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 occasioned by the very ill state of health of Captain Corbett, of the Bittern, who has requested a few weeks’ leave to reside on shore at the hoapital. You will be confirmed before he resumes his command.

“You had better get your things on board the Seahorse this afternoon, as she will go to Malta in the morning. I am ever, my dear Sir, with every kind wish, most faithfully yours,

(Signed)“.”

“Hon. H. Duncan.”

Finding on his arrival at Malta, that Captain Corbett had recovered his health sufficiently to retain the command of the Bittern, and that he did not feel disposed to give her up, Captain Duncan returned to the fleet, as a passenger, in the Active frigate, and served as a volunteer on board the Royal Sovereign, during Nelson’s excursion to the coast of Egypt in quest of M. Villeneuve, whose ships, it will be remembered, were dispersed in a heavy gale shortly after their departure from Toulon, and thereby escaped for a time an encounter they so much dreaded.

Captain Duncan’s commission as a Commander having been confirmed Nov. 6, 1804, he returned home in the Renown, a third-rate, commanded by Sir Richard J. Strachan, Bart.; and after a short stay with his friends in Scotland, was appointed to the Minorca, a new brig of 18 guns, which vessel he commissioned at Chatham on the 21st Aug. 1805. He obtained post rank, while serving under the orders of Lord Collingwood, on the Mediterranean station, Jan. 18, 1806; but was not superseded in the command of the Minorca until April 19th following, when he joined the Britannia of 100 guns, at Gibraltar, for a passage to England, where he arrived in company with three of the Trafalgar prizes, on the 17th of the ensuing month.

From this period, Captain Duncan used every effort to obtain another appointment; but having at that time no other claim than his father’s services, they were not deemed sufficient by the then first Lord of the Admiralty, and he did not succeed until Lord Howick was replaced at that Board by Mr. T. Grenville, who immediately nominated him to the Porcupine of 24 guns, then recently launched at Plymouth;