1811. to state the name; and perhaps it is better for him March. that we are so. With respect to the Corona's captain, no officer, to whatever navy he may belong, could have fought his ship better. The Corona, it will be recollected, was not subdued by one opponent: she had two frigates upon her in succession; Also of and both, the first in particular, felt the effects of Pascha- her steady and well-directed fire. By his gallant ligo. behaviour in the action, and his frank and manly

captain

Gallantry

ship

Active.

deportment afterwards, captain Paschaligo not only afforded a bright example to the little navy of Venice, and ennobled an already noble name, but gained for himself the hearts of those into whose temporary custody he had fallen.

After the destruction of the Favorite, the 200 surof two vivors of her late crew retired to Lissa; in which port mid- lay two prizes to the Active, in charge of two of her men of midshipmen, James Lew and Robert Kingston. These the enterprising young men, assisted by some privateer's men, actually summoned the 200 french seamen and troops to surrender, and they did surrender. As a contrast to this very gallant behaviour, a sicilian privateer-brig, of 14 guns, commanded by Clemento Fama, lying in the port, hauled down her colours to a one-gun venetian schooner; and that in the face of the british squadron. This was "Fama" indeed! The Active's two midshipmen, with the true Gordon spirit, went on board and took charge of the brig, beat off the schooner, and prevented her from destroying the british and sicilian vessels in the bay. Corres- On the 15th captain Hoste sent a letter by a flag pond- of truce to captain Péridier of the Flore, at anchor in the road of Lessina, demanding restitution of the captain frigate in the same state as when she struck to the Amphion. This letter was replied to by the captain captain of the Danaé; who, in consequence of the wounds of of the M. Péridier, had assumed the command of the francovenetian squadron. He declared that the Flore did pecting not strike her colours, but had them shot away, and

ence

be

tween

and

Danaé

res

Flore. requested captain Hoste, if he had any thing further to

say, to address himself to the french government. This 1811. letter was neither signed nor dated; and captain March. Hoste sent it back, repeating his demand to have the Flore restored to him. Thus ended the business. The Danaé, Flore, and Carolina remained at Lessina about a week, and then proceeded to Ragusa.

to cap

The Corona was a remarkably fine frigate, built early in the preceding year at Venice, and became added to the 38-gun class of the british navy by the name of Dædalus. The Bellona, a ship of 692 tons, Medals was purchased for a troop-ship, and named Dover. tains, Each of the four captains present at the Lissa action &c. received a medal; and the first lieutenants of the ships, David Dunn of the Amphion, James Dickinson of the Cerberus, William Henderson of the Active, and William Wolrige of the Volage, were each promoted to the rank of commander.

of capt.

Hoste

tive

mid

If only to add another to the many proofs which Letter the world has witnessed, that the boldest heart in te deeds of arms is generally the most alive to the softer relaimpulses of humanity, we subjoin an extract from to one a letter of condolence addressed by captain Hoste of his to a near relative of John Robert Spearman, one shipof the two young midshipmen killed on board men. the Amphion. "It is impossible I can describe to you the exemplary conduct of the poor lad I am now writing to you about. If it is any consolation to his friends to learn how he behaved, tell them that, even in those days when all strove to emulate, he distinguished himself among his shipmates in the post where honour or danger was in view. And, I assure you, not only am I deprived of a most excellent youngster, and one whom I dearly esteemed, but his country, as far as his youth may speak for him, has lost one of its brightest hopes: indeed, he is deeply lamented by all."

Adri

On or about the 25th of March the two french Amélie 40-gun frigates Amélie and Adrienne, accompanied enne, by the 20-gun store-ship Dromadaire, laden with and 15000 shot and shells of various sizes, and 90 tons of ma

Dro

from

1811. gunpowder, escaped out of Toulon, bound to the March, island of Corfu. On the 26th, admiral sir Charles daire Cotton detached the 74-gun ship Ajax, captain Robert escape Waller Otway, and the 18-pounder 36-gun frigate Toulon Unité, captain Edwin Henry Chamberlayne, to the Ajax eastward in pursuit. On arriving off Corsica, captain Unité Otway sent the Unité round Cape Corse, and with pursuit the Ajax pushed through the straits of Bonifacio.

and

sent in

On the 30th, when off the isle of Elba, the Unité fell in with and was chased by the three french ships; who, on hauling off from her, steered for the Piombino. passage, and were left working through it. On the same evening the Ajax joined company, and the two british ships proceeded in chase under all sail. On the 31st, at daylight, captain Otway discovered the objects of his pursuit to-windward. Owing to Dro- the short distance they were from the land, the Amélie daire and Adrienne' effected their escape into Portotured. Ferrajo; but the Dromadaire was overtaken and Amélie captured. She was a fine ship of 800 tons, and had a

ma

cap

and

Adri

enne

complement of 150 men, commanded by a lieutenant de vaisseau. The two french frigates afterwards got into Genoa; and thence reached Toulon in the Toulon succeeding July, as already mentioned.*

get back to

In the latter part of the month of April the two armed store-ships Giraffe and Nourrice, each mounting from 20 to 30 guns, the first with 140, the other with 160 men, having in their company a merchant ship, also armed, and laden, as they also were, with ship-timber for the dock-yard at Toulon, Giraffe lay at anchor in the bay of Sagone, island of Corsica, Nour- under the protection of a battery, mounting four rice guns and one mortar, and of a martello tower

and

moor

bay.

above the battery, mounting one gun. On the Sagone 30th, in the evening, the british 38-gun frigate Pomone, captain Robert Barrie, the frigate Unité, and the 18-gun brig-sloop Scout, captain Alexander Renton Sharpe, arrived off the coast, with the

* See p. 479.

the intention of attacking these ships. The french 1811. commodore, well imagining what was meditated May. against his ships, moored them within a stone's throw of the battery, each with two cables on shore, so as to present their broadsides to the narrow entrance of the bay. As an additional defence, the Nourrice landed her quarterdeck guns; and about 200 regular troops, along with her marines and those of the Giraffe, were posted on the neighbouring heights.

tacked

by Po

Unité,

All these preparations were seen from the british Are atships on the morning of the 1st of May, and only and derendered those on board of them the more anxious stroyed to commence operations. Notwithstanding the strong mone, position of the three french ships, the crews of the and two british frigates and brig came forward in the Scout. most noble manner, and volunteered their services to land, or, as it was quite calm, to attack the enemy by boats. Neither of these methods being considered practicable, captain Barrie resolved, as soon as a breeze sprang up, to make the attack by the ships. Finding, by 5h. 30 m. P. M., that the calm still continued, and fearing that any longer delay would enable the French to increase their force, the Pomone, Unité, and Scout, in the most animated manner, were towed by their respective companies, in the face of a heavy raking fire, into a position within range of grape; when, at 6 P. M., the british ships opened their broadsides. The mutual cannonade lasted, without any intermission, until 7 h. 30 m. P. M.; when the Giraffe, bearing a commodore's pendant, and then the Nourrice, was observed to be on fire. Afterwards the brands from the Nourrice set fire to the merchantman, and in 10 minutes all three ships were completely in a blaze. The Pomone and her consorts now quickly towed themselves out of danger from the explosions; the first of which, that of the Giraffe, took place at 8 h. 50 m. P. M., and that of the Nourrice a few minutes afterwards. Some of the timbers of the latter, falling on the tower, entirely demolished

1811. it, and the sparks set fire to the battery below, which May. also exploded.

Loss on

The object of the attack having thus completely british succeeded, the three british vessels stood out to sea, side. to repair their damages; which, except as to the

Belle

Poule

Alceste

chase

war

renza.

Pomone, who, having had to choose her station, became of course exposed to the brunt of the action, were not very material. The Pomone had two seamen killed, and 10 seamen, (four dangerously,) seven marines, (one dangerously,) and two boys wounded; the Unité, one midshipman, (Richard Goodridge,) one seaman, and one marine slightly wounded; and the Scout, her first lieutenant, (William Neame,) severely, and her boatswain (James Stewart) and one seaman slightly wounded; total, on board the three british ships, two killed and 25 wounded. The loss on the part of the French could not be ascertained, but, in all probability, was very severe.

On the 4th of May, at 10 A. M., the british 38-gun and frigates Belle-Poule, captain James Brisbane, and Chat Alceste, captain Murray Maxwell, being off the french coast of Istria, discovered and chased a french manbrig of of-war brig, of 18 guns, which shortly afterwards intoPa- hauled into the small harbour of Parenza. Having received intelligence that a vessel of that description was expected at Ragusa, with supplies for the french frigates Danaé and Flore, which had escaped from captain Hoste off Lissa, captain Brisbane resolved to attempt the capture or destruction of the french brig. Although there was only 15 feet of water in the harbour, and therefore no passage for the frigates, it was ascertained that the brig could be cannonaded with effect where she was then lying. Accordingly the Cande Belle-Poule, followed closely by the Alceste, stood in within a cable's length of the rocks at the entrance of the harbour, and opened an animated fire, as well shore. upon the brig as upon a battery under which she lay; and, after an hour's cannonade, compelled the brig to haul on shore under the town, out of gun

and

drive

her on