INTRODUCTION. Jiii 



stated b}' the Members of the Court martial, was, " that 

 of an experienced, brave, and meritorious officer," de- 

 termined to sacrifice the Calcutta to the safety of his con- 

 voy, by first manoeuvering so as to draw the attention of 

 the eneni}' to one point ; and, with this view, he offered en- 

 gagement to the whole squadron of the enemy from Roche- 

 fort, one of which was a three-decker, and four others of 

 the line. After a sort of running fight with TArmide, the 

 Magnanime came up, and this ship of the hne he engaged 

 for fifty minutes, frecjuently within pistol shot. By this 

 time the Calcutta was unrigged and unmanageable, and 

 had six of her crew killed and six wounded; and the Thetis 

 frigate coming up close under her stern. Captain Wood- 

 riff was under the painful necessity of striking his colours; 

 but the whole of his valuable convoy effected their escape. 

 Captain Woodriff, after an imprisonment of eighteen 

 months, was exchanged for a French officer of equal 

 rank, but Lieutenant Tuckey was kept till the termina- 

 tion of the Avar. The Court martial held for the loss of 

 the ship " most honourably acquitted Captain Wood- 

 rifl, his officers and ship's company ;" and on this oc- 

 casion the Captain delivered a paper to the court, which 

 Avas as follows : " I cannot, Mr. President and Members 

 of this Honourable Court, omit to express to you, how 

 much I regret that the captivity of Lieutenant Tuckey, 

 late first of His Majesty's ship Calcutta, should be a bar 

 to the promotion he so highly merits ; his courage, cool 

 intrepidity, and superior abilities as a seaman and an 

 officer, entitle him to my warmest gratitude, and render 

 him most worthy of the attention of the Right Honourable 

 the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty/' 



