Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p2.djvu/49

 of convicts, to establish a new settlement at Port Philip, in Bass’s Straits, on the southern extremity of New Holland.

Captain Woodriffe sailed from Spithead, April 28, 1803, and arrived at the place of his destination on the 12th Oct. following; but on surveying that port and the adjacent coast, it was found totally ineligible for the purpose intended, the difficulty of egress, on account of the prevailing winds, being very great, fresh water remarkably scarce, and the soil uncommonly poor. He therefore removed to the river Derwent, on the south coast of Van Dieman’s Land, where a settlement, named Hobart, was established, and from whence he proceeded to Port Jackson, for the purpose of taking on board 800 tons of large timber, with which he arrived at Spithead July 23, 1804.

After her return from New South Wales, the Calcutta was fitted for sea as an effective 50-gun ship, and then sent to St. Helena to bring home such merchantmen as might be waiting there for the protection of a man of war. Whilst in the performance of this service, she fell in with and was captured, after a gallant defence, by a French squadron, consisting of one 3-decker, four ships of 74 guns each, three 40-gun frigates, and two brigs of war. The circumstances of the action are thus related by Captain Woodriffe, in his letter to the Secretary of the Admiralty, dated on board the Majestueux, at Teneriffe, Nov. 7, 1805:

“In obedience to the orders of the Right Hon. the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, I waited at St. Helena until the 3d Aug. collecting such of the Hon. Company’s and other ships as might arrive, and were willing to take the protection of H.M. ship. On that morning I sailed, having under my convoy the extra ship Indus from Madras; the African, whaler, from Desolation; Fox, whaler, from the Mosambique Channel; and Grand Sachem from the coast of Peru, all full ships; the Wilhelmina, under Prussian colours, detained by the Calcutta on her passage out; and the Carolina, a large Swedish ship from China, which claimed my protection. Nothing material happened during the passage