220 REACH SPITHEAD. [1846. 



description. Light variable breezes succeeded until the 

 28th, when we had only reached within forty miles of the 

 'Lizard'. On the 31st Dec. we reached Spithead, and 

 saluted the Flag of Admiral Sir Charles Ogle. The same 

 evening H.M.S. ' Daphne ' arrived, last from Vigo, having 

 experienced the same gale. 



The ' Samarang ' was ordered to Chatham, but as she 

 had on board 12,000/. in four-penny-pieces, returned from 

 the Mauritius, she was detained until the weather ad- 

 mitted of their being landed. Late in the evening of the 

 5th of January, we weighed from Spithead, but the thick 

 weather which ensued, obscured the lights, and finding 

 ourselves too close to the Horse and Dean Shoals we 

 anchored for the night, weighing before daylight the 

 ensuing morning, in order to be beyond sight of the 

 Admiral's Flag before 8 o'clock, which, I had already 

 been apprized would entail my becoming one of the 

 members of a Court Martial, for which they had already 

 a sufficient number. By the naval regulations, all Captains 

 and Commanders within sight of the Union Flag displayed 

 on board a ship in which a Court Martial is held, are 

 bound to repair on board in full dress. The Admirals 

 and Captains, in seniority, until the number amounts to 

 thirteen, compose the Court. The remainder, after bowing 

 to the President, are permitted to retire. In the event of 

 there being only three of the rank of Admiral or Captain 

 the two senior Commanders are taken in to make a Court, 

 which cannot consist of less than five, of which two may 

 be Commanders. On the 8th of January, 1847, we 

 anchored at the Little Nore, saluting the Flag of Vice 

 Admiral Sir E. D. King, the Commander-in-Chief ; on 



