upon Captain Payne, who was subsequently employed as senior officer of a cruising squadron, but whose ill-health obliged him io come on shore in the spring of 1798, without having had an opportunity of adding to his well-earned reputation by the performance of any greater service than that of capturing two French privateers and several Spanish merchantmen.
After remaining a short time with Captain Payne’s successor, the present Admiral Edwards, Mr. Mason was recommended by the former officer to the Hon. Robert Stopford, commanding the Phaeton 38, in which frigate he completed his time as a Midshipman. His first commission, appointing him to the Alecto sloop of war, stationed at Lymington, bears date July 8, 1799; his subsequent appointments as a Lieutenant were to the Beaver brig, and Romney of 50 guns; the latter successively commanded by Captain (now Vice-Admiral) Lawford, and the late Sir Home Popham, K.C.B.
In the summer of 1800, the Romney accompanied Vice-Admiral Dickson to Copenhagen[1]; in Nov. following, she was obliged to cut away her main and mizen-masts during a very heavy gale of wind, near Margate; and on the 5th of the ensuing month she sailed from Sheerness in company with a small squadron, armed en flute, destined to convey a detachment of troops up the Red Sea, in order to form a junction with the army from India, under General Baird, and afterwards to co-operate with the Anglo-Turkish forces then proceeding to act against the French in Egypt[2].
During his absence from England, a period of two years and four months, Lieutenant Mason visited the Cape of Good Hope; the Comorra islands, lying between Madagascar and the continent of Africa; Mocha, a large city of Arabia, having an harbour near the straits of Babelmandel; Jeddah, the port of Mecca; Cossire, from whence the British troops marched to the Nile; Calcutta, Pulo-Penang, Madras, Suez, Aden (in Arabia Felix), Bombay, and St. Helena:– he
- ↑ See Vol. I. note at p. 349.
- ↑ See Vol. II. Part II pp. 874 and 1009.
