth for the Irish station, where he continued upwards of three years. During this period he captured a greater number of smuggling vessels than any other cruiser.
On the 30th October, 1823, while on a cruise off Cape Clear, in the morning a gale commenced, with thick drizzling rain; and at night had increased to a perfect storm, with a very heavy sea running. Every thing was made snug, and the Pelorus hove-to under a storm-fore-staysail and trysail. At midnight, finding her behave remarkably well. Commander Hamley went below, and threw himself on his sofa, but had not been there many minutes before he heard a dreadful crash; and on gaining the deck, found that a large ship, scudding under her foresail, had run on board, but was then out of sight. The weather was so thick that this ship had not been seen until close to the Pelorus; and although every attempt was made by the officer of the watch and lookout men to apprize her of the situation of H.M. sloop, it was without effect; she struck her forward, carried away the
