The Amphion, Captain Samuel Sutton, formed part of the squadron under Captain (now Sir Graham) Moore, at the capture of three Spanish frigates, laden with treasure, and the destruction of their consort, la Mercedes, off Cape St. Mary, Oct. 5th, 1804[1]. In the following year she accompanied Lord Nelson to the West Indies, in pursuit of the combined fleets of France and Spain[2]. The Africa, Captain Henry Digby, bore a part at the ever-memorable battle of Trafalgar, on which occasion Mr. West, then master’s-mate, had charge of the signal department, and was severely wounded.
In 1807, while in charge of a prize taken by the Lavinia, Captain Lord William Stuart, the subject of this sketch had the misfortune to be captured by a Spanish corvette, off Ushant; and he appears to have remained a prisoner, at Bilboa and St. Sebastian, until the French took possession of the latter city, on the abdication of Charles IV., when he made his escape to St. Andero, and was sent home by the British Consul-General with despatches from the Junta of Oviedo to Mr. Canning, then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, by whom we find him afterwards employed on a mission to Coruna. His first commission, appointing him lieutenant of the Merope sloop, bears date Aug. 16th, 1808.
In the course of the same year, Mr. West rejoined the Lavinia, of which frigate he was third lieutenant at the reduction of Walcheren, in Aug. 1809. He subsequently served in the same ship, under Captain George Digby, on the Mediterranean station. His next appointment was, April 24th, 1813, to be first of the Jaseur sloop, Captain George Edward Watts, then recently launched, and destined to North America.
The Jaseur’s first cruise was off the Delaware, where she captured several of the enemy’s vessels. Judging it expedient to land his prisoners, Captain Watts sent an officer with a flag of truce, for this purpose. The prescribed period
