by John Marshall

“ At 11 A.M. on the 1st May, 1795, soon after Captain Grey’s return to England, and whilst he was attending a court-martial in Portsmouth harbour, a fire broke out on board the Boyne, then at Spithead. The flames burst through the poop-deck before the fire was discovered, and spread so rapidly, that in less than half an hour the ship was in a blaze fore and aft; every exertion on the part of the officers and crew to save her proved abortive. All her guns being loaded, went off as they became heated, the shot falling among the shipping ”

“ Vincent hoisted his flag on board the Ville de Paris of 110 guns, as Commander-in-Chief of the Channel fleet; and at the same time our officer assumed the command of that ship, which he held until the month of March, 1801. He was soon after appointed to one of the yachts in attendance on the royal family at Weymouth, and continued to be employed on that sort of service till about April, 1804, when he succeeded Sir Isaac Coffin, as Commissioner of Sheerness Dockyard, from whence he afterwards removed to Portsmouth, where he now resides. ”

“ Captain Grey subsequently commanded the Glory, another ship of 98 guns, forming part of the Channel fleet. In the following year we find him in the Victory, a first rate, bearing the flag of Sir John Jervis, with whom he continued during the whole period that officer held the command on the Mediterranean station. He consequently assisted at the defeat of the Spanish fleet, off Cape St. Vincent, Feb. 14, 1797 [4] , on which occasion the Victory had only 1 man killed and 5 wounded. ”