30 Life and Services of Captain Philip Beaver. [^JthY, 



I held the same situation till the expedition to Egypt, when Lord Keith 

 appointed me his captain in the Foudroyant ; and I was with that officer and 

 Sir R. Abercrombie when the landing was efi'ected. A few monthsafter the 

 late war, I returned to England, and was paid off; early in this, I was 

 appointed to the Sea Fencibles in Essex, where I remained three years ; and 

 during the last three have commanded the Acasta. In her I have bad 

 the charge of conducting and landing seven thousand of our troops in the 

 expedition against IMartinique ; and shortly after, about two thousand five 

 hundred at tiie Saints. The ship then being found in a state of decay, w^as 

 ordered home, and paid off. Had I had any idea of not being kept in active 

 service, I should certainly have accepted either the Abercrombie or the Jewel, 

 both of which ships were offered to me by Sir A. Cochrane, previous to my 

 coming home. From what I have stated, I trust it will appear that my 

 standing as a captain is sufficient, that my conduct as an officer is unimpeach- 

 able, and that the length of my service will justify my solicitation. If, how- 

 ever, I should not succeed, I shall return to my cottage with the sentiments 

 of the Spartan who lost his election as one of the Ephori— happy that my 

 profession produces so many men of merit and virtue superior to myself.' " 



This application met with all the success it deserved. Captain Beaver 

 •U-as immediately offered the clioice of two ships, and having selected 

 the Nisus, he prepared for his voyage, and took leave of his family — as 

 it unfortunately happened — for ever. He was at the taking of the Isle 

 of France, and "so generally distinguished himself by liis superior skill and 

 sagacity in the disposition and debarkation of the troops, and thereby 

 mainly contributing to the victory, that lie was appointed commodore, 

 and invested by the admirals on the station with the honourable, but 

 laborious post of senior officer in command. A series of hard and 

 useful, rather than distinguished services, ensued, until his death, which 

 took place somewhat suddenly at the Cape, in consequence of an attack 

 of inflammation in the bowels, which was, perhaps, only dangerous in 

 consequence of his own neglect and his aversion to medicine. His 

 friend. Captain Schomberg, gives the following account of his illness 

 and death : — 



" He had slightly complained during the cruise of indisposition, and his 

 looks on our arrival, proved the intensity of his disease. He landed about 

 noon, but while dining with the admiral, was imder the necessity of quitting 

 the table. The symptoms quickly increased to an alarming degree, and after 

 a violent struggle with nature for four days, he expired at Cape Town, on 

 the 5th of April 1813 ; and in those trying moments displayed his usual admi- 

 rable fortitude. Seeing that we were greatly affected, he remarked that death 

 was an event for which he had been daily prepared ; it was a debt which all 

 must pay, and therefore it should be contemplated with calm resignation. 

 Addressing me more particularly, for I never quitted him during this impres- 

 sive scene, he continued. ' If I am not better in an hour, I cannot live. You 

 will succeed me in the command of the Nisus, and I know my youngsters will 

 be taken care of. I hope they will yet be an honour to the cloth.' He then 

 deliberately proceeded to make serious preparation for the approachuig event. 

 About five o'clock, the anticipated return of the pangs of inflammatory con- 

 stipation closed his earthly troubles, and left us in a stupor of grief. 



" It is difficult for rr.e to sketch his character — he was manly and deter- 

 mined, with a mind very peculiarly constituted. From the firmness of his 

 decision, something like austerity, and an air of conscious superiority, showed 

 itself in command : but in society, except where vice or folly drew forth his 

 sarcasm, he was gentle and as playfid as a child. His inflexible integrity 

 made parts of his conduct appear captious and irritable ; while in argument, 

 his manner seemed rather to dictate than to persuade, — yet I know no man 



