28

HISTORY OF

[GEORGE 111.

destruction of a third. The four Captains, William Hoste, of the Amphion ;Henry Whitby, of the Cerberus; James Alexander Gordon, of the Active;and Phipps Hornby, of the Yolage; were rewarded with Medals, bearingtheir names, and that of their ships, thus, caftain william hoste amphion13 MARCH 1811, A FRENCH SQUADRON OF SUPERIOR FORCE DEFEATED.

The next occasion on which the Naval Medal was conferred, was in January1812, on Captain Christopher Cole, of the Caroline frigate for havingstormed the fortress of Belgica in Banda, at the head of a body of seamenand marines, and caused that Island to surrender. His Medal was inscribed,CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER COLE CAROLINE 9 AUGUST 1810 FORT BELGICASTORMED, BANDA NEIRA TAKEN.

In February 1812, a sanguinary action was fought in the Adriatick, be-tween the Victorious of seventy-four guns, commanded by Captain JohnTalbot, assisted by the Weazle Brig, Captain John William Andrew, andthe Rivoli, a French Ship of the Line, and two Brigs, which ended in thesurrender of the Rivoli, and the destruction of one of the Enemy’s brigs.Captain Talbot’s conduct was rewarded with the Medal, inscribed john talbotESQUIRE CAPTAIN OF H. M. S. VICTORIOUS 74 GUNS 506 MEN CAPTURED LERIVOLI 74 GUNS 862 MEN 22 FEBRUARY 1812.

Though the circumstance will be again noticed in the account of Medalsconferred for Military services, it is proper to observe here, that CaptainGeorge Sayer of the Royal Navy received the Military Medal for his conductin the batteries at the capture of the Island of Java, in August and September1812, and that it is the only instance of the kind.

The memorable action, between the Shannon, and the American frigate,Chesapeak, in June 1813, obtained for Captain Philip Bowes Vere Broke,her commander, together with the dignity of Baronet, the Medal, which wasinscribed captain p. b. v. broke h. m. s. shannon 46 guns 330 men cap-tured 1 JUNE 1813 IN 15 MINUTES U. S. S. CHESAPEAK 49 GUNS 449 MEN.

On the 27th of March 1814, Captain Edmund Palmer, of the Hebrusfrigate, captured the French ship L’Etoile of superior force, for which hereceived the Medal, inscribed, edmund palmer esquire captain of h. m. s.HEBRUS 42 GUNS 284 MEN CAPTURED 27 MAR. 1814, L’ETOILE 44 GUNS 320men, which was the last time a Medal was conferred for a conflict with a shipof France.

Only one other donation of the Naval Medal remains to be recorded. In