Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp2.djvu/276

 hung, nearly the whole of the stores, water, and provisions were to be hoisted in, notwithstanding which the Satellite was again at sea on Monday afternoon.

The remainder of the voyage to England was very tempestuous; and the Satellite suffered so much during the first gale as to render it necessary for part of her guns to be put below, a measure that was scarcely adopted when a second storm commenced, which it is impossible she could have weathered, had not so much dead weight been removed from aloft.

Captain Evans arrived at Spithead in Nov. 1810, and found that he had been promoted to post-rank on the 21st of the preceding month. He was there superseded in the command of the Satellite, by the Hon. Willoughby Bertie, who perished, with all his officers and crew, on the very night that he first went to sea in her!

Since that period Captain Evans has applied for employment regularly every year, and has often been strongly recommended by persons of high consideration, but hitherto without effect. The following is a copy of a letter, which he received from Lord Amelius Beauclerk, in Jan. 1812:–

“My dear Sir,– I should have been very happy to have shaken you by the hand when you was in town, after so long an absence. I hope, should you come to this part, you will do me the favor of a call. I must return you my sincere thanks for your offer of service, and feel myself much flattered by the same; a previous engagement obliges me to decline it, otherwise I should have been happy to comply with your wishes. I remain, my dear Sir, yours very sincerely.

(Signed)“.”

Among the many distinguished characters who have exerted themselves in favor of Captain Evans, no one has more strongly supported his claims for employment, than the nobleman whose signature is attached to the letter, we are now about to transcribe:–

“London, May 18, 1820.

“Sir,– May I request to be permitted the liberty of recommending to his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, for his approbation. Captain Evans of the royal navy, to command the yacht. I should not presume to lay Captain Evans’s name before his Excellency, were I not informed Captain Saurin’s appointment had not taken place. Captain Robert Evans’s name