A garrison of Seamen and Marines having been placed at Limmen Town, in West Friezland, under Captain Boorder, of the Navy, consisting of only 157 men, was attacked at five on the morning of the 11th of October by more than 700 of the enemy, in four quarters. Their advanced party against the North battery was surrounded and taken by the seamen, and after a long contest, the whole gave way. The Marines immediately pursued, killed and wounded more than 40, and would have taken their colours and cannon if they had not, in the rout, broken down a bridge, which checked our progress. Captain Boorder says, "that Lieutenants Wyburn, Howel, Higginson, and Gardner, of Marines, behaved with honour to themselves, and credit to their Country, and that their men distinguished themselves in a most gallant manner." The names of Captains Mortlock, Sir Harry Neale, Winthorp, Bolton, Macnamara, and Cuninghame, with their Officers, Seamen, and Marines, stand meritedly high in the subordinate catalogue of this year's naval deeds.
Twenty thousand Marines were voted for the service of 1800.
Every revolving year seemed to add to the naval superiority of Great Britain. In each quarter the enemy's fleets were blockaded within their ports; the happy result of our reiterated victories.
In the Mediterranean, Lord Keith, by his cruizers, was highly instrumental in producing the fall of Genoa, to the Austrian General Melas, by cutting off its supplies, and occasional bombardments.
Early in 1800 a battalion of Marines was landed at Malta, which had withstood a tedious blockade, and still held out with uncommon perseverance. The occasion presented no opportunities of signalizing themselves, but by the most exemplary good conduct, under the following Officers:
Capt. Knox, ---- Wolfe, ---- Torkinton, ---- Williams,
Lieut. Burford, ---- Bunce, ---- Adair, ---- Miller, ---- Davison, ---- M'Carthy,
Lieut. Jones, ---- Pearce, ---- Pogson, ---- Hodgkins, ---- Tyldesley, Adjutant, ---- Scobell, Quarter-Master.
On the 5th of September La Valette capitulated, of which the Marines took possession. The indefatigable exertions of Captain (now Sir A.) Ball, of the Royal Navy, did him much honor, and it was partly owing to the seasonable arrival of Major General Pigott with a reinforcement, as well as to the debarkation of the Marines, that this important key to Egypt was so soon added to our dominion. The steady vigilance of the Navy, during a blockade of two years, had a pre-eminent share in this final event. The fortress of Savona, reduced to famine, by the activity of Captain Downman and his little squadron, surrendered also to him and the Austrian General St. Julien, on the 16th of May.