distinguished himself in the defeat of the French squadron, off Ireland, by Sir J. B. Warren, on October 12, 1798. In February 1799 Capt. De Courcy was appointed to the Canada, 74, attached to the Channel fleet. In this ship he had an opportunity of displaying the excellence of his professional judgment, and noble devotedness to duty and friendship. On April 10, 1801, when the Mars, bearing the flag of Rear-Adm. Thornborough, having carried away her head, bowsprit, foremast, main-topmast, and main yard, by running foul of the Centaur, had drifted near to the Black Rocks, the Canada immediately took the disabled ship in tow, although two other ships had failed in the attempt; but the wind blowing hard from the northward right on the shore, and the Canada's topsails being blown to rags, he was obliged to cut the hawser, determined however to remain by the Mars to the last extremity. She was nearing the shore very fast, and Capt. De Courcy had made preparations for taking out her officers and men, when by a providential and sudden shift of wind to E. N. E. she was enabled to gain an offing, and he had the satisfaction of towing the Mars into Plymouth, where she arrived ten days after the accident. At the conclusion of the war he commanded the Namur, a second rate.

On the renewal of hostilities in 1803, Capt. De Courcy was appointed to command the Plantagenet, 74 gun ship; and after cruising some time on the coast of Ireland, he convoyed the outwardbound East India fleet to St. Helena. On his return from thence with several China ships under his protection, he was presented by the court of directors with 500 guineas, for the purchase of a piece of plate. On November 28, 1804, he was appointed to the St. George, 98, and proceeded in her to the Jamaica station, where he remained until he attained the rank of rear-admiral on November 9, 1805. Early in 1809 Rear-Adm. De Courcy having his flag in the Tonnant, of 80 guns, accompanied Sir J. T. Duckworth to the West Indies and coast of America, in chase of a French squadron, which however eluded their vigilance, and they returned to Caw. sand Bay in April. In January 1809 he commanded the squadron which was employed in the embarkation of the ill-fated British army at Corunna, in front of which place the gallant Lieut.-Gen. Sír John Moore lost his life. The excellence of his arrangements, to which the army owed its safety, reflected high honour on his professional ability; and on the 25th of the same month, both houses of parliament passed a vote of thanks to the rear-admiral, the captains, officers, and men of the squadron, for the assistance they had afforded the army. He was soon after appointed commander-inchief at Brazil, and on his arrival at Rio Janeiro, hoisted his flag in the Foudroyant, of 80 guns, where it remained until his return to England in 1812, during which period his conduct gained him the entire approbation of his own government, the highest respect of the British merchants, and the esteem and friendship of the late king of Portugal, as a distinguished mark of which, that monarch was pleased, with the insignia that decorated his own person, to invest the admiral with the Order of the Tower and Sword. He was advanced to the rank of vice-admiral July 31, 1810, and became a full admiral July 19, 1821. He died at Štoketon House, near Saltash, in the beginning of 1824.

DEMERARY and ESSEQUIBO, Colonies of, in the West Indies, D. surrendered without resistance, April 23, 1796, to the forces under Major-Gen. John White, and Com. Thomas Parr.

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The squadron consisted of the Malabar, 54, Com. Parr; Scipio, 64, F. Laforey; Undaunted, 40, H. Roberts; La Pique, 40, D. Milne'; and Le Babet, 20, W. G. Lobb. They were ceded at the Peace of Amiens, on March 27, 1802, but were retaken by the forces under Gen. Grinfield and Com. Hood, on September 20, 1803. The squadron consisted of the Centaur, 74, Com. S. Hood; Chichester, 44, Jos. Spear; Heureux, 24, I. O. Bland; Netley, 16, Lieut. Lawrence; with the Alligator and Brilliant transports. DENMARK, 1801. A great victory was obtained over the Danes off Copenhagen, by the fleet under the command of Adm. Sir Hyde Parker and Lord Nelson, on April 2. See COPENHA

GEN.

In consequence of the great preponderance of France, acquired by her arms on the Continent, and to prevent the Danish navy from falling into her power, an expedition was fitted out, to support the demand of the British Government for the temporary deposit of the Danish ships of the line in one of the British ports. The land forces were commanded by Lieut.-Gen. Lord Cathcart, and the fleet by Adm. Gambier. A landing was effected on August 16, 1807, between Elsineur and Copenhagen, without opposition. A proclamation was issued by the two commanders, the object of which was to obtain a peaceable compliance with the demands of government; but that not taking place, hostilities were commenced, and approaches made for the siege of Copenhagen. Actions took place between the British gun-brigs and the gun-boats of the Danés. Brigadier-Gen. Decken surprised and took the post of Frederickswork, commanded by a major, aid-de-camp to the crown prince, who capitulated with 850 men and officers, with a foundery and depôt of cannon and powder: the king's household, with part of his wardrobe, plate, wine, and books, were suffered to come out of the city to follow his majesty, who with passports had withdrawn to Colding. On August 14, the Comus, E. Heywood, who had been sent in pursuit of a Danish frigate that had quitted Elsineur Road in the night of the 12th, fell in with the Frederickscoarn, of 36 guns, and 226 men, the Comus carrying only 22 guns, 10 carronades, and 145 men. A smart action of about forty-five minutes preceded the capture, which ended by the two ships falling on board each other: the Comus had only 1 w. the Dane had 12 k. and 20 w. several mortally.

After a bombardment of three nights, Copenhagen, its citadel, fleet, and arsenal, surrendered on September 7. The killed, wounded, and missing, of the British, amounted to 211; the squadron had 13 k. and 34 w. The bombardment had set the town on fire on the 2d, and it was kept in flames till the evening of the 5th, when a considerable part of it being consumed, threatening the speedy destruction of the whole, the general commanding the garrison, in or der to prevent this calamity, agreed to a capitulation. Adm. Gambier's squadron took possession of sixty sail of Danish vessels, besides the ships of the line. On October 13, the re-embarkation of the British army began, and was completed by the 20th. In the space of six weeks, such was the activity, energy, and zeal of the navy and army, that the whole of the captured Danish fleet (except two unserviceable ships of the line and two frigates, which were destroyed) were fitted out for sea, and all the large ships laden with masts, spars, timber, and other stores, from the arsenal; from whence also ninety-two cargoes were shipped on board transports

and

and other vessels, the sum of whose burthen exceeded 20,000 tons. A considerable number of masts and spars were put on board the Leyden and Inflexible, and some valuable stores on board his majesty's other ships. Of the three ships on the stocks, two were taken to pieces, and the useful part of their timbers brought away; and the third being in a considerable state of forwardness, was sawed in various parts, and suffered to fall over.

DESEADA. This French island surrendered, with little opposition, to the British squadron, commanded by Capt. Selby of the Cerberus, 32, on March 30, 1808.

DEVON, Capt. T. B. See HOME STATION, July 31, and August 1, 1811.

DICKSON, Rear-Adm. Sir A. C. bart. was born June 30, 1772, was made a lieutenant in 1791, and served in the Royal George, bearing the flag of Sir Alexander Hood (afterwards Lord Bridport) in the memorable action of June 1, 1794. He subsequently commanded the Megæra, and was promoted to the rank of post captain December 12, 1796. His father, the late Adm. William Dickson, having succeeded the late Sir Richard Onslow as commander of a division of the North Sea fleet, Capt. Dickson was appointed to his flag-ship, the Monarch, 74, from which he afterwards removed into the Veteran, 64, and in that ship assisted at the capture of the Dutch Rear-Adm. Storey and his squadron in the Texel. During the greater part of the late war, Sir Archibald commanded the Orion, 74; and on that ship being put out of commission, in the spring of 1813, he was appointed to the Akbar, 50, in which he served on the South American station until the conclusion of hostilities. In July 1815 he was appointed to the Rochfort, of 80 guns, and retained that command three years. He was advanced to the rank of rear-admiral August 12, 1819.

DICKSON, Adm. Sir M. was promoted to the rank of post captain November 22, 1790; and at the commencement of hostilities with France in 1793, he was appointed to the Porcupine, 24, and afterwards to L'Espion, a fine frigate of 38 guns, employed in the Channel service during a period of about two years. Capt. Dickson was next appointed to the Lion, 64, in which ship he proceeded to the Mediterranean, to join Sir Horatio Nelson's squadron. On July 15, 1798, he fell in with four Spanish frigates, one of which, the Santa Dorothea, of 42 guns and 370 men, he captured, the other three escaped: the enemy had 52 killed and wounded, the Lion 2 wounded. In April, the following year, the Lion captured a French corvette of 16 guns, conveying dispatches from the French Directory to Buonaparte. He was subsequently stationed off Malta with a squadron of ships to watch the motions of the enemy's ships lying in the harbour of Valette, and to blockade the island. On March 31, 1800, the Lion and the Penelope frigate, during a period of fifty minutes, engaged and crippled Le Guillaume Tell, of 86 guns, and 1,000 men, the flag-ship of Rear-Adm. Décres; at which time the Foudroyant, of 80 guns, came up, and a furious battle ensued, the Lion and Penelope assisting, which lasted about an hour and a half before she struck. The Guillaume Tell was the only remaining ship of the French fleet which was in the action of August 1, 1798: on this occasion she had 200 killed and wounded, the Lion had 8 k. 38 w., Foudroyant 8 k. 69 w., the Penelope 1 k. 3 w. For a particular detail of these actions, see MEDITERRANEAN STATION. Soon after this Capt. Dickson was removed into

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the Genereux, of 74 guns, and continued to be employed in the blockade of Malta, until the surrender of that island on September 5 in the same year. He was subsequently stationed at Minorca, and on April 13, 1802, arrived at Portsmouth from the Mediterra nean. On the renewal of hostilities in 1803, he was appointed to command the Sceptre, 74; and in the ensuing year removed into the Queen, 98, in which ship he joined the Channel fleet. On April 28, 1808, he attained the rank of rear-admiral, and soon after was appointed to a command in the Baltic, on which occasion he hoisted his flag in the Temeraire, 98. Early in 1812, being nomirated commander-in-chief at Brazil, he hoisted his flag, and proceeded thither in the Montague, 74, and remained on that station during the remainder of the war. On July 8, 1815, he returned to England. He was promoted to the rank of vice-admiral December 4, 1813. On August 12, 1819, he was nominated a K. C. B.; and on May 27, 1825, was promoted to the rank of full admiral. DIGBY, Capt. H. See TRAFALGAR.

DIGBY, Capt. G. See HOME STATION, June 21, 1808. DOMETT, Rear-Adm. Wm. was born in 1754, of a respectable family in Devonshire. He embarked as midshipman, under the patronage of Lord Bridport, on board the Quebec; and after a variety of service in the West Indies and on the Newfoundland station, was made a lieutenant in 1777. He was in the battle between the fleet commanded by Adm. Keppel and that of the French under Count D'Orvilliers, on July 27, 1778; and in that which took place off the Chesapeake, in North America, between a squadron commanded by Adm. Arbuthnot and a French one commanded by the Chevalier de Ternay, on March 16, 1781. The Robust, on board of which ship he was, bore an important part in this action, suffering more in killed and wounded than any other ship in the squadron. He was likewise on board the Invincible. in Adm. Graves's action with the French fleet off the Chesapeake, on September 5 in the same year. He was afterwards taken into the Barfleur by his friend Lord Hood, and served under him as his signal officer, during his memorable and masterly manœuvres at St. Kitt's, and in the several actions which took place on that occasion. He was also in the glorious battle of April 12, 1782; on September 9 was made post, and by the particular desire of his steady friend Lord Bridport, he was appointed to his own ship the Queen. The Queen was one of the fleet sent under the command of Lord Howe to relieve Gibraltar; and Capt. Domett was in the battle which took place on October 20. After different appointments and services, which were not distinguished by any remarkable occurrence, at the commencement of the late war he was again applied for by his steady friend and patron Lord Bridport, to be his captain in the Royal George; and on the glorious 1st of June 1794, Capt. Domett signalized himself in a very gallant manner, for which he was honour. ed with a gold chain and medal from his majesty. He was likewise in the partial action which took place on June 23, 1795, between the Channel fleet, under the command of Lord Bridport, and that of the French off port L'Orient, and was sent home with the dispatches, in which his lordship marks his approbation, in a particu lar manner, of Capt. Domett's conduct. On January 1, 1801, he was appointed colonel of the Porstmouth division of marines. He was afterwards, as captain of the fleet, in the battle off Copenhagen. In April 1804 he was promoted to the rank of rear-admiral of the

blue;

blue; in 1805 to that of the white; in 1808 to that of the red; in 1809 to be vice of the blue; in 1810 vice of the white; in 1813 vice of the red; a knight commander of the most honourable military Order of the Bath; and in 1819 admiral of the blue. See FIRST of JUNE.

DOMINICA. A French fleet of five ships of the line, three frigates, two brigs, and small craft, having about 4,000 troops on board, appeared off Roseau, Dominica, on February 22, 1807. After a brave opposition from a small portion of troops, commanded by Brigadier-Gen. Prevost, they took possession of the town, which had been set on fire, and after levying a contribution, re-embarked on the 27th. The enemy lost several officers of rank, and about 300 men; the British had 21 k. 11 w. and 8 taken prisoners by the enemy. The same squadron appeared off St. Kitt's on March 5, and landed about 500 men at Basseterre, who levied a contribution of £18,000, and then re-embarked.

DOUGLAS, Capt. Sir A. S. This brave and active officer, born on August 8, 1761, was the son of a Scotch gentleman, that had married Sir Andrew Hamond's eldest sister. When little more than ten years old, he sailed with his uncle, Capt. A. Hamond, in the Arethusa, 32. He was made master and commander on February 15, 1780, by Adm. Arbuthnot, and appointed to the command of the Germain; but instead of joining her, he commanded the Sandwich floating battery at the siege of Charlestown. After the surrender of this town he was made a post captain into the Providence American frigate, of 32 guns. His uncle, Sir A. Hamond, captain of the Roebuck, being ordered to England, Capt. Douglas succeeded him in the command of that ship, in which he captured two frigates, viz. the Confederacy, of 36 guns, and the Protector, of 28, besides several privateers. In July 1781 he was appointed to the Chatham, of 54 guns, in the command of which ship he continued during the war, upon the coast of America. He commanded a squadron of frigates during the latter part of this period, and was senior officer upon the northern coast. He took or destroyed during this command, in twenty months, fifty sail of the enemy's vessels, one French frigate, of 36 guns, and several privateers. In 1786 he was appointed to the Southampton, 32, and was sent to the Mediterranean. Afterwards, this frigate being nominally stationed between the South Foreland and Dunnose, Capt. Douglas was ordered to put himself under the king's directions at Weymouth; when his majesty, with the royal family, sailed in the Southampton. This was the first time the king had ever been under-way in one of his men of war, which his majesty mentioned afterwards very frequently. Capt. Douglas, after this service, received from the king the honour of knighthood. He was then appointed to the Goliath, 74, and afterwards to the Alcide, 74, in 1790. In 1793 he was appointed to the Phaton, 38, which was the first ship sent out at the commencement of the war with France. For his services in this ship the merchants of London presented him with a piece of plate. On April 14, being one of the squadron under the command of Adm. Lord Hood, he had the good fortune to capture the French privateer General Dumourier, and a Spanish galleon, the St. Iago, which she had captured. The treasure found on board the priva teer was immense, being 600 cases of silver, each case contaming 3,000 dollars. After this he captured La Prompte, a French frigate of 28 guns, and the Narcissus privateer. When Lord Howe proceeded to sea with the Channel fleet, Capt. Sir A. S. Douglas re

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