that great commander went to the West Indies, in pursuit of the enemies’ combined squadrons, under Mons. Villeneuve[1]. His first commission, appointing him lieutenant of the Tigre, bears date June 25, 1806.
The reduction of Alexandria in 1807, and the capture and destruction of a French convoy, from Toulon bound to Barcelona, Nov. 1, 1809, have been recorded in our memoir of Sir Benjamin Hallowell, under whom Lieutenant Clifford served on shore, as aide-de-camp, during the whole of the operations in Egypt. On the latter brilliant occasion, he commanded a boat under the orders of Lieutenant, now Captain, John Tailour. He was promoted to the rank of Commander, in the Philomel brig, on the Mediterranean station, Feb. 1811.
In June following. Captain Clifford assisted at the destruction of 10 large armed feluccas, on the beach near Cetraro, in the gulf of Policastro, where they were taken possession of, under a heavy fire of musketry, by a detachment landed from the Thames and Cephalus, but obliged to be burnt, in consequence of the utter impracticability of getting them afloat. The official report of this dashing exploit will be found at p. 192 of Suppl. Part I.
On the 4th of the ensuing month, Captain Clifford joined company with the Unite frigate, just after the return of her boats with a French brig cut out from Porto Hercole. Proceeding along the Roman coast, several vessels were discovered at anchor under a battery between Civita Vecchia and the mouth of the Tiber: the manner in which they were disposed of is thus described by the senior officer:–
