by John Marshall

“ In June following l’Espoir formed part of Lord Keith’s fleet, and joined in the pursuit of a French squadron under Rear-Admiral Perée, whose capture we have already recorded [8] . Subsequent to this event, Captain Sanders, being at Gibraltar, observed several Spanish gun-boats capture a merchant brig between Cabritta Point and Ceuta. Having obtained permission to that effect from the senior officer then present, he weighed at sun-set unobserved by the enemy, succeeded in recapturing the English vessel, sunk one of the gun-boats, and compelled the others to make a hasty retreat. ”

“ Sanders was constantly employed in different ships till May 1792, when he was removed from the Duke of 90 guns into the Lion 64, commanded by the late Sir Erasmus Gower, who entrusted him with the command of the Jackall, a brig of 101 tons, originally a Welch coaster, which vessel had been purchased into the service, and fitted as a tender to the embassy under Lord Macartney, then about to proceed to the court of Pekin [3] . ”

“ Numberless applications were made to serve under him upon the present interesting occasion; and young gentlemen of the most respectable families, glowing with all the ardour and enterprise of youth, were admitted on board the Lion, considerably beyond her proper complement of Midshipmen. Three of those gentlemen were placed under Mr. Sanders in the Jackall. ↑ The Lion, on her passage from Batavia to North Island, struck upon a knoll in three fathoms water, with six or seven fathoms all round it. ”

“ Captain Sanders, however, continued to command her for twelve months, and when off Cape delle Melle, with Lord Keith’s fleet, in June 1799, went in chase, although her starboard-side had been stove in and nearly laid flat on the deck by the Emerald frigate running foul of her during the preceding night. ↑ Captain King had resumed the command of his ship, and the squadron a few days previous to the action. He was afterwards appointed to the Alexandria frigate, and died on the West India station in 1807. ”

“ Her provisions were damaged by salt water; and her crew were reduced to a very scanty pittance when she joined the Lion. Mr. Sanders, who commanded her, got much credit for his conduct throughout the voyage [4] .”
On his return to England, in Sept. 1794, Mr. Sanders was recommended for promotion by Lord Macartney; and soon after advanced to the rank of Lieutenant in the Prince George, of 98 guns, which ship formed part of Lord Bridport’s fleet at the capture of three French 2-deckers, off l’Orient, on the 23d June, in the following year [5] . ”

“ In addition to those services, he rescued several British merchantmen at different times from the hands of the Algeziras flotilla, and captured and destroyed several privateers and trading vessels on the coast of Spain; in doing which l’Espoir was more than once warmly engaged, though, fortunately, without sustaining any material loss or damage. ”