Archibald Duff embarked as a Midshipman in June, 1788 and served the first two years of his time on board the Champion 24, commanded by Captain Edwards. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1794, and served on board the Foudroyant under the flag of Lord Nelson. In September 1799 he received a commendation from T.M. Hardy for rescuing a drowning seaman, and the following year was also praised for saving the lives of seamen from a burning ship. In 1807, the period of many of the entries in this volume, Duff was stationed off Jamaica, and made several captures, but also grounded his ship on a reef off Havannah, saving his crew by transferring them onto a privateer and thence to safety in Jamaica. His last appointment was in 1813, to the President frigate, sent to protect the north coasts of Ireland and Scotland against American cruisers, until the termination of hostilities in 1815. In 1819 he published a treatise on "the Tube Sight, for giving greater effect to the Fire of Artillery, more particularly at Sea." See: Royal Navy Biography Supplement, Cambridge, 2010.
Subject Terms:
Duff, Archibald, 1777–1858. | Great Britain. Royal Navy. | Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Officers. | Seafaring life. | Jamaica -- Description and travel. | Sugar trade -- Jamaica. | Smuggling. | Ocean currents.