Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v1p2.djvu/308

724 Bingham, his officers, and ship’s company, for the said accident; and that after the America struck, every possible exertion was made by Captain Bingham, &c. &c, for her preservation.

“And it has fully appeared to the Court, that the conduct of Captain Bingham, &c &c, of the America, after her striking upon the shoal, both with respect to the most arduous exertions, and the most firm and orderly behaviour, has been eminently praiseworthy and meritorious throughout, and deserving of the highest commendation.

“The Court doth therefore adjudge, that Captain Bingham, the officers, and ship’s company of the America, be acquitted in the fullest manner from any blame on account of that ship striking on the Formigas, and with the warmest commendation of the Court for their subsequent conduct.”

Our officer returned to England as a passenger in the Hind frigate, April 25, 1801; and in the spring of the following year was appointed to the St. Fiorenzo, of 40 guns, in which ship he was ordered to the East Indies, where he captured la Fleche French corvette, and the Passe par Tout, a vessel that had been fitted for the purpose of landing three French officers on the Malabar coast, to endeavour to stir up the Mahratta chieftains to war. Captain Bingham, as soon as he found what business they had been upon, with his usual activity and zeal in the service, sent off expresses in various directions, by which means the three officers and their despatches were taken at Poonah.

From the St. Fiorenzo, Captain Bingham was removed, in 1804, to the Sceptre, of 74 guns, in which ship he continued on the same station till 1808, when he returned to England, accompanied by two homeward bound Danish East Indiamen, captured by him off the Cape of Good Hope.

The Sceptre was paid off soon after her arrival; but after undergoing the necessary repairs, was again commissioned by Captain Bingham, and in the summer of 1809 accompanied the expedition sent to the Scheldt under Sir R. J. Strachan and the Earl of Chatham. Whilst on that service, our officer caught the Walcheren fever, of which he afterwards had such violent and repeated attacks as to be under the necessity of resigning his command, and coming on shore for the recovery of his health. He was not again employed until 1811, when he obtained the command of the Egmont, another third-rate; and in her, after serving for some time on the coast of America and in the North Sea, proceeded with the flag of Sir George Hope to the Baltic, from whence he returned home,