Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v3p1.djvu/154

 into the Hibernia, July 31st, 1811. On the following day, Mr. Smyth joined the Rodney 74, Captain John Carter Allen, under whom, and Captain Edward Durnford King, he served as master’s-mate until about the close of 1812, when that ship was paid off, in consequence of her having been almost torn to pieces, by a violent gale in the stormy gulf of Lyons. In the mean time she had been actively employed on the coasts of Spain and France, and was with Sir Edward Pellew, in Hieres bay, when those fine three-deckers – the Caledonia, Hibernia, and Temeraire – drifted under Porquerolles, and received a heavy fire from the enemy’s batteries, which were soon silenced and laid in ruins by the British fleet. We afterwards find her watching the port of Toulon, with only two frigates in company; and in Mr. Smyth’s journal there is mention made of one of those occurrences which, though not then uncommon, marks the coolness with which affairs were managed:–

A survey of La-Isla-de-Leon and the neighbouring coast with an accurate detail of the strength of the various French and Spanish batteries, executed by Mr. Smyth while in command of the Mors-aut-Gloria, being at length submitted to Viscount Melville, by Captain Hurd, the hydrographer, and seconded by handsome testimonials from Captains Hall and Fellowes, of the ability and intrepidity which he had displayed during that period, his lordship was pleased to present him