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  the royal navy in 1780, then only eleven years of age, as midshipman on board the Prince William 64, Captain Stair Douglas, which ship accompanied Sir Samuel (afterwards Lord) Hood to the West Indies, and formed part of the fleet under his command in the action with Count De Grasse, off Martinique, April 29th, 1781. He subsequently served under Captain Douglas in the Triumph 74, Grafton 74, and Cambridge 80. In 1783 he left the latter ship and joined the Assistance 44, Commodore Sir Charles Douglas, under whom we find him serving, in the West Indies and on the Halifax station, till the end of 1786. He was then removed to the Actaeon troop-ship.

Towards the close of 1789, Mr. Ribouleau was received on board the Goliah 74, Captain Sir Andrew Snape Douglas, under whom he served in that ship and the Alcide, 74, for a period of three years. The latter formed part of Lord Howe’s fleet during the Spanish armament.

At the commencement of the French revolutionary war, Mr. Ribouleau was serving on board the Duke 90, flag-ship of Lord Hood, with whom he soon afterwards proceeded to the Mediterranean, in the Victory first rate. Previous to the occupation of Toulon, in 1793, he was taken prisoner by the republican fleet in the outer harbour, while conveying a letter from the commander-in-chief to Lieutenant (afterwards Captain) Edward Cooke, then employed in negociating with the Committee-General for the surrender of that city and its