[It seems desirable at this point to record certain facts. On September 26 Cornwallis reported that Nelson had sent Sir Richard Strachan in the Donegal to command off Cadiz, and that Captain Buller had accordingly returned, and was proceeding to Cawsand Bay.

On September 30 Captain Jervis was ordered to proceed in the Magnificent to Cork and place himself under the orders of Lord Gardner. A fresh disposition of the forces on the Irish coast was made a little later. (See No. 146, p. 188.)

Captain Sutton (Mars) was now inshore off Brest, having relieved Collingwood. The Boadicea, one of the ships with him, struck on a rock, and was convoyed by the Egyptienne to Portsmouth, where she was repaired, and returned to the inshore squadron on October 11. She was ordered two days later to cruise off Vigo to prevent the enemy from sending prizes into Spanish ports. The orders to individual ships at this period contain instructions, in case ships with transports and troops should be met with, to ascertain their destination and immediately report.

At the beginning of October the Minotaur was off Lorient, the Dreadnought off Rochefort, and the Impérieuse off Bordeaux. The Minotaur and Conqueror were afterwards off Rochefort.

On October 6 Sir Edward Pellew was ordered to return in the Tonnant off Ferrol, there to relieve Sir Robert Calder, taking under his orders the Spartiate, Colossus, Impétueux, Dragon, Sirius, and Mary cutter. Calder joined Cornwallis off Ushant in the Prince of Wales, and proceeded to Cawsand Bay.]

No. 133

CORNWALLIS TO SIR EVAN NEPEAN

Observed in Brest Road from the Ville de Paris on October 9, 1803:

Seven ships of the line.

One supposed two-decks; yards and topmasts

struck.

Four frigates.

One kind of store ship, with a tier of guns, as large as a frigate.

Two corvettes.

Two brigs.

No. 134

CORNWALLIS TO SIR EVAN NEPEAN

Intelligence obtained from a Dane who came out of Brest on October 10, 1803.

In the outer road of Brest: Seven sail of the line, three of them eighty-gun ships, the others seventyfours, apparently in all respects ready for sea; but believed they had not above 400 men upon an average on board each ship.

There are eight frigates and corvettes, four of those large frigates, ready for sea. A Rear-Admiral has the command of the squadron, but knew of no expectation or report of their going to sea, but believed them to be in want of men.

In the inner harbour, and close to the northernmost point, the Jean Bart, a seventy-four, with sails bent and guns in, ready to come into the outer road, and three more seventy-four gun ships (within her) that were quite rigged and fitting out.

In the port are four three-decked ships getting forward for arming; one of them, the Revenge

[i.e. Vengeur, 120], a first-rate, and the largest ship they have, was to be immediately fitted. There may be about ten or twelve line-of-battle ships, besides the three-decked ships now in the port, that are in a state to be fitted out; the rest, making upwards of twenty sail, are in a bad state.

In the dockyard they are employed getting forward the ships of the line. There are no frigates in a good state.

There are no more troops at Brest than those sufficient for the garrison.

No. 135

CAPTAIN MASEFIELD ΤΟ CAPTAIN ELPHINSTONE (DIAMOND)

Atalante, Quiberon Bay, 10th October, 1803.

Sir, I beg leave to inform you, in obedience to your signal to chase last evening that part of the convoy, consisting of two ketches and one brig, that were running under the Point of St. Gildas, I tacked and stood after them in the sloop I command, and obliged them to run on shore off the mouth of the River of Penerf; and having considered it very possible to cut them out in the night, as the wind was directly off shore, I dispatched Lieutenant Hawkins in the six-oared cutter, and Mr. Richard Burstal, master, in the five-oared cutter, armed on that service, after it became dark, and stood in with the brig, as near as I could go for the shoal, to protect them. About half-past 9 P.M. the boats got up to the above vessels, when Lieutenant Hawkins boarded and took possession of the inshore vessel, but found her aground; and, a number of troops along the beach keeping up a heavy fire

of musketry on his boat, assisted by two field-pieces and a party of troops on board the other two vessels (previously embarked from the shore), after cutting her cable, and firing a considerable time on the other vessel near him, he found it impossible to do anything with her, and very properly left her, to go to the assistance of the other boat, who had by this time boarded the brig, in defiance of a party of ten or twelve soldiers, with their muskets and sabres; killed six of the troops, hove two overboard, and drove the rest with the crew below. After cutting her cable, finding she was aground, and a light vessel, they returned with both boats on board, not thinking proper, from motives of humanity, to set her on fire, as several people were heard below, supposed to be wounded. I am exceedingly sorry to inform you, on the first fire of the soldiers, one of our men, Henry Brennan, sailmaker, was killed, and, in boarding, two seamen wounded, but are in a fair way of recovering. When it is considered that Mr. Burstal, the master, the sergeant of marines, and five other men boarded this vessel (with ten soldiers on deck with charged bayonets), and performed what they did, I trust you will see and admire with me the very resolute and gallant conduct of Mr. Burstal and the six brave fellows with him. Indeed, the officers and crews in both boats deserve the highest praise, though unfortunately it was out of their power to bring the vessels off, all three being fast aground, within half a cable's length of the beach, and the shore covered with troops, keeping an incessant fire with their muskets and the two field-pieces on them. I had the pleasure to see the brig lying on a ridge of rocks this morning, apparently bilged.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

JNO. MASEFIELD.

[Secret.]

No. 136

SIR EVAN NEPEAN TO LORD KEITH

Admiralty Office, 11th October, 1803.

My Lord,-As it appears essentially necessary that some plan should be adopted for defeating any projects the enemy may form of a descent on that part of the coast within the limits of your Lordship's command during the winter months, my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have deemed it advisable that I should transmit to your Lordship for your consideration a general outline of the plan which they conceive to be best adapted to that purpose, the leading points of which are: first, that of having an active force on the enemy's coast for the purpose of keeping a vigilant and constant lookout on their proceedings, and preventing, as far as may be practicable, any considerable number of boats or craft from leaving their ports unmolested; and, secondly, to fix such stations on our coast as may be best calculated to operate against the enemy in case they should elude the vigilance of our cruisers on their coast, or put to sea in such force as to render the light cruisers incapable of making any effectual resistance against them.

On a consideration of this important subject their Lordships think it will be of advantage to the public service that the limits of your Lordship's command on the coast of France should be extended to Cape Barfleur, and on the English coast to Selsea Bill, so as to include the river Seine and the Owers.

With respect to the first mentioned coast they conceive that not less than four frigates and as many sloops should be appropriated expressly to