1810. Bellone's late captain,) armed with only 14 guns, and *Feb. laden with a cargo of colonial produce valued at 1500007. sterling; with which, 93 days before, she had sailed from the Isle of France, having been lent by general Decaen to the merchants there, for the purpose of carrying home their produce, the frigate requiring more repairs to refit her as a cruiser than the colony could give her. At about noon, after a seven hours' chase, the wind suddenly took the Confiance by the head, and threw her round upon the Valiant's broadside. Her escape being now hopeless, the Confiance hauled down her colours: she had, it appears, been chased 14 times during the passage from Port-Louis. Having been built since the year 1794, and wanting considerable repairs, the Confiance, although formerly a british frigate, was not restored to the service.

Hora

tio

falls in

with

and

сар

sité.

4

On the 21st of February, in the morning, latitude 33° 10′ north, longitude 29° 30′ west, the british 38gun frigate Horatio, captain George Scott, fell in with the french frigate-built store-ship Nécessité, tures mounting 26 guns of the same description as those Néces- carried by the Var and Salamandre, and having a crew of 186 men commanded by lieutenant Bernard Bonnie, from Brest bound to the Isle of France with naval stores and provisions. After a long chase, and a running fight of one hour, during which she manifested some determination to defend herself, the Nécessité hauled down her colours. No loss appears to have been sustained on either side; and the Horatio escaped with only a slight injury to her masts and rigging.

Uni

corn

On the 12th of April, close off the coast of France in the neighbourhood of the isle of Ré, the british tures 18-pounder 32-gun frigate Unicorn, captain Robert Espé- Mark Kerr, fell in with and captured the late british

cap

rance,

late

22-gun ship Laurel, at this time named Espérance, Laurel. armed en flûte, and under the command of a lieutenant de vaisseau, from the Isle of France with a valuable cargo of colonial produce. The prize was

afterwards restored to her rank in the british navy, 1810. but, a Laurel having since been added to it, under May. the name of Laurestinus.

danish

come

to at

bune.

On the 12th of May, at 1 h. 30 m. P. M., the british Four 18-pounder 36-gun frigate Tribune, captain George brigs of Reynolds, cruising off the Naze of Norway, observed war and chased two brigs under the land. At 2 P. M. out of the latter, now discovered to be danish brigs of Mandal war, made all sail for the port of Mandal, and at tack 2 h. 30 m. hove to within the rocks. The Tribune im- Trimediately stood in, wore, and gave the two brigs a broadside, and then stood off again under easy sail. Several gun-boats now pulled out from behind the rocks, and presently two other large brigs came out and joined the two first seen. At 3 h. 15 m. P. M. the Danes began working out, as if intending to attack the frigate; who, at 3 h. 20 m., wore and stood inshore to meet them. At 3 h. 40 m. the Tribune hove to; whereupon the four danish brigs, two of which mounted 20 guns, a third 18, and the remaining one 16 guns, tacked and stood towards the british frigate, formed in line of battle.

engage

are

port.

At 4 P. M. the Tribune filled on the starboard tack They with light airs; and at 4 h. 30 m. wore round and her and discharged her larboard broadside at the four brigs, then on the same tack to-windward, distant rather less back to than half a mile. A smart engagement now ensued. their Finding that the brigs were rather forereaching upon her, the Tribune set her courses, and maintained the cannonade with such effect, that at 6 h. 45m. the danish commodore, being in a very shattered state, ceased firing. This brig then made the signal to discontinue the action; and, followed by her three consorts, crowded sail to regain the port of Mandal. As quickly as possible afterwards, the Tribune tacked and made sail in chase; but, favoured by the weathergage and the lightness of the wind, the brigs reached their port; out of which, as they approached, issued several gun-boats, to afford them protection.

This was rather a serious contest for the frigate,

1810. The Tribune had her fore and main stays and back May. stays, and maintopgallant yard, shot away, fore Serious and main topmasts and maintopsail yard severely

da

mage and

board

Tri

bune.

wounded, standing and running rigging and sails much cut, boats all rendered useless, and hull greatly loss on shattered, with several shot between wind and water. Her loss amounted to four seamen, four marines, and one boy killed, and 15 seamen and marines wounded. The Danes at this time owned five or six brigs, two or three of the class and force of the Lougen; and some mounting not quite so many guns; but all, as it appears, carrying either long or medium 18-pounders, and consequently much more formidable vessels then their appearance indicated.

Master of Bel

On the 22d of July, in the evening, as the british videra 18-pounder 36-gun frigate Belvidera, captain Richard fired at Byron, and 28-gun frigate Nemesis, captain William three Ferris, were standing close in-shore of Studtland, danish coast of Norway, captain Byron sent his master, vessels. Mr. James M'Pherson, to sound round a deep bay.

by

gun

Boats

of Bel

and

capture

Perceiving three vessels at anchor, Mr. M'Pherson rowed up to reconnoitre them; when, late in the night, they opened a fire upon him, and proved to be three danish gun-vessels; two of them, the Bolder and Thor, commanded by lieutenants Dahlreup and Rasmusen, schooner-rigged, and mounting each two long 24-pounders and six 6-pounder howitzers with a crew of 45 men. The third gun-vessel was of a smaller class, and carried one long 24-pounder with 25 men.

On the morning of the 23d captain Byron detached videra upon the service of capturing or destroying these and Ne-gun-vessels, the launch, barge, and two cutters of attack the Belvidera, also the launch, pinnace, and yawl of the Nemesis: the four first boats under the orders them. of lieutenants Samuel Nisbett and William Henry Bruce, and lieutenant of marines James Campbell; and the three last, of lieutenants Thomas Hodgskins and Marmaduke Smith. The Danes opened a heavy fire upon the boats as they advanced, and received in return a fire from the carronades in the bows of the

launches. In a very short time the two gun-schooners 1810. hauled down their colours and were taken possession July. of without the slightest loss, but the Danes on board of them had four men killed. The remaining gunboat ran up a creek, and was there abandoned by her crew and burnt by the British.

Char

and

dompt

On the 29th of August, at 3 P. M., the island of QueenAlderney bearing south-south-west three or four lotte leagues, the british hired armed cutter Queen-Char- engages lotte, of 76 tons, eight 4-pounders, and 27 men and boys, commanded by Mr. Joseph Thomas, a master off Inin the royal navy, while proceeding towards the able. blockading squadron off Cherbourg, observed a large cutter, with an english white ensign and pendant, approaching from under the land in the south-east. At 3 h. 30 m. P. M. the stranger, whose true character had been suspected and caused suitable preparations to be made on board the Queen-Charlotte, came close to the latter, luffed up, and, when in the act of changing her colours to french, received a welldirected broadside. The french cutter immediately sheered off, as if not expecting such a salute, but soon returned to the combat. A close action was now maintained, nearly the whole time within pistolshot, until 5 P. M., when the french vessel ceased firing and hauled to the north-east; leaving the Queen-Charlotte in no condition to follow, she having had her boatswain killed and 14 men wounded, including one mortally and several badly.

tive

cutters,

The french cutter was the late british revenue-cutter RelaSwan, lengthened so as to measure 200 tons, and mount- force of ing 16 long 6-pounders, with a crew, as afterwards the two found on board of her, of 120 men. To have beaten off an antagonist so greatly superior in force, was a truly meritorious act on the part of Mr. Thomas and his brave associates. The Queen-Chariotte, with more than half her crew in a wounded state, and with her rigging and sails very much cut, was obliged to put into St.-Aubin's bay. Among the badly wounded was a passenger, Mr. P. A. Mulgrave, employed in

1810. arranging the telegraphic communication between the Aug. island of Jersey and the british squadron off CherGal- bourg. This gentleman, while in the act of firing lantry his musket at the enemy, received a musket-ball passen- through his hat, which carried away the outer angle

of a

ger.

Capt.

detach

of the socket of his left eye, and, passing through the centre of the upper eyelid, slightly grazed his nose. He, rotwithstanding, refused to quit the deck, and continued to supply ammunition to those near him until the affair terminated.

On the 5th of September, in the morning, while Collier the british 38-gun frigate Surveillante, captain George s his Ralph Collier, and gun-brig Constant, lieutenant to take John Stokes, were standing out of the Morbihan for a brig the purpose of reconnoitring the Loire, a division of batte a french convoy was observed to take advantage of

boats

under

ries.

Assist

ed by

gunbrig Con

the frigate's departure and run from the Morbihan to the southward. The convoy was immediately chased, and a part of it driven back. One brig sought protection close under the rocks, and between the batteries, of St.-Guildas and St.-Jacques. Captain Collier immediately despatched the boats of the Surveillante, under the orders of lieutenant the honourable James Arbuthnot, assisted by master's mate John Illingworth, and midshipmen John Kingdom, Digby Marsh, Edwyn Francis Stanhope, William Crowder, John Watt, and Herbert Ashton, to attempt the capture or destruction of the brig.

Notwithstanding the protection afforded to the french brig by the batteries, and by the additional fire of a party of soldiers placed within the caverns Stant, and supported by field-pieces, lieutenant Arbuthnot they and Mr. Illingworth in the gig, assisted by the carry other boats, succeeded in carrying the vessel. The bring crew of the gig then cut her cables and hawsers, and vessel. the prize was brought out without the slightest loss

out the

on the part of the British. But captain Collier handsomely acknowledges that this fortunate termination of the enterprise was mainly attributable to the "zeal and determination of lieutenant Stokes, of the Con