by John Marshall, Royal Naval Biography — Matson… (1823)
“ After serving for some time as Flag-Captain to Commodore Sir Samuel Hood, he commanded the Blenheim of 74 guns, as a private ship, till July 1803, when he joined the Venus frigate, and sailed for England as convoy to the homeward bound trade. During the ensuing four years we find him employed as a cruiser on the Irish, Boulogne, and Leeward islands’ stations. On the 10th July, 1805, he captured l’Hirondelle, French privateer, of 16 guns and 90 men; and early in 1807, la Determinée, of 14 guns and 108 men. He returned to England with a valuable fleet under his protection in the autumn of 1807 ”
