ed himself; and he gives great praife to captain Hare, of the fire-fhip, as well as to all the lieutenants employed under him. It is with very peculiar fatisfaction I have the honour to acquaint you, that the utmost harmony, and most cordial undertanding, has happily fubfifted in his majefty's army and fleet, not only between the officers of all ranks, but between the feamen and foldiers alfo.

I herewith tranfmit a copy of fir Sydney Smith's letter to me, with a lift of the of ficers employed under him, and alfo a return of officers and feamen killed and wounded at Fort Mulgrave on the 17th. I have the honour, &c.

HOOD.

P. S. The lift of the ships at Toulon that were burnt, and thofe remaining, has been received fince writing my letter. Right hon. Henry Dundas.

Toulon, Dec. 18.

My Lord, Agreeably to your lordship's order, I proceeded with the Swallow tender, three English and three Spanish gun-boats, to the arsenal, and immediately began making the neceffary preparations for burning the French fhips and ftores therein. We found the dock-gates well fecured by the judicious arrangements of the governor, although the dockyard people had already fubstituted the three-coloured cockade for the white one I did not think it fafe to attempt the fecuring any of them, confidering the fmall force I had with me, and confidering that conteft of any kind would occupy our whole attention, and prevent us from accomplishing our purpose.

The galley flaves, to the number of at leaft 600, fhewed themselves jealous fpectators of our operations: their difpofition to oppofe us was evident; and being unchained, which was unusual, rendered it neceffary to keep a watchful eye on them on board the galleys, by pointing the guns of the Swallow tender and one of the gun-boats on them, in such a manner as to enfilade the quay on which they muft have landed to come to us, affuring them, at the fame time, that no harm fhould happen to them if they remained quiet. The enemy kept up a crofs fire of hot and fhells on the fpot from Malboufquet, and the neighbouring hills, which contributed to keep the galley flaves in fubjection, and operated, in every refpect, favourably for us, by keeping the Republican party in the town within their houses, while it occafioned little interruption to our work of

preparing and placing combuftible matter in the different torehouses, and on board the fhips; fuch was the fteadiness of the few brave feamen I had under my com mand. A great multitude of the enemy continued to draw down the hill towards the dock-yard wall; and as the night clofed in, they came near enough to pour in an irregular though quick fire of mufquetry on us from the Boulangerie, and of cannon from the heights which overlook it. We kept them at bay by discharges of grape fhot from time to time, which prevented their coming fo near as to difcover the infufficiency of our force to repel a clofer attack. A gun-boat was stationed to flank the wall on the outfide, and two wicket ufually frequented by the workfield pieces were placed within against the men, of whom we were particularly ap prehenfive. About eight o'clock I had the fatisfaction of feeing lieut. Gore tow ing in the Vulcan firehip. Capt. Hare, her commander, placed her, agreeably to my directions, in a molt masterly manner, across the tier of men of war; and the ad ditional force of her guns and men dimi nifhed my apprehenfions of the galley flaves rifing on us, as their manner and occafional tumultuous debates ceased entirely on her appearance. The only noile heard among them was the hammer knocking off their fetters, which humanity for bade my oppofing, as they might there. fore be more at liberty to fave themselves on the conflagration taking place around them. In this fituation we continued to wait moft anxioufly for the hour conc rted with the governor for the inflammation of the trains. The moment the fignal wat made, we had the fatisfaction to see the flames rife in every quarter. Lieutenant Tupper was charged with the burning of the general magazine, the pitch, tar, tallow, and oil ftore-houses, and fucceeded molt perfectly; the hemp magazine was alfo included in this blaze: its being nearly calm was unfortunate to the spreading of the flames, but 250 barrels of tar, divided among the deals and other timber, infured the rapid ignition of that whole quarter which lieut. Tupper had undertaken.

The maft-house was equally well fet on fire by lieut. Middleton of the Britannia. Lieut. Pater of the Britannia continued in a molt daring manner to brave the flames, in order to complete the work where the fire feemed to have caught imperfectly. I was obliged to call him off, left his retreat should become impracti

cable;

cable: his fituation was the more perilous, as the enemy's fire redoubled as foon as the amazing blaze of light rendered us diftinct objects of their aim. Lieut. Ironmonger, of the Royals, remained with the guard at the gate till the last, long after the Spanish guard was withdrawn, and was brought safely off by captain Edge of the Alert, to whom I had confided the important service of closing our retreat, and bringing off our detached parties, which were saved to a man. I was fory to find myself deprived of the further fervices of captain Hare: he had performed that of placing his firefhip to admiration, but was blown into the water, and much scorched, by the explosion of her priming, when in the act of putting the match to it. Lieutenant Gore was also much burnt, and I was confequently deprived of him alfo, which I regretted the more from the recollection of his bravery and activity in the warm fervice of Fort Mulgrave. Mr. Eales, midshipman, who was alfo with him on this occafion, deferves my praise for his conduct throughout this fervice. The guns of the freship going off on both fides as they heated, in the direction that was given them, towards thofe quarters from whence we were most apprehenfive of the enemy forcing their way in upon us, checked their career. Their fhouts and republican fongs, which we could hear diftinctly, continued till they, as well as ourselves, were in a manner thunderftruck by the explosion of fome thousand barrels of powder on board the Iris frigate, lying in the Inner Road, without us, and which had been injudiciously fet on fire by the Spanish boats, in going off, inftead of being funk, as ordered. The concuffion of air, and the fhower of falling timber on fire, was fuch as nearly to destroy the whole of us. Lieutenant Patey, of the Terrible, with his whole boat's crew, nearly perished; the boat was blown to pieces, but the men were picked up alive, The Union gun-boat, which was nearest to the Iris, fuffered confiderably, Mr. Young being killed, with three men, and the veffel fhaken to pieces. I had given it in charge to the Spanish officers to fire the ships in the bafon before the town, but they returned, and reported that various obitacles had prevented their entering it. We attempted it together, as foon as we had completed the bufincts in the arsenal, but were repulfed in our attempt to cut the boom, by repeated vollies of mufquetry from the fag ship and the wall of

the Battery Royale. The cannon of this battery had been fpiked by the judicious precaution taken by the governor, previoufly to the evacuation of the town.

The failure of our attempt on the ships in the balon before the town, owing to the infufficiency of our force, made me regret that the Spanish gun-boats had been withdrawn from me to perform other fervice. The adjutant Don Pedro Cotiella, Don Franci'co Riguelme, and Don Francifco Trufollo remained with me to the laft, and I feel bound to bear teflimony of the zeal and activity with which they performed the most effential fervices during the whole of this bufinefs, as far as the infufficiency of their force allowed it, being reduced, by the retreat of the gunboats, to a fingle felucca, and a mortarboat, which had expended its ammunition, but contained this ty men with cutlaffes.

We now proceeded to burn the Hero and Themistocles, two feventy-four gun fhips, laying in the Inner Road. Our approach to them had hitherto been impract cable in boats, as the French priioners who had been in the latter fhip were fill in pofeffion of her, and had fhewn a determination to refift our attempt to come on board. The scene of conflagration around them, heightened by the late tremendous explosion, had however awakened their fears for their lives. Thinking this to be the cafe, I addreffed them, expreffing my readiness to land them in a place of fafety, if they would submit, and they thankfully accepted the offer, fhewing themselves to be completely intimi. dated, and very grateful for our humane intentions towards them, in not attempting to burn them with the fhip. It was neceflary to proceed with precaution, as they were more numerous than ourfelves. We at length completed their disembarkation, and then fet her on fire. On this occafion I had nearly loft my valuable friend and affiftant, lieutenant Miller, of the Windior Caftle, who had staid fo long on board to infure the fire taking, that it gained on him fuddenly, and it was not without being very much fcorched, and the risk of being fuffocated, that we could approach the fhip to take him in. The lots to the fervice would have been very great, had we not succeeded in our endeavours to fave him. Mr. Knight, midshipman, of the Windfor Cattle, who was in the boat with me, shewed much addreis and activity on this occafion, as well as firmnels throughout the day.

The

The explosion of a fecond powder veffel, equally unexpected, and with a shock even greater than the fift, again put us in the most imminent danger of perifhing; and when it is confidered that we were within the fphere of the falling timber, it is next to iniraculous that no one piece, of the many which made the water toзm round us, happened to touch either the Swallow or the three boats with me.

Having now fet fire to every thing withir, our reach, exhausted our combustible preparations and our ftrength to fuch a degree that the men abfolutely dropped on the oars, we directed our course to join the fleet, running the gauntlet under a few ill directed fhot from the forts of Balaguier and Aiguillete, now occupied by the enemy; but fortunately, without lofs of any kind, we proceeded to the place appointed for the embarkation of the troops, and took off as many as we could carry. It would be injuftice to thofe officers whom I have omitted to name, for their not having been fo immediately under my eye, if I did not acknowledge myself indebted to them all for their extraordinary exertions in the execution of this great national onject. The quickness with which the inflammation took effect on my signal, its extent and duration, are the best evidences that every officer and man was ready at his poft, and firm under molt perilous circumftances: I therefore fubjoin a lift of the whole who were employed on this krvice.

We can afcertain that the fire extended to at least ten fail of the line; how much further we cannot fay. The lofs of the general magazine, and of the quantity of pitch, tar, rofin, hemp, timber, cordage, and gunpowder, muft confiderably impede the equipment of the few ships that remain. I am forry to have been obliged to leave any, but I hope your lordship will be fatisfied that we did as much as our circumfcribed means enabled us to do, in a limited time, preffed as we were by a force fo much fuperior to us. I have the honour to be, &c. W. SYDNEY SMITH. Right Hon. Lord Hood, &c.

A Lift of the Officers employed under the Orders of Sir Sydney Smith, Grand Crofs of the Royal Military Order of the Sword, in the fervice of burning the French Ships and Arfenal of Toulon, in the Night of the 18th of December, 1793.

Captain Hare, Vulcan firefhip.
Captain Edge, Alert floop.

Don Pedro de Cotiella, anjutant, and

Don Francifco Riguielne, lieutenants, Spanish navy.

Don Francifco Truxillo, commanding a mortar-boat.

Lieutenants C. Tupper, John Gore, Mr. Eales, midshipman, Victory's boats. Lieutenants Melhuish and Holloway, Alert floop.

Lieutenants Matthew Wrench and Thomas F. Richmond, Mr. Andrews, mafter, Mr. Jones, furgeon, and Mr.Matthew, gunner, Vulcan firethip.

Lieutenants Ralph W. Miller and John Stiles, Mr. Richard Hawkins, Mr. Thomas Cowan, and Mr. William Knight, Windfor Castle's boats.

Lieutenants Pater and Middleton, Mr. Matfon and Mr. Valiant, midshipmen, Britannia.

Lieutenant Hill, Swallow Tender. Lieutenant Prieft, Wafp gun-boat. Lieutenant Morgan, Petite-Victoire gun-boat.

Lieutenant Cox, Jean Bart gun-b -boat. Mr. Young, Union gun-boat, killed. Enfign Ironmonger of the Royals.. John Skrimgers, boatswain's mate, James Young, gunner's mate, Thomas Knight, quarter-mafter, and Thomas Clarke, carpenter's mate, of the Swallow Tender, and who performed the fervice of preparing combustibles.

John Wilfon, advanced centinel. An Abstract of the Return of Officer and Seamen belonging to the Ships undermentioned, who were killed, wounded, and miffing on the 17th day of December, 1793, at Fort Mulgrave. Victory. lieutenant, 1 midshipman, feamen wounded, 8 feamen miffing. Britannia. 8 feamen killed.

2

cular event had taken place, and that the fire of the enemy was lefs frequent. During this period there were daily receiving reinforcements from every quarter, and both fides were bufily employed, we in strengthening our pofts, and the enemy in estab ifhing new batteries against Cape Brun and Malboufquet, but principally against Fort Mulgrave, on the heights of Balaguer. From all concurring accounts of deferters, and others, the enemy's army was now between 30,000 and 40,000jmen, and an attack upon our pofts was to be daily expected. Thefe, from their effential though detached fituations, had been feverally strengthened in the proportion their circunftances required, having such central force in the town as was deemed neceffary for its immediate guard, and for affording a degree of fuccour to any point that might be more particularly attacked.

For the complete defence of the town and its extenfive harbour, we had long ben obliged to occupy a circumference of at least 15 miles, by eight principal pofts, with their feveral intermediate dependent ones; the greatest part of these were merely of a temporary nature, fuch as our means allowed us to conftruct; and of our force, which never exceeded 12,000 men bearing firelocks, and compofed of five different nations and languages, near 9000 were placed in or fupporting thofe poits, and about 3000 remained in the town.

On the 16th, at half past two o'clock in the morning, the enemy, who had before fired from three batteries on Fort Mulgrave, now opened two new ones, and continued a very heavy cannonade and bombardment on that poft till next morning. The works fuffered much. The number of men killed and difabled was confiderable. The weather was rainy, and the confequent fatigue great.

At two o'clock on the morning of the 17th, the enemy, who had every advantage in affembling, and fuddenly advancing, attacked the fort in great force. Although no part of this temporary poft was fuch as could well refift determined troops, yet for a confiderable time it was defended; but, on the enemy entering on the Spanish fide, the British quarter, commanded by captain Conolly of the 18th regiment, could not be much longer, maintaned, notwithstanding feveral gallant efforts were made for that purpofe. It was therefore at laft carried, and the remains of the garrifon of 700 men, retired. towards the fhore of Balaguier, under the protection of the other poits established

on thofe heights, and which continued to be faintly attacked by the enemy. As this pofition of Blaguier was a molt effential one for the prefervation of the harbour, and as we had no communication with it but by water, 2200 men had been placed there for fome time patt. On the night preceding the attack, 300 more men had been fent over; and on the morning of the 17th, 400 were embarked ftil farther to fupport it.

When the firing at Balaguier ceased, we remained in anxious fufpenfe as to the event, till a little before day-light, when a new scene opened by an attack on all our posts on the Mountain of Pharon. The enemy were repulfed on the Eaft fide, where was our principal force of about 700 men, commanded by a moft diftinguifhed officer, the Piedmontefe colonel de Jermagnan, whofe lofs we deeply lament; but, on the back of the mountain, near 1800 feet high, fteep, rocky, deemed almoft inacceffible, and which we had laboured much to make fo, they found means, once more, to penetrate between our pofts, which occupied an extent of above two miles, guarded by about 450 men, and, in a very short space of time, we faw, that with great numbers of men they crowded all that fide of the mountain which overlooks Toulon. The particulars of this event I am not yet enabled to afcertain, but I have every reason to think that they did not enter at a British poft.

Our line of defence, which, as I have mentioned, occupied a circumference of at least 15 miles, and with points of which we had only a water communication, being thus broken in upon its two moit essential posts, it became neceffary to adopt decifive meafures, arifing from the knowledge of the whole of our aqual fituation. A council of the flag and general officers affembled. They determined on the impraticability of restoring the pofts we had loft, and on the confequent propriety of the fpeediett evacuation of the town, evidently, and by the report of the engineers and artillery officers, declared untenable. Meatures of execution were taken from that moment. The troops were withdrawn from the heights of Balaguier without much interruption from the enemy; and in the evening fuch posts as neceffarily depended on the poffession, of Pharon were fucceffively evacuated, and the troops drawn in towards Toulon. The forts D'Artigues and St. Catharine fill remained, together with the pofts of Sablettes, Cape Brun, and Malboufque,