Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall sp4.djvu/426

 This officer was born at Watermeetings, and commenced his professional career in the East India Company’s service; but being patronised by the Hopetoun family, of whom both his father and grandfather held farms during their lives, he quitted it, and joined the Colossus 74, Captain George Murray, in the beginning of 1797.

During the ensuing summer, Mr. Reid was frequently employed in rowing guard under the walls of Cadiz; and on one of those occasions, the boat in which he served was so nobly and successfully defended against an immensely superior Spanish force, that Earl St. Vincent marked his admiration of the valour displayed, by immediately promoting her commanding officer, the late Lord William Stuart.

The Colossus was wrecked on a ledge of rocks, in St. Mary’s Road, Scilly, Dec. 10, 1798; and we subsequently find Mr. Reid serving in the Magnificent 74, Captain Edward Bowater, and Leda frigate, Captain George Hope, on the Channel station, and coast of Egypt. The latter ship being paid off on her return from the Mediterranean, he then joined the Netley schooner. Lieutenant James Mein, in which vessel he proceeded to the West Indies, and was present at the capture of St. Lucia, June 22, 1803, also at the reduction of Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice, in the month of September following. During these operations in Dutch Guiana, the Netley was commanded by Lieutenant John Lawrence.

In 1804, Mr. Reid rejoined Lieutenant Mein, then commanding the Nimble cutter; and in the following year, having passed his examination, he returned to the Leeward Islands, sub-lieutenant of the same vessel. On his arrival there, he received an acting order from Rear-Admiral (now Sir Alexander) Cochrane, to command the Trinidad schooner, of 14 guns.

Shortly after this, the Hart sloop of war, in which Mr. Reid was proceeding to join his schooner, fell over on her beam-ends, in a sudden gust of wind, off Saba, and was only saved from foundering by his activity and presence of mind. On seeing