Footnotes

Provenance:
The recipient and thence by descent

Literature:
Commander W.E. May , R.N. and P.G. Annis, Swords for Sea Service, 1970, p. 72

The presentation inscription reads: 'From The Patriotic Fund At Lloyds To R. Torin Esq.r Com.ng The H.E.I. Co.s Ship Coutts One Of The Fleet Of Merchantmen Which On The 15th. Feby. 1804 Defeated And Pursued A Squadron Of French Men Of War Under Command Of Adl. Linios In The Marengo Of 84 (sic) Guns, As Recorded In The Gaz.te Of The 11th Aug.t'

On the 31st. January 1804 a convoy of sixteen East India Company merchant ships and a number of smaller vessels under Commodore Nathaniel Dance sailed from Canton for Europe. On the 14th February they had reached the Strait of Malacca when four strange sails were spotted. This was a French squadron commanded by Admiral Linois and comprising the Marengo (74) and three frigates. By daybreak on the following day the ships were only about three miles apart with the British ships forming a line of battle. Dance ordered four of the largest ships to hoist blue ensigns which implied that they were warships. The British ships then headed for the Straits with the French in pursuit. Dance ordered his lead ships to come about and there followed a brief exchange of fire. Convinced that he faced a far superior force Linois then withdrew

The British losses were just one man killed and another wounded but the action saved a convoy with a cargo of tea, silk and porcelain valued at over £8 million at the time (the equivalent of £600 million today). Dance and his fellow captains were highly praised for saving the convoy which prevented both the East India Company and Lloyd's of London from likely financial ruin. They were all rewarded by various national and mercantile institutions and each captain received a sword of £50 value from the Patriotic Fund. These were the only Lloyd's swords presented to Merchant Navy Officer's and are unique in being the only swords of £50 value to have the ships name and the date engraved on the scabbard

It is interesting to note that, before the convoy had set sail, Dance had consulted his captains as to the action to be taken should they be attacked by the French. Henry Meriton, captain of the Exeter, and Torin, had been in a similar situation off Brazil in 1800 and had masqueraded as ships of the line. In fact Meriton had actually captured a French frigate, the only time a warship struck its colours to a merchant ship. There is no doubt that this action encouraged Dance to proceed as he did

Robert Torin took command of the Coutts in around 1796. He was acquainted with the artist John Constable and in 1803 Constable joined the ship on the first leg of its journey to China around the Medway and Thames to Deal during which time he completed around 130 sketches. Robert Torin died in 1823 at the age of sixty-four