PAID OFF INTO ORDINARY SINCE FEBRUARY.

Arrow; Basilisk; Blonde; Bramble; Chanticleer; Eden; Gloucester; Harpy; Hyperion; Martial; Manly; Medina; Mersey; Primrose; Semiramis; Slaney, laid up at Bermuda; Sparrow ; Surly; Sevan; Thetis, lost on Cape Frio; Wasp.

ANNALS OF THE BRITISH FLEET, 1806.

ACTIONS, AND OCCURRENCES, AND CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS OF THE

BRITISH NAVY.*

July 4. Victory of Maida. The scene of action was too far from the sea for the direct co-operation of the Navy, but Admiral Sir Sidney Smith, who had arrived the evening before, directed such a disposition of ships and gun-boats as would have afforded great protection in case of a retreat. The professional services of Capt. Fellowes, of the Apollo, who was specially attached by the Admiral to this expedition, were highly panegyrised by Major-Gen. Stuart.-6. Bellica (Dutch), 12, taken by the Greyhound, 32, C. Elphinstone, and Harriet, 16, E. T. Troubridge, East Indies. Vigilant (French), 2, taken by the Concordi, 36, J. Cramer, East Indies.-9. La Bellone (French), ship, 30 guns, 194 men, taken by the Powerful, 74, Capt. Pamplin, East Indies. La Buena Diepa, Spanish, I gun, 26 men, taken by the Minerva, 32, G. R. Collier, Mediterranean Station.-12. Capt. Pamplin, of the Powerful, 74, captured Le Bellone, French Privateer, after a running fight of nearly two hours.-15. Charles, French ketch, 3, taken at Rodrigues by the Seaflower brig. Lieut. Sibly, of the Centaur, 74, Capt. Sir S. Hood, commanding a division of boats, consisting of one from each of the ships composing the squadron off Rochfort, with three from the Indefatigable, 40, Capt. J. T. Rodd, and three from the Iris, 32, George Argles, most gallantly attacked two French corvettes and a convoy at the entrance of the Garonne. Le Cæsar, the largest corvette, of 18 guns and 86 men, was boarded and carried, after a severe conflict on both sides, the enemy being in every respect well prepared. A western breeze that sprung up after the boats left the Indefatigable, and blowing stronger as they advanced, prevented the whole from being captured. Lieut. Sibly received three severe wounds in addition to four others under which he had suffered. The greater part of the boats were either shot through, or so badly stoved, that they were swamped, and obliged to be cut adrift from the brig, except the Indefatigable's launch and the cutter of the Iris. The boat of the Revenge, officer and crew, were missing. The boats had 6 killed, 36 wounded, 21 missing.-18. Capt. R. D. Oliver, of the Mars, 74, belonging to a detached squadron under the command of Capt. Keats, of the Superb, 74, after a chase of twenty-four hours, captured La Rhin, a French frigate of 44 guns, commanded by Capt. Chesneau, in the face of her three consorts of equal force.-19. The Blanche, 38, T. Lavie, cruising off the Feroe Islands, fell in with, and after a sharp contest of forty-five minutes, captured La Guerriere, French frigate, of 50 guns and 317 men, commanded by M. Hubert. The Blanche had 4 wounded; Le Guerriere 20 killed and 30 wounded.-25. Capt. Elphinstone, of the Greyhound, 32, in company with the Harriet, Capt. Tronbridge, fell in with the Dutch Republican frigate Pallas, of 36 guns and 217 men, having under convoy the Victoria and Batavia, laden with spices, which, after a smart action of 45 minutes, struck their colours. The corvette, taking advantage of the crippled state of the Greyhound and Harriet, effected her escape. The British had 1 killed and 11 wounded; the Dutch 12 killed and 39 wounded.-30. Arrogante, Spanish, 2, taken off Monte Video by the Diadem, 64, W. King. The town and citadel of Cotrone, in Calabria,§ surrendered to the British sea and land forces, under Capt. W. Hoste, of the Amphion, 32, and Lieut.Colonel McLeod.

August. The French having threatened an invasion of Portugal,|| Earl St. Vincent, who was cruising off Brest at the head of the Channel fleet, was ordered to the Tagus, and in a very short time rode at anchor before Lisbon, with a squadron of six sail of the finest ships of the line. Dover, 44, (Marine P.S.) B. 1786, caught fire in the hold accidentally at Woolwich, and burned to the water's edge; crew saved. Henrieux, French, John Morrison, 22, P. S. 1800, foundered, with all the crew, on passage from West Indies to Halifax.-6. The Superieure, schooner, 10, Capt. Rushworth, captured the Spanish schooner St. John, of 3 guns and 32 men.-12. Belem, schooner, Lieut. Groves, Spanish, 4; taken 1806; taken at the re-capture of Buenos Ayres.-14. The fire-brig Phosphorus, 4, Lieut. W. J. Hughes, and 24 men, officers included, was chased this morning by a large Ingger, pierced for 16, but mounting apparently 12 guns. At ten minutes past five, after hailing him, and being ordered to strike, or he would sink the Phosphorus, the lugger commenced the action. At twenty minutes past five, the enemy laid the Phosphorus alongside, with three cheers, and from his superiority of men, there being apparently from 70 to 80, attempted to carry her by boarding, but met with so determined a resistance, that after being alongside forty-five minutes, and an action of one hour and ten minutes, he made sail and sheered off. The brig attempted to follow bim, but having her sails and rigging much cut, with a number of men wounded, she was obliged to desist and make for the Downs. The Phosphorus had 8 wounded, amongst whom were Lieut.

• Continued from page 572 of the Second Part.

+ The details of this splendid victory will be given in the Military Annals of the year.

This vessel was from the Mauritius, and had been very successful against British commerce in the present and preceding war.

The French were thus driven out of Upper and Lower Calabria, which was the brilliant result of the expedition under Gen. Stuart.

An army was as the same time destined for Portugal, under Lieut.-Generals Simcoe and the Earl of Rosslyn; but the aspect of affairs in the North of Europe frustrated the intentions of Buonaparte, and rendered our protection to Portugal at this time unnecessary.

Hughes, and Mr. T. Ester, Second-Master.-18. Lieut. W. Dean, of the armed brig Dominica, 14, (Leeward Islands Station,) captured the French row-boat privateer La Bateuse, armed with musketry and 19 men.-23. Capt. C. Brisbane, of the Arethusa, 38, and Capt. C. Lydiard, of the Anson, 40, made a desperate and successful attack upon the enemy near the Moro Castle, in the Island of Cuba, which ended in the capture of the Spanish frigate Pomona, of 38 guns and 347 men; the destruction of twelve gun-boats, each carrying a 24-pounder, with a complement of 100 men each; and the explosion of a castle, mounting sixteen 36-pounders.+-25. Vice-Admiral Dacres having received information of a number of small vessels being at Batabano, some of which might be pri vateers, despatched to that harbour the Stork, sloop, 18, Capt. George Le Geyt; Superieure, schooner, 10, Capt. Rushworth; Flying Fish, schooner, 12; and Pike, schooner. Capt. Le Geyt, on the arrival of the vessels off the Isle of Pines, learned from the pilot that the Stork could not be carried within thirty leagues of the harbour of Batabano; he therefore directed Capt. Rushworth to proceed with the Superieure, the two schooners, reinforced with the boats and a party of seamen and marines from the Stork. They arrived off Batabano by daylight on Sept. 3. A party of 63 men was landed to guard the boats, two miles to windward of the battery; but the marshy, irregular ground, so impeded their march, that the enemy perceiving it, sent some soldiers to waylay them in the thick bushes; they were, however, charged by the most forward of the party, and put to the route, leaving 2 killed and 1 wounded. A general alarm had now spread; the retreat of the party was cut off, they rushed forward to gain the fort, which was carried in three minutes. The battery consisted of 6 guns, which they spiked, and then took possession of the vessels, which consisted of one felucca, a schooner, a French privateer, and three other Spanish vessels, &c. The enemy's loss was considerable.-29. The boats of the Bacebante, 20, J. R. Dacres, commanded by Lieut. Norton, under a tremendous fire from the forts, vessels, and field pieces, from the breach, boarded and brought out of the harbour of St. Martha, the feluccas San Antonio, Letter of Marque, and Deseado, Spanish privateer, of 1 gun each and 30 men, and a brig of 4 guns.-30. The Pike schooner captured a Spanish schooner of 10 guns (Jamaica Station).

Sept. 3. Spanish felucca, 14, a schooner, 12, and three vessels, 1, taken by the Superieure sloop, 16, E. Rushworth; Flying Fish, schooner, 12, Lieut. J. Godwin; and Pike schooner, 4, Lieut. C. Spence; off Batabano. The fort which protected them was carried by a detachment of 58 men from the capturing vessels.-4. St. John, Spanish, 3 guns, 32 men, taken by the Superieure sloop, 16, E. Rushworth (Jamaica Station).-5. Wolf, sloop, G. C. M'Kenzie, 18, B. 1804, lost on Heneaga, one of the Babaina Islands; crew saved.-8. The Constance, 24, H. S. Burrowes, with the St enuous and Sharpshooter gun-brigs in company, fell in with and drove on shore to the westward of Cape Frebel, a French frigate of 30 guns, coppered.-14. L'Impetueux, French, 74, taken by the Belleisle, 74, W. Hargood, off Cape Hurry, in company with the Bellona and Melampus, afterwards burned by the captors. Serpent sloop, John Walker, 16, B. 1789, foundered on Jamaica Station with all the crew. Martin sloop, Thomas Prorose, 18, B. 1805, supposed to have foundered with all the crew in passage to Barbadoes; Netley schooner, "" 14 B. 1798, taken by two French frigates in the West Indies.-18. Lieut. M'Cullock, in the barge of the Galatea, 32, G. Sayer, pursued a Spanish privateer schooner of 3 guns, swivels, musketoons, &c, some miles up a river near Port Cavallo, on the Spanish main, where he captured and blew her up. On the 21st. Lieut. Walker in the same boat, drove on shore and destroyed a fine schooner, armed with swivels, small

See also October 2nd and 4th and November 29th.

The following are the particulars of this gallant and memorable action:-On the morning of the 23rd, the enemy was discovered within two miles of the Moro Castle, making all possible sail for the Havannah. Signal was immediately made by Capt. Brisbane to lay him on board on coming up with him; but this design was frustrated by the Pomona bearing up, having been joined by 12 gunboats from the Havannah, and anchoring within pistol-shot of the castle, in three fathoms and a half water. The gun-boats advanced from her in a line abreast. This line of defence certainly appeared formidable, added to a lee-shore; but knowing that difficulties are easily surmounted by British seamen, and relying upon the gallant and able support of Capt. Lydiard, Capt. Brisbane instantly decided to attack the enemy in their strong position, and bore up for that purpose, having previously passed a bower cable through the stern-port. In going down, both ships suffered considerably in their sails and rigging, from the raking fire of the gun-boats; the Pomona and Castle reserving theirs until they anchored. At ten A.M. the Arethusa was anchored close alongside the Pomona, in one foot water more than the ship drew, the Anson on her larboard bow, when the action became general, The Pomona struck her colours in thirty-five minutes; three gun-boats blew up, six were sunk, and three driven on shore amongst the breakers. The Castle had now commenced firing redhot shot, which set fire to the Arethusa, but was, however, soon extinguished. Shortly after a melancholy and dreadful explosion took place in the Castle, after which all firing ceased. The Pomona was from Vera Cruz, bound to the Havannah, laden with specie and merchandize. The money belonging to the King was landed at the Castle by the Governor of the Havannah, and the Spanish Admiral, who had previously come out to place the Pomona in safety, as they considered her under the protection of the Castle, had only left her ten minutes before the action commenced. The freight belonging to the merchants, with plate and various kinds of merchandize, were captured, The Arethusa had 2 killed, 32 wounded. The Anson none killed or wounded. The Pomona had her Captain and 20 killed and 32 wounded. The loss must have been considerable in the gun boats, 1 See also 12th November,

arms, &c.; the crew escaped.-21. San Joseph y Animas, Spanish, 1 gun, 13 men, taken by the Hunter sloop, 18, S. H. Inglefield, Jamaica Station.-23. L'Emilien, French ship, 18 guns, 150 men, taken by the Culloden, 74, C. Cole, East Indies.-25. Capt. T. Briggs, of the Orphens, 32, (Leeward Islands Station,) captured a French schooner, 3 guns, two of which were thrown overboard, and 54 men. Pelucca, French, name unknown, I gun, taken by the Wolf, 18, G. C. Mackenzie : Schooner, French, name unknown, 2 guns, taken by the Herculé, 74, B. Dacres: Brig, French, name unknown, taken by the Bacchante, J. R. Dacres. Capt. Cole, of the Culloden, 74, after a chase of two days and a night, captured L'Emillien, a French corvette of 18 guns and 150 men, close off the shoals of Point Guadaveri.-25. Capt. Sir Samuel Hood, of the Centaur, 74, with the squadron under his orders, at one o'clock in the morning, gave chase to five large French frigates and two corvettes; at five the Monarch fired a few chase shot; and at six the weathermost frigate hauled more to the westward, in pursuit of which the Mars was dispatched. One frigate, with the two torvettes, edged away to the south-east, the remaining three frigates keeping in close order. At a quarter past ten, the Monarch opened her starboard guns on the enemy, when a heavy cannonading commenced, and by the enemy's management of a running fight, they in some measure crippled the Monarch's sails and rigging before the Centaur could get up. At eleven the Centaur got fair range of two, and opened her fire from the larboard guns, whilst the Monarch kept engaging the third ship; and about noon one of the two frigates struck, as did the one to the Monarch shortly after. Just before this, Sir S. Hood+ received a severe wound in his right arm, (since amputated,) which obliged him to leave the deck. The Mars had captured her chase, and with her prize hauled towards the Centaur, in chase of, and firing at the French commodore's ship, and at three assisted in capturing her. Those ships of the enemy made an obstinate resistance, which caused much slaughter, being crowded with troops out of Rochfort the evening before. The three ships had 9 killed and 32 wounded. The captured ships were La Gloire, of 46 guns, L'Indefatigable, La Minerve, and L'Armide, of 44 guns each, remarkably fine ships, and about 650 men (including troops) in each ship, full of stores, arms, ammunition, and provisions, &c. La Themis, of 44 guns, old; La Sylph and La Lynx, of 18 guns each, new, made their escape. The squadron of Sir S. Hood consisted of Centaur, 74, Sir S. Hood; Monarch, 74, R. Lee; Mars, 74, W. Lakin; Revenge, 74, Sir J. Gore. Napoleon, French schooner, taken by the Diligente brig, 16, C. Foote, Jamaica Station.-27. Capt. Thomas Louis, in the Campus, 74, with a detached squadron, in Lat. 47 deg. 17 min. N. and Long. 6 deg. 52 min. W., after a chase of seventeen hours, captured the French frigate Le President, of 44 guns and 330 men, commanded by Mons. Gallier Labrosse.

Oct. 1. The Elk, 18, G. Morris, after a chase of nine hours, captured the Alliance, French privateer, of 5 guns and 75 men.-2. Manotte and Dolphin, French sloops, taken by the cutters of the Dominica, gun-brig, 14, Lieut. W. Dean, from under the batteries near St. Pierre, Martinique.-3. Spanish gun-boat, No. 2-3, taken in the Bay of Rocks by the barge of the Minerva, 32, G. R. Collier.-4. Lieut. W. Dean, Dominica, 14, captured the French national schooner La Chiffone, armed with musketry, employed as a dispatch vessel between Guadaloupe and Martinique.-9. Three boats, under the direction of Lieut. R. Gittens, of the Galatea, 32, G. Sayer, rowed up in face of the batteries at Barcelona, cut adrift, and brought out four Spanish schooners, without any casualty, although they were exposed an hour and a half to the fire of three batteries and musketry from the beach, to which the schooners were moored head and stern.-12. Capt. Burrowes, of the Constance, 22, Capt. Thicknesse, of the Sheldrake sloop, and Lieut. Nugent, of the Shermons gun-brig, 14, attacked the French frigate La Salamandre, and captured her after a close and severe action of two hours, the enemy's ship being supported by a strong battery on shore, and numerous troops with field-pieces and musketry. La Salamandre had 26 guns and 150 men, commanded by a Lieut. De Vaisseau, who was killed in the action. Capt. Burrowes fell by a grape-shot. The Constance and the prize having grounded, every exertion was made by Capt. Thicknesse, the officers and men, to get them off, but without success. They, however, rendered her totally useless to the enemy, by making her a perfect wreck under the battery. The Salamandre was destroyed by setting fire to her. The squadron had 14 killed and 19 wounded. About 100 of the officers and crew of the Constance were saved by the exertions of Capt. Thicknesse, &c. The slaughter on board the Salamandre was extreme.-16. Guadaloupe, French packet, 1 gun, 42 men, taken by the Wolverine sloop, 13, F. A. Collier, Jamaica Station.-18. Capt. P. Rainier, of the Caroline, 36, after capturing the Zeerop, 14, a Dutch brig, had a severe contest in Batavia Road, with the Republican frigate Maria Reygersbergen, 36, and 270 men; William, sloop, 20; Patriot, 18; Zeeplong, 14; with several gun-boats; and there were 30 gun-boats lying in shore which did not attempt to come out. The Maria Reygersbergen was captured, but the others escaped, owing to the Caroline and her prize being, after the action, in four fathoms water, and surrounded by many dangerous shoals.--18. Tobago, schooner, 12, P.

• She was formerly His Majesty's sloop Trincomalé, one of the finest cruisers out of the Isle of France, and had been a great annoyance to our trade, by the name of La Gloire.

+ For his conduct on this occasion, and in consideration of the loss of his arm and of his previous distinguished services, Sir Samuel received a pension of £500 per annum.

She received so much damage by being run on board by the Elk, that she sunk shortly after the prisoners were taken out.

See also 12th November.

Whilst running ont of the road, Capt. Rainier observed the Phenix, 36, with the above men tioned vessels and seven merchant ships, run on shore.