In consequence of this gratuitous effort, Lieutenant Popham received a letter of thanks from the government, for a measure "which was likely to prove beneficial to the commerce of the company, by removing the objections which precluded the commanders of their ships from touching at Prince of Wales Island late in the season, when the strong winds from the north and north-west occasioned a delay of several days in working round the north end of the island to go to the southward; and it will also," it was added, "encourage ships to touch at the island on their return from China, which few were able to

circumstances which led to the ascertaining the South Channel, and the publication of the chart.

"Soon after my arrival at Prince of Wales Island, I observed the difficulty that ships had in working round the north end of the island, as the strong N.W. winds were then setting in. I found, on inquiry, that it had not been determined whether there was a safe channel to the eastward of Pulo Jeraja, and I offered my service to Mr. Light (the Governor) for this purpose. The handsome manner in which he accepted it claims my grateful thanks; and the ready assistance he gave me on this occasion contributed to my ultimate success, and demonstrated his ardent wish to promote the welfare of the rising colony over which he presides.

"The friendly communication which this gentleman made to the Right Honourable the Governor-general in council here, has another claim to my acknowledgments, as it has procured me testimonies of approbation far transcending the humble portion of my endeavours, and which are so flattering, as to exact from me the most ready obedience to his orders, whenever, on any future occasion, he may do me the honour to conceive that my slender professional acquirements can anywise tend to promote the public

service."

I

accomplish

accomplish before the southern channel was ascertained." A piece of plate was at the same time presented him in the name of the Governor-General in Council, with a suitable inscription. The Court of Directors, on receiving the intelligence, also recommended him in very strong terms to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

It appears from authentic documents, that the company's ship the Lord Macartney, as well as the Hampshire, the Bridgewater, and the Carron, the last of which was piloted by the discoverer, were all enabled to save considerable time through his means; and several commanders, viz. the Captains Lawrie, Reid, and M'Intosh, in a letter dated from Canton, November 13th, 1792, signified their wish to present him with a piece of plate in their own names, and those of others sailing from Bombay, "being highly sensible of the advantage they may derive from the southern channel leading from Prince of Wales. Island to sea, which you have now fully established," say they," by carrying through all the honourable company's ships of this season, and most of them with a working wind." Beacons were first placed for the direction of mariners, and buoys, nine feet by six, afterwards stationed for this purpose.

About this period, Lieutenant Popham, who had acted for some years as a free trader in that quarter of the world, was appointed to the command of the Etrusco, an Imperial East Indiaman; and on his return from Bengal to Ostend, we understand that this vessel was seized by an English frigate, Dd3

and

and made prize of, a considerable portion of the property on board having been supposed to appertain to British subjects.

The loss of the unfortunate commander upon this occasion was doubtless great; but upon the whole, perhaps, it operated as an advantage; as an opportunity soon occurred, partly in consequence of this very event, to bring him once more into the service in which he had been bred, and point out a new road to fame, fortune, and bonour.

The French revolution, which has since effected so many great and important changes in the face of Europe, promised even at this moment to prove fatal to the independence of Holland. Pichegru advancing with a powerful army, after capturing Sluys, Crevecœur, Venloo, and Maestricht, in November 1794 laid siege to Nimeguen. Here he experienced considerable resistance; for this city was not only defended by a numerous garrison, but the Duke of York was enabled at any time to throw in supplies from his camp at Arnheim. As it appeared evident that the place could not be taken until all intercourse with the English troops was cut off, two strong batteries were immediately erected on the right and left of the line of defence, and these were so effectually served by the enemy's artillerists, that they at length destroyed one of the boats that supported the bridge of communication. In consequence of this, the place must have surrendered immediately, had it not been for the exertions of Lieutenant Popham, who, having repaired thither from Ostend, immediately

3

mediately repaired the damage, and thus for a while protracted the fate of the town.

His conduct upon this occasion, during which he served as a volunteer, immediately introduced him to the notice and the patronage of the Commander in Chief; and accordingly, in consequence of the representations of his Royal Highness, he soon after obtained the rank, first of a master and commander, and then of a post-captain in the British navy*.

Nearly at the same time (in November 1793), he conceived the idea of arming the fishermen of Flanders in defence of their own towns; and having received orders for that purpose from his Royal Highness the Duke of York, through Sir James Murray Pulteney, then Adjutant-general, he formed a body of them into a regular corps for the defence of Nieuport. These, which he himself commanded, proved of great service; and as Sir Charles Grey, and other officers, bore ample testimony to their utility, we shall see hereafter that the scheme was at length adopted in England on a grand and extensive scale.

In 1795 we find Captain Popham acting as navalagent for the British transports on the Continent : and it was under his immediate inspection that the British troops which had been serving in Holland, were embarked, and escorted to England by the Dædalus and Amphion frigates.

Some time after this, his intimate knowledge of

Maritime Flanders, where he had resided, joined to a well-established reputation for enterprise, induced government to appoint him to the command of an expedition against that country. As no hopes were any longer entertained of being able to restore the fine provinces, heretofore denominated the Austriap Netherlands, to the Emperor, the English ministry thought proper to endeavour to render them as little serviceable as possible to the enemy. An armament was accordingly assembled for the purpose in the spring of 1798, in Margate Roads, under the command of Captain Popham.

This flotilla, consisting in all of twenty-five vessels of small draught of water, sailed from the coast of Kent on the 14th of May, and appeared off Ostend on the 19th. The wind, however, proved sa boisterous that a landing was deferred, and would have been suspended until a more auspicious opportunity, had not intelligence been received from a captured vessel that the force in the neighbouring garrisons was but trifling. General Coote having therefore proposed that the debarkation should be effected immediately, notwithstanding the surf, which rendered a retreat in case of miscarriage doubtful, Captain Popham gave the necessary orders for that purpose. Such was the alacrity displayed upon this occasion, that many of the troops actually reached the shore, under protection of the gun-boats, before they were discovered. At half past four, however, the landbatteries began to fire on the squadron with considerable