32 Life and Services of Captain Philip Beaver. [July, 



misery as is unparalleled in the history of modern warfare. Captain 

 Beaver's exploit is thus told by Lord Keith : — 



" By private intelligence from Genoa, I understood the French had resolved 

 on boarding our flotilla in any future attempt to bombard the town; and 

 yesterday, about twelve o'clock, a very large galley, a cutter, three armed 

 settees, and several gun-boats, appeared in array off the Mole-head, and in 

 the course of the afternoon exchanged distant shot with some of the ships 

 as they passed them. At sun-set they took a position imder the guns of the 

 moles and the city bastions, which were covered with men manifesting a 

 determined resistance. I nevertheless arranged every thing for a fourth 

 bombardment, as formerly, under the direction of Captain Philip Beaver, of 

 the Aurora, who left the Minotaur at nine p.m., attended by the gun and 

 mortar vessels and the armed boats of the ships. About one o'clock, being 

 arrived at a proper distance for commencing his fire, a brisk cannonade was 

 opened upon the town, which was returned from various parts ; and Captain 

 Beaver having discovered, by the flashes of some guns, that they were directed 

 from something nearly level with the water, judiciously concluded that they 

 proceeded from some of the enemy's armed vessels. Calling a detachment of 

 the ships' boats to his assistance, he made directly to the spot, and, in a most 

 gallant and spirited manner, under a smart fire of cannon and musketry from 

 the moles and enemy's armed vessels, attacked, boarded, carried, and brought 

 off their largest galley. La Prima, of fifty oars and two hundred and fifty-seven 

 men, armed, besides muskets, pistols, cutlasses, &c., with two brass guns of 

 tliirty-six pounds, having about thirty brass swivels in her hold, and com- 

 manded by Captain Patrizio Galleano. The bombardment suffered no mate- 

 rial interruption, but was continued till day-light this morning, when the 

 Prima was safely brought off: her extreme length is one hundred and fifty- 

 nine feet, and her breadth twenty-three feet six inches." 



When the city capitulated. Captain Beaver was sent by Lord Keith, 

 with unlimited authority, to conclude the treaty in his name. The 

 account of the diplomatic discussion which ensued is so characteristic 

 that we are sorry there is not more of it : — 



" Little has transpired as to the discussion's of this negociation ; but it 

 appears that the arrogant style of the i-epublicans was well met by the manly 

 decision of Beaver. A French account remarks, that ' the English Captain, 

 Bivera, answered, non ! non ! to every thing ; the Austrian general was more 

 polite.' Massena was most urgent to retain some small craft, for _' having 

 taken all our ships,' said he, ' a few boats are beneath your notice.' It 

 seems that Lord Keith afterwards softened Captain Beaver's ' no,' and that 

 Massena used these very boats to smuggle away his plunder." 



Captain Beaver Avas sent to England Avith the dispatches, a mission 

 which he might not unreasonably have expected to lead to promo- 

 tion ; but the ill-luck, he had reason often to complain of, again 

 attended him. Although he travelled with aU possible dispatch, the 

 battle of J.Iarengo had been fought, the news of the French victory, 

 which neutralised his OAvn, had reached England before him, and he 

 received neither the promotion he had expected, nor the pecuniai-y gra- 

 tification Avhich is usual on such occasions. He returned, hoAvever, to 

 his post without delay, and, perhaps by way of consoling himself for his 

 disappointment, Avas married on his way out, at Gibraltar, to Miss Elliot, 

 who v.'as the daughter of a naval officer, and to whom he had been for 

 some time before engaged. Immediately upon his arrival he Avas em- 

 ployed in the Egyptian expedition ; and having added to his former 

 reputation, by the consummate skill and cool intrepidity which he dis- 

 played on every occasion in which those qualities could be called into 



