[1] Born on 27 April 1784 in Linlithgowshire, Scotland, his father was Sir Robert Dalyell of the Binns, 4th Baronet, an officer in the British Army.

[5] The 40-gun French frigate Seine was returning home from Port Louis with 280 troops aboard when at 07:00 she was spotted by the British squadron in the Bay of Biscay, heading north towards the Penmarch Rocks off the south coast of Finistère.

This running battle continued for 2 hours 35 minutes, after which time, the British frigate began to fall astern, having lost the top portion of her mainmast.

San Fiorenzo was instrumental in refloating Seine which eventually came off after her forward guns had been jettisoned, but a second attempt to rescue Pique was unsuccessful and she was destroyed to prevent her falling into the hands of the French.

While serving on this station, Dalyell was given his first command, a captured enemy vessel which would later sink leaving him and his crew marooned on the coast of Cuba.

[4] The peace was short-lived, however, breaking out again in May the following year, and Dalyell, unable to find employment as a lieutenant had to make do with a commission as a Passed midshipman, aboard the 50-gun Antelope.

[2] Antelope's commander, Sir Sidney Smith, was directing covert operations along the French and Dutch coasts, and at this particular time was monitoring naval construction at Texel and Antwerp.

The vessel was in such poor condition, however, that by the time they arrived in London, water ingress had caused its cargo of grain to expand and open up the deck.

[8] These letters mainly relate to William Dalylell's attempts to help his nephew's career, but also document his indignant reaction to the Hango massacre during the Crimean War and some of his views on the navy.