Cylchgronau Cymru

Chwiliwch trwy dros 450 o deitlau a 1.2 miliwn o dudalennau

102 NOTABLE MEN OF WALES. commander, pushed for the anchorage in Gourjean Bay, which he reached with his fleet about two p.m. ; but none of the British ships were able to get near except the twenty-eight gun frigate Dido, Captain G. H. Towry, who received and gallantly returned the fire of some of the rear ships, as well as that of the two forts guarding the entrance to the anchorage. It was Lord Hood's intention to follow the French into the bay, and from the judicious plan of attack he had matured little doubt was entertained that every ship of the squadron would have been either captured or destroyed, but the prevalence of calms and unfavourable winds caused the enterprise to be abandoned. Meanwhile the French had landed some of their guns, and erected strong batteries on shore; still hopes were entertained of destroying the squadron, and for this purpose two or three fire ships were fitted, and entrusted to the command of two able officers—Lieutenants Ealph Willett Miller and Charles Brisbane —the latter of whom, it appears, had suggested the enterprise ; but on approaching the bay these officers found the French so well prepared, and so strongly posted, that this plan also had to be given up. The French eventually succeeded in reaching Toulon in safety. The St. George, still commanded by Captain Foley, is next found, with Sir Hyde Parker's flag on board, forming part of Vice-Admiral Hotham's fleet of thirteen sail of the line lying in Leghorn Roads. On the 8th March, 1795, Admiral Hotham received intelligence by express from Genoa that the French fleet of fifteen sail of the line had been seen off the islands of St. Marguerite two days before. On the 9th he put to sea, and on the 10th descried the French working their way back to Toulon. On the 12th the two fleets were within three miles of each other, and on the 13th, the French admiral evincing no intention of bearing down to engage, Vice-Admiral Hotham threw out the signal for a general chase. A partial but distant encounter ensued. Owing to the calm state of the weather no general engagement was possible, and after some slight loss on both sides all attempts to renew the attack were relinquished. In this action the St. George lost four men killed and thirteen wounded. Two French ships, however—the Ca-ira, of eighty guns, and the Censeur, seventy-four—were captured. About the year 1795 Captain Foley purchased the estate of Abermarlais Park from, we believe, the trustees of Lord Hawarden. Abermarlais was a place of note as far back as the reign of Henry VIII., and even earlier. " The lordship of Llansadwrn, with a capital messuage called Abermarlais, belonged in that reign to Rhys ap Griffith, a grandson of Sir Rhys ap Thomas, of Abermarlais, the hero of Bosworth Field (1485). The said Rhys ap Griffith, upon a frivolous pretext, was attainted of high treason, and this lordship King Henry granted