细节
Naval interest:
a George III two-handled presentation tray, oval with a gadrooned border and gadrooned bracket feet, the handles cast, each incorperating a leopard mask, the centre engraved with a large coat of arms* above an inscription within a drapery cartouche, "presented by the East India Company to Captain John Fam Timmins in testimony of his able conduct and undaunted bravery in leading on the ship Royal George under his command to the attack of the Marengo French ship of 84 guns, on the 15th February 1804 when a fleet of 16 of the company's ships under the orders of Commodore Sir Nathaniel Dance beat off a French squadron under the command of Admiral Linois, consisting of one ship of 84 guns, three frigates and a sloop", by Thomas Hannam & John Crouch (II), 1804 - 74.5cm long, 160oz. * Armorial of Commander Timmins of the East India Company.
Literature:
Dictionary of National Biography;
DANCE, Sir nathaniel, (1748-1827), commander in the service of the East India Company, son of James, the elder brother of Sir Nathaniel Holland [q.v.], and of George Dance the younger [q.v.], was born 20 June 1748, entered the East India Company's service in 1759, and, after continuous employment for nearly thirty years, obtained the command of a ship in 1787. In 1804 he was, by virtue of his seniority, commodore of the company's homeward-bound fleet which sailed from Canton on 31 Jan. Off Pulo Aor, 14 Feb, this fleet, consisting of sixteen Indiamen and eleven country ships, fell in with the French squadron under Admiral Linois. The Indian fleet numbered three more than Linois had been led to expect. He jumped to the conclusion that he three extra ships were men-of-war; and though he had with him a line-of-battle ship, three heavy frigates, and a brig, he did not venture to attack. the bold attitude which Dance assumed confirmed him in his error. Dance, with his fleet ranged in line of battle, stood on under easy sail, lay to for the night, and the next morning again stood on, always under easy sail. Linois the manoeuvred to cut off some of the rear most ships, on which Dance made the signal to tack towards the enemy and engage. Captain Timmins in the Royal George led, the Ganges and Dance's own ship, the Earl Camden, closely followed. Linois, possessed with the idea that he was engaged with ships of the line, did not observe that neither the number nor weight of the guns agreed with it; and conceiving himself in presence of a very superior force, after a few badly aimed broadsides, hauled his wind and fled. The loss of the English was one man killed and one wounded, both on board the Royal George; the other ships sustained no damage. Dance made the signal for a general chase, and for two hours enjoyed the extraordinary spectacle of a powerful squadron of ships of war flying before a number of merchantmen; then fearing a longer pursuit might carry him to far our of his course and considering the immense property at stake, he recalled his ships and the next morning continued his voyage. In the Straits, on 28 Feb, they met two English ships of the line which convoyed them as far as St. Helena, whence they obtained a further escort to England. Liberal rewards were voted to the several commanders, officers and ships companies. Dance was knighted; was presented with 5.000l. by the Bombay Insurance Company, and by the East India Company with a pension of 500l. a year. He seems to have lived for the remainder of his life in retirement; and died at Enfield on 25 March 1827, aged 79. (Gent. Mag. vol xcvii, pt i, p. 380).
East India House, Aug 8. A letter from Capt. Nathaniel Dance, Commander of the East India Company's ship, Earl of Camden, was received this morning, of which the following is a copy.
For the information of the Honourable Court, I beg leave to aquaint you, that the Earl Camden was dispatched from Canton by the Select Committee the 31st January last; and the ships noted in the margin were put under my orders, as senior commander; also, the Rolla Botany Bay ships, and the country ships, as per margin, were put under my charge, to convoy as far as our courses lay in the same direction. I was also ordered to take under my protection a Portuguese Europe ship, that was lying in Macao Roads, whole Supracargo had solicited it from the Select Committee. Our passage down the river was tedious, and the fleet much dispersed, the ships being under the directions of the several Chinese Pilots, I could not keep them collected as I wished. The Ganges, a fast-sailing brig, was put under my orders by the Select Committee, to employ in any manner that might tend to the safety or convenience of the fleet, till we had passed the Straits of Malacca. I was then to dispatch her to Bengal. We passed Macao Roads on the night of the 5th of February, and I conceive the Rolla had anchored so near Macao; as not to see the fleet get under weigh and pass through; although at the time I had no idea that could be possible, especially as I saw the Ocean in shore of us getting under weigh, burning blue lights, and firing a gun, the Portuguese ship, I suppose must have been in the same situation as the Rolla. During the night of the 5th of February I carried off an easy sail, and on the following day hove-to for above two hours, hoping to see those ships; but there was no appearance of them, nor did they ever join the fleet. -On the 14th February, at day-break, we saw Pulo Auro bearing W.S.W. and the eight A.M. the Royal George made the signal, for seeing four strange sail in the S.W. I made the signal for the four ships noted in the margin to go down and examine them; and Lieutenant Fowler of the Royal Navy, late Commander of the Porpoise, and passenger with me, having handsomely offered to go in the Ganges brig, and inspect them nearly, I afterwards sent her down likewise, and from their signals I perceived it was an enemy's squadron, consisting of a line of battle ship, three frigates, and a brig. At one P.M. I recalled the look-out ships by signal, and formed the line of battle in close order. As soon as the enemy could fetch in our wake, they put about; we kept on our course under and easy sail. At near sunset, they were close up with our rear, and I was in momentary expectation of an attack there, and prepared to support them; but at the close of day we perceived them haul to windward. I sent Lieu. Fowler in the Ganges brig, to station the country ships on our lee-bow, by which means we were between them and the enemy, and having done so, he returned with some volunteers from the country ships. We laid-to in line of battle all night, our men at the quarters; at day-break of the 15th, we saw the enemy about three miles to windward, lying-to; we hoisted our colours, offering him battle, if he chose to come down. The enemy's four ships hoisted the French colours, the line of battle ship carrying a Rear Admiral's flag; the brig was under Batavian colours. At nine A.M. finding they would not come down, we formed the order of sailing, and steered our course under an easy sail, the enemy then filled their sails, and edged towards us. At one P.M. finding they proposed to attack, and endeavour to cut off our rear, I made he signal to tack and bear down on him, and engage in succession, the Royal George being the leading ship, the Ganges next, and the Earl Camden. This manoeuvre was correctly performed, and we flood towards him under a press of sail. The enemy then formed in a very close line, and opened their fire on the headmost ships, which was not returned to us till we approached him nearer. The Royal George bore the brunt of the action, and got as near the enemy as he would permit him, the Ganges and Earl Camden opened their fire as soon as the guns could have effect; but, before any other ship could get in to the action, the enemy hauled their wind and stood away to the Eastward under all the sail they could set. At two P.M. I made the signal for a general chase, and we pursued them until four P.M. when, fearing a longer pursuit would carry us too far from the mouth of the Straits, and considering the immense property at stake, I made the signal to tack, and at eight P.M. we anchored in a situation to proceed for the entrance of the Straits in the morning. As long as we could distinguish the enemy, we perceived him steering in the Eastward under and press of sail. The Royal George had one man killed, and another wounded, many shot in her hull, and more in her sails, but few that shot touched the Camden or the Ganges; and the fire of the enemy seemed to be ill directed, his shot either falling short, or passing over us. Capt. Timmins carried the Royal George into action in the most gallant manner. In justice to my brother Commanders, I must state that every ship was cleared and prepared for action; and as I had communication with almost all of them during the two days we were in presence of the enemy, I found them unanimous to the determined resolution to defend the valuable property entrusted to their charge to the last extremity, with a full conviction of the successful event of their exertions; and this spirit was fully seconded by the gallant ardour of all our officers and ships companies. From Malacca I dispatched Lieut. Fowler with a packet from the Select Committee to the Captain of any of his Majesty's ships, soliciting their convoy to this very valuable fleet. On arrival at Malacca we were informed that the squadron we had engaged was that of Admiral Linois, consisting of the Marengo of 84 guns, the Belle Poulo, and Semillante heavy frigates, a corvette of 28, and the Batavian brig William, of 18 guns - The 28th February in the Straights of Malacca lat. 40' 30'N. we fell in with his Majesty's ships Albion and Sceptre. I was then in a very poor state of health; and Mr Lance went on board the Albion, and, by his very able representation to Capt. Ferrier of the great national consequence of the Hon. Company's ships, he was induced to take charge of the fleet - On the 31st March I dispatched the Ganges brig with a letter to the Right Hon. the Governor General, giving an account of our action, to be conveyed to the Honourable Court - We arrived at St. Helena the 9th June, under convoy of his Majesty's ships Albion and Sceptre, and sailed the 18th, under convoy of his Majesty's ship Plantagenet, with the addition of the Carmarthen, Capt. Dobree, and five whalers. Accompanying this I send a chart of the enterance of the Straights of Malacca, with the situations of the fleet on the 14th and 15th February, which will, I trust, convey a more distinct idea of the action than any other description. I am, & C. N.Dance.
Earl Camden, Aug 6 1804.
a George III two-handled presentation tray, oval with a gadrooned border and gadrooned bracket feet, the handles cast, each incorperating a leopard mask, the centre engraved with a large coat of arms* above an inscription within a drapery cartouche, "presented by the East India Company to Captain John Fam Timmins in testimony of his able conduct and undaunted bravery in leading on the ship Royal George under his command to the attack of the Marengo French ship of 84 guns, on the 15th February 1804 when a fleet of 16 of the company's ships under the orders of Commodore Sir Nathaniel Dance beat off a French squadron under the command of Admiral Linois, consisting of one ship of 84 guns, three frigates and a sloop", by Thomas Hannam & John Crouch (II), 1804 - 74.5cm long, 160oz. * Armorial of Commander Timmins of the East India Company.
Literature:
Dictionary of National Biography;
DANCE, Sir nathaniel, (1748-1827), commander in the service of the East India Company, son of James, the elder brother of Sir Nathaniel Holland [q.v.], and of George Dance the younger [q.v.], was born 20 June 1748, entered the East India Company's service in 1759, and, after continuous employment for nearly thirty years, obtained the command of a ship in 1787. In 1804 he was, by virtue of his seniority, commodore of the company's homeward-bound fleet which sailed from Canton on 31 Jan. Off Pulo Aor, 14 Feb, this fleet, consisting of sixteen Indiamen and eleven country ships, fell in with the French squadron under Admiral Linois. The Indian fleet numbered three more than Linois had been led to expect. He jumped to the conclusion that he three extra ships were men-of-war; and though he had with him a line-of-battle ship, three heavy frigates, and a brig, he did not venture to attack. the bold attitude which Dance assumed confirmed him in his error. Dance, with his fleet ranged in line of battle, stood on under easy sail, lay to for the night, and the next morning again stood on, always under easy sail. Linois the manoeuvred to cut off some of the rear most ships, on which Dance made the signal to tack towards the enemy and engage. Captain Timmins in the Royal George led, the Ganges and Dance's own ship, the Earl Camden, closely followed. Linois, possessed with the idea that he was engaged with ships of the line, did not observe that neither the number nor weight of the guns agreed with it; and conceiving himself in presence of a very superior force, after a few badly aimed broadsides, hauled his wind and fled. The loss of the English was one man killed and one wounded, both on board the Royal George; the other ships sustained no damage. Dance made the signal for a general chase, and for two hours enjoyed the extraordinary spectacle of a powerful squadron of ships of war flying before a number of merchantmen; then fearing a longer pursuit might carry him to far our of his course and considering the immense property at stake, he recalled his ships and the next morning continued his voyage. In the Straits, on 28 Feb, they met two English ships of the line which convoyed them as far as St. Helena, whence they obtained a further escort to England. Liberal rewards were voted to the several commanders, officers and ships companies. Dance was knighted; was presented with 5.000l. by the Bombay Insurance Company, and by the East India Company with a pension of 500l. a year. He seems to have lived for the remainder of his life in retirement; and died at Enfield on 25 March 1827, aged 79. (Gent. Mag. vol xcvii, pt i, p. 380).
East India House, Aug 8. A letter from Capt. Nathaniel Dance, Commander of the East India Company's ship, Earl of Camden, was received this morning, of which the following is a copy.
For the information of the Honourable Court, I beg leave to aquaint you, that the Earl Camden was dispatched from Canton by the Select Committee the 31st January last; and the ships noted in the margin were put under my orders, as senior commander; also, the Rolla Botany Bay ships, and the country ships, as per margin, were put under my charge, to convoy as far as our courses lay in the same direction. I was also ordered to take under my protection a Portuguese Europe ship, that was lying in Macao Roads, whole Supracargo had solicited it from the Select Committee. Our passage down the river was tedious, and the fleet much dispersed, the ships being under the directions of the several Chinese Pilots, I could not keep them collected as I wished. The Ganges, a fast-sailing brig, was put under my orders by the Select Committee, to employ in any manner that might tend to the safety or convenience of the fleet, till we had passed the Straits of Malacca. I was then to dispatch her to Bengal. We passed Macao Roads on the night of the 5th of February, and I conceive the Rolla had anchored so near Macao; as not to see the fleet get under weigh and pass through; although at the time I had no idea that could be possible, especially as I saw the Ocean in shore of us getting under weigh, burning blue lights, and firing a gun, the Portuguese ship, I suppose must have been in the same situation as the Rolla. During the night of the 5th of February I carried off an easy sail, and on the following day hove-to for above two hours, hoping to see those ships; but there was no appearance of them, nor did they ever join the fleet. -On the 14th February, at day-break, we saw Pulo Auro bearing W.S.W. and the eight A.M. the Royal George made the signal, for seeing four strange sail in the S.W. I made the signal for the four ships noted in the margin to go down and examine them; and Lieutenant Fowler of the Royal Navy, late Commander of the Porpoise, and passenger with me, having handsomely offered to go in the Ganges brig, and inspect them nearly, I afterwards sent her down likewise, and from their signals I perceived it was an enemy's squadron, consisting of a line of battle ship, three frigates, and a brig. At one P.M. I recalled the look-out ships by signal, and formed the line of battle in close order. As soon as the enemy could fetch in our wake, they put about; we kept on our course under and easy sail. At near sunset, they were close up with our rear, and I was in momentary expectation of an attack there, and prepared to support them; but at the close of day we perceived them haul to windward. I sent Lieu. Fowler in the Ganges brig, to station the country ships on our lee-bow, by which means we were between them and the enemy, and having done so, he returned with some volunteers from the country ships. We laid-to in line of battle all night, our men at the quarters; at day-break of the 15th, we saw the enemy about three miles to windward, lying-to; we hoisted our colours, offering him battle, if he chose to come down. The enemy's four ships hoisted the French colours, the line of battle ship carrying a Rear Admiral's flag; the brig was under Batavian colours. At nine A.M. finding they would not come down, we formed the order of sailing, and steered our course under an easy sail, the enemy then filled their sails, and edged towards us. At one P.M. finding they proposed to attack, and endeavour to cut off our rear, I made he signal to tack and bear down on him, and engage in succession, the Royal George being the leading ship, the Ganges next, and the Earl Camden. This manoeuvre was correctly performed, and we flood towards him under a press of sail. The enemy then formed in a very close line, and opened their fire on the headmost ships, which was not returned to us till we approached him nearer. The Royal George bore the brunt of the action, and got as near the enemy as he would permit him, the Ganges and Earl Camden opened their fire as soon as the guns could have effect; but, before any other ship could get in to the action, the enemy hauled their wind and stood away to the Eastward under all the sail they could set. At two P.M. I made the signal for a general chase, and we pursued them until four P.M. when, fearing a longer pursuit would carry us too far from the mouth of the Straits, and considering the immense property at stake, I made the signal to tack, and at eight P.M. we anchored in a situation to proceed for the entrance of the Straits in the morning. As long as we could distinguish the enemy, we perceived him steering in the Eastward under and press of sail. The Royal George had one man killed, and another wounded, many shot in her hull, and more in her sails, but few that shot touched the Camden or the Ganges; and the fire of the enemy seemed to be ill directed, his shot either falling short, or passing over us. Capt. Timmins carried the Royal George into action in the most gallant manner. In justice to my brother Commanders, I must state that every ship was cleared and prepared for action; and as I had communication with almost all of them during the two days we were in presence of the enemy, I found them unanimous to the determined resolution to defend the valuable property entrusted to their charge to the last extremity, with a full conviction of the successful event of their exertions; and this spirit was fully seconded by the gallant ardour of all our officers and ships companies. From Malacca I dispatched Lieut. Fowler with a packet from the Select Committee to the Captain of any of his Majesty's ships, soliciting their convoy to this very valuable fleet. On arrival at Malacca we were informed that the squadron we had engaged was that of Admiral Linois, consisting of the Marengo of 84 guns, the Belle Poulo, and Semillante heavy frigates, a corvette of 28, and the Batavian brig William, of 18 guns - The 28th February in the Straights of Malacca lat. 40' 30'N. we fell in with his Majesty's ships Albion and Sceptre. I was then in a very poor state of health; and Mr Lance went on board the Albion, and, by his very able representation to Capt. Ferrier of the great national consequence of the Hon. Company's ships, he was induced to take charge of the fleet - On the 31st March I dispatched the Ganges brig with a letter to the Right Hon. the Governor General, giving an account of our action, to be conveyed to the Honourable Court - We arrived at St. Helena the 9th June, under convoy of his Majesty's ships Albion and Sceptre, and sailed the 18th, under convoy of his Majesty's ship Plantagenet, with the addition of the Carmarthen, Capt. Dobree, and five whalers. Accompanying this I send a chart of the enterance of the Straights of Malacca, with the situations of the fleet on the 14th and 15th February, which will, I trust, convey a more distinct idea of the action than any other description. I am, & C. N.Dance.
Earl Camden, Aug 6 1804.