Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p1.djvu/413

Rh he was first appointed to the Ardent, that the inclined plane of the carriage was in a contrary direction to what he conceived it ought to be – being within-board instead of without – Captain Bertie communicated his ideas on the subject to the Board of Ordnance; and in a correspondence which ensued, he had the satisfaction of convincing the heads of that department of the utility of his proposed alteration. Orders were consequently given, for fitting up the carronades according to his directions. The alteration consisted simply in depressing the chock two inches. This not only imparted to the gun the good property of being worked, and run out, with a smaller number of men, but it also checked the recoil, and necessarily added to the force of the shot.

The Ardent was employed under Lord Duncan, in the blockade of the Texel fleet, until the expedition to Holland took place in August, 1799. Captain Bertie then received orders to place himself under the command of Vice-Admiral Mitchell; who, on the 30th of that month (a landing having been made good on the 27th, and the Helder obtained possession of ) passed, with his squadron, through the Nieuve Diep, up to the Vlieter, near to which the Dutch fleet, consisting of eight sail of the line and four frigates, commanded by Admiral Storey, were lying at anchor. The enemy were allowed one hour’s deliberation, to fight or to surrender; and the latter having been agreed to, in consequence of the disaffection reigning amongst the Dutch seamen, Captain Bertie was ordered to take possession of the Admiral de Ruyter, of 68 guns, and afterwards to escort the whole of the prizes to the Nore, where he arrived on the 10th September.

In the following month, Captain Bertie assisted at the evacuation of the Texel. He afterwards, in common with the other officers of the fleet, received the thanks of Parliament, for his services in the above mentioned expedition.

In the autumn of 1800, the Ardent formed one of the squadron sent to the Sound under Vice-Admiral Dickson, for the purpose of giving weight to the mission of Lord Whitworth. It was during this expedition, that the first trial was made of the late Sir Home Popham’s telegraphic signals.

The Ardent soon after formed one of the squadron under the