shall appear to have been, after the taking of his Majesty’s enemies, by them set forth as a ship of war, the said ship or vessel shall not be restored to the former owners or proprietors, but shall in all cases, whether re-taken by his Majesty’s ships, or by any privateer, be adjudged a lawful prize for the benefit of the captors.”
Sir James Marriot therefore pronounced that the whole value of his Majesty’s ship the Castor, re-captured under the circumstances in question, should be adjudged to be lawful prize to the captors.
Captain Laforey was afterwards appointed to l’Aimable, of 32 guns; and in the summer of 1795, conveyed his father to Antigua, he having been re-appointed to the chief command on the Leeward Island station. Early in the following year, our officer removed from the Beaulieu, which frigate he had commanded but a short time, into the Scipio, of 64 guns, and in that ship assisted at the capture of the Dutch settlements of Demerara, Essiquibo, and Berbice, by the squadron under the orders of Commodore Parr, in conjunction with a body of troops, commanded by Major-General Whyte. In the harbour of Berbice were taken, the Thetis, of 24 guns, a cutter of 12 guns, and several merchant vessels, richly laden.
On the 21st April, the day that Demerara surrendered, Rear-Admiral Christian arrived in the West Indies, and relieved Sir John Laforey, who sailed for England, in the Majestic, two days after. Unfortunately, he fell a victim to the yellow fever, on the 1 4th June, two days before the ship made the land. His remains were publicly interred at Portsmouth, on the 21st of the same month.
In the following year, Captain Laforey, who had succeeded to the Baronetcy on the demise of his father, was appointed to the Hydra frigate, stationed on the coast of France.
On the 1st May, 1798, being on a cruize off Havre, in company with the Vesuvius bomb, and Trial cutter, Sir Francis gave chace to a French frigate, a corvette, and cutter. The former endeavoured to effect her escape into Havre; but being hard pressed by the Hydra, and after engaging her for three quarters of an hour, ran ashore, and was destroyed by the British boats the following morning. She proved to be la Confiante, of 36 guns; and by a role d’equipage found on
