lying at anchor at the Saints. Next morning, in spite of the strong tides and the many rocks and shoals in the area, they brought the schooner out without loss as almost the entire crew, including the commander, Citizen Martres Preville, lieutenant de vaisseau, had fled at their approach. The prize was Providence, which had only two guns mounted but was laden with 36, 24 and 18-pounder cannon she was taking to Brest from a foundry near Nantes. Her cargo also included some choice timber. Naiad returned to Plymouth from her cruise on 7 September and went in for a refit. This was completed on 2 October when she went from Barnpool out into the Sound to await orders. On 5 October she received six months of wages, and sailed the next day down the Channel, before anyone could spend any of their accumulated pay. During the following fifteen weeks Naiad cruised off Ferrol and Corunna with Sir Edward Pellew's squadron. The squadron experienced severe gales but in spite of the weather blowing them off station on several occasions, the squadron succeeded in preventing the French squadrons from Ferrol and Corunna linking up. On 29 November forced the French frigate Bayonnaise aground in Finisterre Bay where her crew set fire to her so that she blew up. Naiad was among the vessels in Pellew's squadron sharing, by agreement, in the head money. Naiad left the squadron on 8 January 1804 when they were close in to Ferrol, to carry dispatches to Admiral William Cornwallis off Ushant. She left the Admiral on 10 January and arrived back in Plymouth four days later. On 31 January 1804 Captain J. Pellew was appointed to command Naiad while Wallis was dangerously ill at home in Storehouse. At some point in 1804 Captain Thomas Dundas took command of Naiad. Her next station was with the squadron off Brest and she brought back dispatches for the Admiralty on 10 May. On 15 June a court martial ordered the Honorable Alexander Jones, then a lieutenant in Naiad, to be shot for striking Lieutenant William Dean, the senior lieutenant, during a quarrel. Dean was dismissed from the service for ungentlemanly conduct. The court recommended clemency for Jones; ten days later he received a pardon and was restored to his former rank. (Jones was promoted to Commander on 22 January 1806. Dean was restored to his former rank in