In Aug. 1779, Mr. Penrose was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant; and shortly afterwards appointed to the Cleopatra 32, commanded by the same excellent officer; in which frigate he witnessed the battle between Sir Hyde Parker and Admiral Zoutman, Aug. 5, 1781[1].
About 1782, Lieutenant Penrose first saw the plan of numerary signals on board a Swedish frigate: these had been introduced by French officers into the Swedish marine, and he was much struck with their comprehensive simplicity. Being then senior Lieutenant of the Cleopatra, and Captain Murray having a small squadron under his orders, Mr. Penrose, with that officer’s approbation, made out a code sufficient for its guidance, adopting the numerary system, instead of the tabular plan of superior and inferior flags, which was at that time in general use. Two officers then commanding brigs, now old and distinguished admirals, were the first to whom Captain Murray and Mr. Penrose explained them, and both these commanders declared it as their opinion, that the difficulty of comprehending the numerary combinations was so great, that they did not think they could ever be brought into general use. Now, how many seamen, marines, and boys are masters of all our signal and telegraphic practice!
During the Spanish armament, Lieutenant Penrose again served under Captain Murray, in the Defence 74; and at the commencement of the French revolutionary war, he accompanied him to the West Indies, in the Duke 98; which ship formed part of the squadron under Rear-Admiral Gardner, at the attack of Martinique, in June, 1793[2]. After his return to England he successively followed his friend and patron into the Glory 98, and Resolution 74.
On the 12th April, 1794; Captain Murray was advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral; and at the same time his protegé was promoted to the command of the Lynx, a new sloop, recently launched at Woolwich. Captain Penrose’s post com-
