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two hundred pieces of cannon mounted on the batteries.

Having well obferved her fitua tion on the 22d and 23d ultimo, and the evening of the 24th being fayourable, I turned the hands up to acquaint the officers and fhip's company of my intentions to lead them to the attack, which was handfomely returned with three cheers, and that they would all follow to a man; this greatly increafed my hopes, and I had little doubt of fucceeding: the boats containing 100 men, including officers, at half paft twelve on the morning of the 25th (after having beat the launch of the hip, which carried a 24-pounder,

mon degree of valour and exertion; but I confider it particularly my duty to mention the very gallant conduct, as well as the aid and affiftance at a particular crifis I received from Mr. John M Mullen, furgeon and volunteer, and Mr. Maxwell, gunner, even after the latter was dangerously wounded.

As the frigate was the particular object of your order of the 17th September, I have thought proper to return into port with her.

Enclosed, I tranfmit you a lift of captures during the cruife, alfo twą lifts of killed and wounded. I have the honour to be, &c. E. Hamilton,

Jamaica.

London Gazette, March 29.
Copy of a Letter from Captain Sir
W. S. Smith, Captain of his Ma-
jefty's Ship Tigre, to Evan Nepean,
Efq. dated off Jaffa, the 8th of
November, 1799.

Sir,

and 20 men, and receiving feveral Sir Hyde Parker, knt. &c. &c.
guns and fmall arms from the fri-
gate) boarded; the forecaftle was
taken poffeffion of without much
refiftance; the quarter-deck difpu-
ted the point a quarter of an hour,
where a dreadful carnage took
place: the main-deck held out much
longer, and with equal flaughter;
nor was it before both cables were
cut, fail made on the hip, and
boats a-head to tow, that the main-
deck could be called ours; they last
of all retreated to the 'tween decks,
and continued firing till their am
munition was expended; then, and
not until then, did they cry for quar-
ter. At two o'clock the Hermione
was completely ours, being out of
gun-fhot from the fort, which had
for fome time kept up a tolerable
good fire. From the captain, don
Romond de Chalas, I am informed
fhe was nearly ready for fea, mount-
ing 44 guns, with a fhip's company
of 321 officers and failors, 56 fol-
diers, and 15 artillery-men on

board.

Every officer and man on this expedition behaved with an uncom

I have the honour to enclose a copy of my letter to the right hon. lord Nelfon (of this date), for the information of the lords commiffioners of the admiralty.

have the honour to be, fir, &c. W. S. Smith.

Tigre, off Jaffa, 8th November, 1799.

My lord, I lament to have to inform your lordship of the melancholy death of Patrona Bey, the Turkish viceadmiral, who was affaffinated at Cyprus, in a mutiny of the Janiffaries, on the 18th of October; the command devolved on Seid Ali Bey,

who

who had juft joined me with the troops from Conftantinople, compofing the fecond maritime expedition deftined for the recovery of Egypt. As foon as our joint exertions had reftored order, we proceeded to the mouth of the Damietta branch of the Nile, to make an attack thereon, as combined with the fupreme Vizier, in order to draw the attention of the enemy that way, and leave his highnefs more at liberty to advance with the grand army, on the fide of the defert. The attack begun by the Tigre's boats taking poffeffion of a ruined caftle fituated on the eastern fide of the Bogaz, or entrance of the Channel, which the inundation of the Nile had infulated from the main land, leaving a fordable paffage. The Turkifh flag, difplayed on the tower of this caftle, was at once the fignal for the Turkish gun-boats to advance, and for the enemy to open their fire, in order to diflodge us; their nearest poft being a redoubt on the main land with two 32-pounders, and an 8-pounder field-piece mounted thereon, a point-blank fhot diftant. The fire was returned from the launch's carronade, mounted in a breach in the caftle, and from field pieces in the fmall boats, which foon obliged the enemy to discontinue working at an intrenchment they were making to oppofe a landing. Lieutenant Stokes was detached with the boats to check a body of cavalry advancing along the neck of land, in which he fucceeded; but I am forry to fay with the lofs of one man killed and one wounded. This interchange of fhot continued, with little intermiffion, during the 29th, 30th, and 31ft, while the Turkish transports were drawing nearer to the landing

place, our fhells from the carronade annoying the enemy in his work and communications; at length the ma gazine blowing up, and one of their. 32-pounders being filenced, a favourable moment offered for difembarkation. Orders were given accordingly; but it was not till the morning of the 1ft of November, that they could effectuate this operation. This delay gave time for the enemy to collect a force more than double that of the first divifion landed, and to be ready to attack it before the return of the boats with the remainder. The French advanced to the charge with bayonets. The Turks completely exculpated themselves from the fufpicion of cowardice having been the cause of their delay, for when the enemy were within ten yards of thein they rufhed on, fabre in hand, and in an inftant completely routed the first line of the French infantry. The day was ours for the moment; but the im petuofity of Olman Aga, and his troops, occafioned them to quit the ftation affigned them as a corps of referve, and to run forward in pur fuit of the fugitives: European tac tics were, of courfe, advantageoufly employed by the French at this critical juncture. Their body of referve came on in perfect order, while a charge of cavalry, on the left of the Turks, put them completely to the route in their turn.Our flanking fire from the caftle and boats, which had been hitherto plied with evident effect, was now neceffarily fufpended, by the impoffibility of pointing clear of the Turks in the confufion. The latter turned a random fire on the boats, to make them take them off, and the fea was, in an inftant, covered with turbans, while the air was filled with piteous F4

moans,

moans, calling to us for affiftance; it was (as at Aboukir) a duty of fome difficulty to afford it them, without being victims to their impatience, or overwhelmed with numbers; we, however, persevered, and saved all, except thofe which the French took prifoners, by wading into the water after them; neither did the enemy interrupt us much in fo doing. Major Douglas and lieutenant Stokes, who were with me on this fervice, gave additional proofs of their zeal, ability, and bravery, and the boats' crews, as ufual, behaved admirably. The lofs in killed, on our fide, cannot be ascertained. The French general, in his offer to exchange prifoners on the general account, affures me he has 1,100. As to the enemy's lofs, we have no means of eftimating it, but it must have been fufficient to convince them, that fuch victories as thefe, against troops which, though irregular, will fight hand to hand with them, muft coft them dear in the end.

ing her to be fecured by the fhips aftern, continued the chafe. I directed captain Gould, of the Audacious, and the El Corfo brig, to take charge of this prize. At half past one P. M. the frigates and corvette tacked to the weftward, but the line-of-battle fhip not being able to tack, without coming to action with the Alexander, bore up. The Succefs being to leeward, captain Peard, with great judgement and gallantry, lay acrofs his hawfe, and raked him with feveral broadfides; in paffing the French fhip's broadfide, several shot struck the Success, by which one man was killed, and the mafter and eight men wounded. At half past four the Foudroyant and Northumberland coming up, the former fired two shot, when the French fhip fired her broadfide, and ftruck her colours. She proved to be the Genereux, of 74 guns, bearing the flag of rear-admiral Perée, commander-in-chief of the French naval force in the Mediterranean, I am, &c. having a number of troops on board W. S. Smith. from Toulon, bound for the relief of Malta.

Copy of a Letter from Lord Nelson,

to Vice-Admiral Lord Keith.

Foudroyant, at Sea, off Cape
di Corro, 8 Leagues W. of
Cape Paffaro, off Shore
about 4 Miles, Feb. 18.
My lord,

be principally owing to the extreme I attribute our fuccefs this day to good management of lieutenant William Harrington, who commands the Alexander, in the abfence of captain Ball; and I am much pleafed with the gallant behaviour of captain Peard, of the Succefs, as allo with the alacrity and good conduct of captain Martin and fir Edward Berry.

This morning, at daylight, being in company with the fhips named in the margin*, I faw the Alexander in chafe of a line-of-battle flip, I have fent lieutenant Andrew three frigates, and a corvette. Thompson, first lieutenant of the about eight o'clock the fired several Foudroyant, to take charge of the fhot at one of the enemy's frigates, Genereux, whom I beg leave to which ftruck her colours, and, leav-recommend to your lordship for

At

Northumberland, Audacious, and El Corso brig.

promotion

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You will be pleased to acquaint the lords commiffioners of the admiralty, that having been informed that three French frigates were at anchor, under the forts of Goree, this intelligence, with the force and fituation of these frigates, induced me to take his majefty's fhip Ruby, then watering, at port Praya, under my command, and, with this additional force, I proceeded immedi. ately in queft of them. In the afternoon of the 4th inftant, I reconnoitered the roadftead of Goree, but not finding the frigates there, and conceiving our appearance fufficient to alarm the garrifon, I difpatched lieutenant Tidy, with a verbal meffage, fummoning the island to furrender (the enclosed letters having paffed between me and the governor): at midnight, lieutenant Tidy made me the fignal agreed on, that my terms were complied with; the marines of the fquadron were inftantly landed, under the command of captain Mac Cleverty, and the garrifon in our poffeffion before day. Their lordships will be well aware of the firength and confequence of

this acquifition, which, I am happy to ftate, has been obtained fo eafily Mr. Davis, of the Magnanime, be ing the only perfon wounded before our flag of truce was observed from the forts. On the 13th inftant, I difpatched Mr. Palmer, with two boats and 30 men, to Jool, a factory dependant on Goree; he returned on the 22d, having executed his orders moft perfectly to my fatisfaction, and bringing with him from thence a French brigantine and floop loaded with rice."

I have the honour to be, fir, &c.
C. Hamilton.

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I beg you will be pleafed to inform their lordships that, agreeable to their orders to me of the 17th of June, to take under my command the fire-vellels and others named in the margin *, and endeavour to take and deftroy the enemy's frigates in Dunkirk Roads, we joined at the appointed rendezvous the 27th following; but, from contrary winds, and the tide not anfwering, could not make the attempt before laft night, when I fear the enemy had been apprized of my intention, as we were much annoyed by gun-veffels and others lying advanced fome diftance, which afforded the frigates an opportunity to cut their cables, and avoid our fire-fhips. I had di

rected captain Campbell, of the Dart, to get in, if he could, to the eafternmost, and lay her on-board, at the time I hoped the first fire fhip would have been entangled with the westernmost. The handfome and intrepid manner of his completely carrying her in lefs than a quarter of an hour, and bringing her out, muft convince their lordflips of his unparalleled bravery, and the very gallant conduct of his officers, and fhip's company, as the enemy's frigate was fo much fuperior in force; and had it not been fo inftantly done, the fhip could not have been got over the banks, as the water had begun to fall. By captain Campbell's report to me, great praife is due to lieutenant M'Dermeit, who, I am forry to fay, is badly wounded. I enclofe captain Campbell's letter to me, giving an account of this tranfaction; and have the pleafure to obferve, that one fpirit seemed to actuate the whole; but am forry that, notwithstanding the fteady conduct of captains Edwards, Butt, Leef, and Carthew, of the feveral fire-veffels, in remaining on board till completely in flames, the three enemy's fhips, from cutting their cables, efcaped before the wind, and ran out of Dunkirk Roads fome little diftance down the inner channel, within the Braak Sand: one of them got on hore for a fhort time, but at daylight we had the mortification to obferve her working back on the ebb tide, and, with the other two, regained their anchorage, though not without confiderable damage, hav ing received the fire of the Dart,

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Wafp, capt. Edwards; Falcon, capt. Butt; Dart, capt. Campbell; Comet, capt. Leef; Rofario, capt. Carthew; Selby, capt. Williams; Boxer, lieut. Gilbert; Teafer, Leut. Robins Biter, lieut. Norman; Stag cutter, lieut. Humphrys; Nile lugger, ficut. Whitehead; Ann cutter, lieut. Young; Kent, licut. Cooban; and Vigilant lugger, lieut. Dean.

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