wise. French. At 50 minutes past eleven wore ship, and made all sail towards the Arrow, who had by this time quitted her tow, and made signal for convoy to continue the same course, although ships of war acted otherAt half-past twelve P. M. (Monday per log) hoisted our colours and fired a gun, which they paid no attention to. Signals 360 and 322 were then made to the Arrow, who immediately made signal to the convoy for an enemy, and to make all possible sail to the appointed rendezvous, which was repeated. The frigates had by this time made all possible sail in chace of us, but the wind being light and variable from the eastward, we rather gained upon them. At halfpast four P. M. having joined the Arrow, I went on board; captain Vincent appeared satisfied they were enemy's ships; they were now about five miles from us; it was resolved to make sail, and keep in the rear of the convoy, for their protection. It was calm until 11 P. M. when a breeze sprung up from the W. S. W. wore ship, and stood towards the Arrow. At 12 she hailed, and desired we would keep in her wake in close order. At 2 A.M. saw two sail upon the lee bow; called the hands to quarters. At half-past came up with them, and discovered they were two of the convoy. At a quarter past four A. M. saw two other ships standing to us on the opposite tack. At 45 minutes past four the Arrow hailed the headmost ship, then pass ing under her lee; being in close order, she soon came abreast of the Acheron. I saw she was a large frigate prepared to engage. I hailed her, asking what ship is that? she answered what ship are you? and immediately gave us her broadside of round and grape, which did us very considerable damage in rigging and sails, besides carrying away the slings of the main-yard, and maintop gallant-yard in the slings, but did not kill or wound any one; we returned her fire, then hove about, and gave her the guns from the other side, and kept up the fire while our shot would reach her. The Arrow bore up and raked her. At or about half-past five the second frigate passed the Arrow (then layingto upon the starboard tack) without firing; a little afterwards she appeared as if intending to wear, and having her stern towards the Acheron, we gave her two rounds from the larboard guns. She then hauled her wind, and stood towards the other frigate. The people were now employed in splicing the rigging and getting another top-gallant-yard and sail ready to send aloft. At daylight observed the enemy and French colours flying, and one of the frigates bearing a commodore's pendant. They then wore and stood to us: answered our signal, and repeated the annul to one of the ships of the convoy; bore up to close the Arrow; at seven she hailed us, and desired we would keep in her wake, in close order; made sail in the starboard tack, closing with the enemy; at 25 minutes past seven, the headmost frigate being abreast of the Arrow, and within half musket-shot, fired her broadside at her, which was immediately returned; at 30 minutes past seven she was abreast of us, and gave us a broad. side; we then commenced action with her, which we continued until the second frigate, which was the commodore's, came up to and fired into us (having engaged the Arrow in passing); we now turned our fire upon this ship until we came up with the Arrow, who had put her helm a-weather and was now raking her; we hauled our wind to clear the Arrow, who appeared to be wearing; I hailed, and asked if he meant to again come to the wind on the starboard tack, but could not under. stand what he said; as soon as clear of the Arrow, we again directed our fire against the commodore's ship, which we continued until eight, when, with the greatest grief, I saw the Arrow obliged to strike, being no longer able to contend with the great superiority of force opposed to her. She had, I conceive, re. ceived much damage in the act of wearing; the wind being light, she lay a considerable time with her head to the enemy. The Acheron being now very much disabled in masts, sails, and rigging, and part of her stern-post carried away, I considered farther resistance on my part could answer no good; and, unwilling to sacrifice the lives of men who had given me the highest proof of their courage, I determined to make what sail I could, with little hopes of saving the ship, but with a view of prolonging the time of my being captured, to give the convoy the better chance of escaping. The superiority in sailing of the enemy's ship rendered the chace but short; at three quarters past eight, having received one broadside and part of another, and the enemy now very near us, with the greatest mortification and sorrow I was obliged to surrender to the French frigate L'Hortense, of 44 guns, commanded by Mons. De la Marre La Mellierie, who, finding her much disabled, as soon as the officers and ship's company were remored, set her on fire. Account of the Capture of the French Ship La Ville de Milan, and Recapture of the Cleopatra, by his Majesty's Ship Leander, Captain J. Talbot, in a letter to Sir Andrew Mitchell, K. B. on the Hallifax station. Leander, off St. David's Head, Sir, I have the honour to inform you, that I proceeded to sea, and cruized in his majesty's ship under my command, according to your orders, dated the 13th of last month. On Saturday the 23d of February, at 12 o'clock at noon, a sail was seen from the mast-head, bearing south of us; the weather at this time was hazy, with squalls of wind and rain from the northward. All sail was immediately made in chace; the weather becoming still more hazy, in a few moments we lost sight of the chace; at half-past two it cleared away a little to the southward, and we again got sight of her. I found we had considerably neared the chace, and that it was a large ship under jury-masts standing to the south-east. At three o'clock we saw another ship a short distance from the chace, steering the same course also under jury-masts, in appearance a much larger vessel. As we closed them very fast, we soon clearly saw they were both frigates; on their making us out to be a man of war, they closed to support each other, firing a gun to leeward, and hoisting French ensigns from their main-stays; at 4 o'clock we were within gun-shot of them, they separated, the frigate nearest to us put before the wind, the other steered with it on her larboard quarter. By half-past four we got within musket. musket-shot of the smallest frigate, gave her one of the main-deck guns, when, after a few minutes hesitation, she hauled down her colours, and hove to. On my hailing this frigate, I am sorry to tell you, Sir, that I was informed by them, she was his majesty's ship Cleopatra, of 32 guns, lately commanded by Sir Robert Lawrie, bart. She was taken on Sunday, the 17th of February, after having brought to and sustained a most severe and gallant action for the space of three hours and a quarter, by a French frigate, nearly double her force, in size, comple. ment of men, and weight of metal. Observing that the part of the crew left on-board her, belonging to his majesty's ship Cleopatra, had come on deck, and taken possession of her, on the ship striking to us; I hailed, ordered them to make sail, and steer after his Majesty's ship Leander; again made sail in chace, and in about an hour's time got along-side the French frigate; she hauled down her colours, and struck to us without a gun being fired on either side. On hailing the French frigate, you, sir, may easily judge how happy I must have felt, on hearing I was answered by my friend Sir Robert Lawrie, who told me he was well, and that the ship was La Ville de Milan, 19 days from the island of Martinique, bound to France. La Ville de Milan is a remarkably fine and handsome frigate, about one year old, 1200 tons burthen, mounting fourteen long 2-pounders on her quarter-deck, six long 9-pounders on the fore. castle, 15 ports on a side on the main deck; when she sailed from France had twenty eight18-pounders mounted on it-now twenty-six; two were landed from her at Martinique, 2 When the action commenced between La Ville de Milan, and his Majesty's ship, Cleopatra, she was commanded by Mons. Reynaud, capitaine de vaisseau, had on board 360 men as her complement, besides a number of officers and soldiers of the French army, going passengers to Europe. The officers of La Ville de Milan agree in saying, that, having dispatches on board for France, with orders not to speak any thing during her passage, every thing in their power was done, to avoid being brought to action by the Cleopatra. Mons. Reynaud was killed by the last shot fired from the Cleopatra ; he was esteemed an experienced and active officer; and had served in the late king of France's service, as an auxiliary officer. He sailed in La Ville de Milan, from L'Orient, the 1st of last August, as commodore of six of their largest frigates, with troops embarked on board them, to be landed on the Island of Martinique; after having performed this service, he was ordered, as the French officers express it, to make a sweep through the islands. It is not possible for officers to speak in stronger terms, than the French officers do, in praise of Sir Robert Lawrie's perseverance in so long a chace, except it is in the praise they bestow on him, his officers, seamen, and marines, for their gallant conduct during so long and severe an action. The French officers, whom I have prisoners on board this ship, cannot themselves avoid to acknowledge, that had not the Cleopatra unfortu nately forged a-head of La Ville de Milan the latter part of the action, La Ville de Milan must have surren dered to the Cleopatra. It is a very painful part of my duty to be obliged obliged to inform you, sir, that your eldest son, who was doing duty as an acting lieutenant, is included among the number of badly wounded, on board the Cleopatra. Sir Robert Lawrie speaks in the highest terms of his conduct, and, indeed, of that of all the officers, seamen, and marines, of his majesty's ship Cleopatra. Sir Robert has, at my request, been so kind as to take charge of the Cleopatra, till she arrives in port. I have given Mr. Nairne, first lieutenant of his majesty's ship Leander, charge of La Ville de Milan, and nothing can exceed the exertions he has made in putting her in a sea-worthy state. The alacrity of the officers, seamen, and marines, of his majesty's ship under my command, during the chace, and their steadiness on going down to attack the two frigates, who had closed, in appearance with a determination to make a formidable resistance, convinced me, sir, that had they waited to make the resistance they seemed disposed to do, the Leander would not have sullied her good name. I am, &c. JOHN TALBOT, post-capt. [Here a letter from capt. Talbot, introduces the following narrative of the action between the Cleopatra and La Ville de Milan.] Cleopatra, at Sea, Feb. 25. Sir, I have to request that you will be pleased to acquaint the Commander-in-Chief, that on Saturday the 16th inst. in lat. 28 deg. N. lon. 67 deg. W. at ten A. M. saw a ship in the S. E. standing to the E. N. E. the wind at N. W. made sail towards her; at 11 perceived the chace to be a large frigate, with 15 ports of a side on the main deck; cleared ship for action, and hoisted Ame. rican colours, to induce him to bring to for us; but, instead of which, he made more sail; the weather squally; made and shortened sail occasionally; carried away several studding-sail yards, and the fore topmast studding sail boom shifted over the starboard one, and set the reefed lower studding sail; a good deal of swell; the chace apparently steering so as to keep the studding-sails drawing full; and that at day-light on the 17th, was about four miles a-head; fresh breezes and swell as before. At half past ten he took in his studding sails, and hauled more up; when we got within about three quarters of a mile, took in ours also. At half past eleven he hauled his main-sail up, and kept more to the wind; upon our steering so close, with him, upon his quarter, he again set it and stay-sails, trying to gain the wind of us (upon which point of sailing he had the advantage); we made all sail, the chace having some time before hoisted French colours, and we ours. On his seeming to draw a-head from us, at the distance of about half gun-shot, fired our bow-chacers, which he returned occasionally from his stern. His guns appearing so well directed, and of heavy metal, and to prevent being raked by them, I was obliged to steer so as to keep on his quarter, though prolonging the chace. La titude, at noon, 29 deg. 24 min. N. long. 64 deg. 20 min. W. At half past 2 P. M. having got within about a cable's length from the enemy, he luffed close to the wind, and gave us two broadsides, which, when at less than a half cable's distance, we returned, and a warm action commenced, both ships trimming sails, steering sometimes close to the wind, and at others about three points free, free, during which we had consider ably the advantage. About five, having shot away his main-topsail yard, we forged a-head, although the mizen top-sail was squared, and both jib, stay, and haulyards gone, finding neither fore nor main cluegarnets left to haul the courses up, our running rigging cut to pieces, so as to render it impossible either to shorten or back a sail, and both main and spring stays were shot away, the mainmast only supported by the storm staysail stay, I was induced to cross his bow, and, by hauling up, to have raked him, in preference to exposing our stern to the fire of 25 pieces of cannon from his broadside; but in the act of which an unfortunate shot struck the wheel, the broken spokes were jammed against the deck, so as to render it immoveable, as well as the rudder, which, at the same time, was choaked in the end by splinters, pistols, &c. placed near it. Our opponent, availing himself of our ungovernable situation, with the wind upon his quarter, gave us the stern, running his head and bowsprit over our quarter-deck, just abaft the main rigging, and, under the cover of a very heavy fire of muskets and musketoons, attempted to board us, but was drove back; we exchanged a few musketry with them; but their great advantage in height, and superiority of numbers, as well as by their musketoons from their tops, cleared our decks, and in at our ports. The only two guns we could bring to bear, being fired from within-board, did them little injury, the shot passing their lower deck. Most of our sails laying ashiver, or partly a-back, and bore down by so heavy a ship (having been intended for a 74,) going almost VOL. XLVII. before the wind, and much sea running, appearing to cut us asunder at every send, I saw no prospects of saving the ship, or the lives of the numerous wounded that were then below. On the suggestions of the first lieutenant, we attempted to hoist the fore-topmast staysail; and I directed the spritsail-topsail to be set also; but, in the execution of which orders every man was knocked down by their musketry and other small shot, as they made their appearance. At a quarter past five they succeeded in boarding, and I was compelled to surrender to the French frigate La Ville de Milan, of 46 guns, French 18-pounders, on the main-deck, and eights on the quarter-deck and forecastle; 350 men besides several officers and passengers; commanded by Monsieur Renaud, capitaine de vaisseau, and Monsieur Gillet, capitaine de fregate; the former was killed, and the latter badly wounded in the action; and immediately afterwards the Cleopatra became a perfect wreck, not a spar standing but the mizen-mast, the bowsprit and other masts gone by the board, and I fully expected she would have foundered before both ships could get clear of each other. I trust it will be found that every exertion was made to bring a ship of so superior a force into action, and in maintaining of it. La Ville de Milan is nearly double our size and force, being a new ship, of about 1200 tons burthen, and having almost twice our number of men on board, as we only mus tered at quarters 199, being 10 short of complement, and that from the strength of the ship's company in able seamen, there were several on the sick list. More gallantry and bravery could not |