tois frigate during the temporary absence of the present Sir Edmund Nagle.
On the 18th June, 1795, Captain Byng was made post, into the Redoubt, of 20 guns, stationed as a floating battery in the river Tyne, where he rendered essential service to the shipping interest, by his spirited conduct in suppressing an unlawful combination of the seamen, entered into for the purpose of extorting exorbitant wages. For his conduct on that occasion he received the thanks of the Trinity House at Newcastle, and the Corporation of North Shields, as also of the shipowners of those places[1].
Our officer’s next appointment was to the Mercury, of 28 guns, attached to the squadron on the Newfoundland station, under the orders of Sir James Wallace. In 1796, when the French Admiral Richery invested that settlement with seven ships of the line and three frigates, having 2,000 troops on board, the Vice-Admiral defended it with one ship of 50 guns, two frigates, and two sloops; and, aided by the bravery and vigilance of Captain Byng and the other officers of his small squadron, ultimately succeeded in compelling the enemy to abandon their project of subjugating the colony.
In the following year, 1797, Captain Byng was appointed to the Galatea, of 32 guns, in which frigate he cruized during the remainder of the revolutionary war, on the coasts of France and Ireland, and captured several armed vessels, one of which was le Ranger, a French corvette of 14 guns; he also recaptured the Kenyon, a British West-Indiaman, valued at 40,000l.
Towards the latter end of the year 1801, Captain Byng was
- ↑ The following is an extract from the Times and Newcastle Advertiser:
“Newcastle, Oct. 20, 1795.
“At a meeting of ship-owners, held in the Trinity House in Newcastle-upon-Tyne this day,–
“Resolved unanimously,
“That the thanks of this meeting be given to George Byng, Esq. commander of H. M.’s floating battery Redoubt, at Shields, for his spirited conduct in suppressing the late violent proceedings of the seamen, when stopping ships proceeding to sea, with a view to extort exorbitant wages; and that the same be conveyed by letter, from the Chairman; which was accordingly done by Mr. Lawton, the Chairman; also the thanks of the mayor and corporation, and gentlemen ship-owners of North Shields.”
