AAR All at sea in the Indian Ocean.

[Bligh]

Preamble.

It should be noted that since your last visit to the Cape dear reader there have been several changes to the personnel and ships posted there.
Admiral Sir Joshua Pound is now Lord Pound of Mathurin KCB. following an action of the port on the Isle of Rodriguges which lost him an arm but ensured him the Governorship of the Cape.
As commander of the Squadron based at the Cape, is newly promoted, and now Commodore, Sir Josiah Pennyman, Pound’s Flag Captain, who distinguished himself at the battle, by leading the boarding attack in which the French Flagship was taken.
The Royal George having returned to England for repairs, the role of Squadron Flagship has devolved onto the newly arrived 80 gun HMS Tonnant under Pennyman’s Flag Captain Richard Stirling.
The Bellerophon 74, remains on station, now under the command of Captain Thomas Crown.
Also still based at the Cape are the Phoenix 74, still under Captain Joseph Porter,
and Superb 74, now commanded by Scottish Captain Douglas Noble.
Joining the squadron is the HMS Agamemnon 64, Captain Robert (Bob) Roberts, and the Frigate Juno, now under our old friend Captain George Farthing.
Amelia is still commanded by Captain Angus Groat.
Indefatigable has now returned from England having been razeed to a large, 38 under Captain Daniel Florrin.
Still on station is the Bomb Ketch Vulcan under Lieutenant Valentine Pony, and they are now joined by the Sloop HMS Beagle, under Commander John Quid,
And Cutter Naiad, Lieutenant Richard Bender.
These were the Captains hastily assembled by Sir Joshua when the battered Merchantman Pandora arrived with the news of the loss of her two accompanying consorts the Gladys and Richmond to a French Frigate two days previous to her encounter with the French Sloop Ceres, and the subsequent taking of the HEIC Aurora before Pandora managed to slip away during the height of the action.
Pennyman and his captains were now determined to put a stop to the French incursions in the Indian Ocean which constituted a real danger to British trade routes. With Sir Joshua’s blessing a strike force made up of Agamemnon, Indefatigable, Amelia and Juno set out from Cape Town to blockade the Isle de France.