the Towzer, Tickler, and Mermaid, sloop-rigged, the latter with one long 9, and each of the others with one long 18 pounder, and 25 men; the schooners Swinger and Teazer, the one with four 6 and two 4-pounders, and the other with six 6-pounders, and 25 men each; and eight gun-flats, with one 9-pounder in the prow, and 16 men each: making, with one supernumerary, 254 men, including officers. The Towzer and Tickler were commanded by two masters of merchantmen, and partly manned with their sailors: the remainder of the officers and men belong ing to the flotilla consisted of volunteers from the colonial troops The force with which the Spaniards were preparing to make the attack consisted of about 20 schooners and sloops, armed, the greater part of them, with one long 24-pounder in the bow, and two long 18s in the stern, besides from 8 to 22 swivels along the waist. There were also 10 or 11 transports or victuallers, schooner and sloop rigged, each armed with heavy bow and stern guns, and swivels on the sides. The seamen em

ployed on board this flotilla nnmbered, as was understood, about 500, and were under the orders of Captain Bocca-Negra: the troops amounted to about 2000, and were commanded by Fieldmarshal Arthur O'Neil.

On the 3rd of September the Spaniards endeavoured to force a passage over Montego-key shoal, with five vessels, two of which carried long 18 or 24 pounders, and the provisions and stores of all of which, in order to lighten them, had been shifted to other vessels. The Tickler, Swinger, and Teazer instantly proceeded to annoy these five Spanish vessels, and by dark, compelled them to retire. This afforded to the commanding officer of the British vessels the opportunity of drawing and destroying all the stakes and beacons which the Spaniards had placed in the narrow and intricate channel, and without the use of which none but vessels of a very light draught of water could pass. On the following day, the 4th, the attempt to pass the shival was renewed, and defeated in a similar manner. On the 5th the same Spanish vessels, accompanied by two others, and by several launches filled with troops, endeavoured to get over the same shoal by another passage, but were repulsed, apparently with loss. On this, as well as on the two preceding days, the Spaniards expended an immense quantity of ammunition to no manner of purpose; while the British fired comparatively little, but with a steady precision that produced a sensible effect.

Having no doubt that the next effort of the Spaniards would

be against St. George's key, from which they might easily go down to the Belize, only nine miles distant, and there destroy the town and harass the inhabitants, Captain Moss, in the night of the 5th, weighed, and by noon on the following day worked, up to the key. Twelve of the heaviest among the Spanish vessels were then under way, for the purpose of making the attempt; but, on seeing the Merlin and the flotilla of gun-boats so near, the Spaniards hauled to the wind and returned to their former anchorage, between Long-key and Key-chapel.

The Spanish vessels continued working and anchoring among the shoals, at the distance of four or five miles from the Merlin and gun-boats, until the 10th; when, at 1 P.M., nine sail of armed sloops and schooners, each with a launch astern full of men, bore down through the channel that led to the Merlin. Five smaller vessels, also with troops on board, were at anchor to windward, at the distance of about a mile and a half: and the remainder of the Spanish flotilla lay at Long-key Spit, as if awaiting the issue of the contest. The Spanish vessels approached, in line abreast, using both sails and oars; and, on arriving within long gun-shot, dropped anchor. It seeming to be their intention to board the Towzer and Tickler, which vessels lay much nearer to them than the bulk of the flotilla, Captain Moss, at 1 h. 30 m. P.M., made the signal to engage. The British immediately opened an animated and apparently destructive fire, which was returned by the Spaniards, and the cannonade lasted two hours and a half. At the end of that time the Spaniards, in evident confusion, cut their cables, and sailed and rowed off, assisted by a number of launches, which took in tow the greater part of their vessels. No man was hurt on the part of the British: but the Spaniards, from the hasty manner of their retreat, appeared not to have been so fortunate. Owing to the shoal water, the Merlin was unable to follow the Spanish vessels; and the remainder of the British flotilla, without her support, would have been no match for them. The whole therefore effected their escape. The Spaniards remained under Key-chapel until the night of the 15th, when they moved off with a slight southerly wind. Some of the vessels went to Baccalar, and others to Campeachy; nor did the Spaniards again venture to attack the British possessions in Honduras bay.

BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS.

WITH respect to the state of the British navy at the commencement of the present year, it will suffice to refer to the usual abstract of its numbers and strength. We may notice, however, that two fine line-of-battle classes, L and M, have more than doubled themselves since the beginning of the preceding year. Indeed all the principal columns in the abstract exhibit an increase of numbers; arising, in part, from newly-built vessels, but chiefly from captures made at the expense of the French, Dutch, and Spanish navies respectively. The number of British ships-of-war, wrecked and founded during the year 1798, is still of considerable amount;3 but fewer of the crews, it is gratifying to observe, perished, than amidst the similar mishaps of the preceding year. We may here remark, in passing, that, as respects the French, Dutch, and Spanish navies, the foundered, wrecked, and burnt cases do in all probability fall short of the real number, no nation but England publishing any list of losses that her navy sustains.

The number of commissioned officers and masters belonging to the British navy at the commencement of the year was,—

and the number of seamen and marines voted for the service of the year 1799, was 120,000.1

The opening of the present year saw France with a second coalition formed against her. Naples and Sardinia had, as we have seen, recommenced hostilities with no great éclat; but Austria was preparing to lend them her powerful aid, and Russia had already united with Turkey in revenging Buonaparte's flagrant attack upon Egypt. France, on the other hand, was making great exertions to withstand the host of foes which, thus aroused, had again confederated against her; and, among other measures taken, orders had issued, since the 25th of the preceding November, for the construction of 16 ships of the line, 18 heavy frigates, and 12 corvettes.

Vice-admiral Eustache Bruix, the French minister of marine, also went down from Paris, with money to pay the seamen at Brest, and remained at that port superintending the equipment of the ships. In consequence of this, the utmost activity pervaded every department, and, towards the middle of April, 25 ships of the line and several frigates were ready for sea. The minister addressed a proclamation to the seamen, much in the same style as the "instructions" transmitted from the directory at the commencement of the year 1794. Vice-admiral Bruix adverted to the splendid actions of the Charente and of the Baïonnaise, as well as to the vigorous resistance made by the Seine, and by the squadron under Commodore Bompart. The address, or that part of it at least which promised that the families of the seamen should be provided for in their absence, and that a third part in value of the prizes should be paid to them immediately after capture, drew the seamen from the privateers to the national ships, and thus answered the purpose intended

In the first three or four months of the present year, the British force cruising off Brest consisted of a squadron of eight or nine sail of the line, under the successive command of Viceadmiral Sir Charles Thompson, baronet, in the Formidable 98, Vice-admiral Lord Hugh Seymour, in the Sans-Pareil 80, and Rear-admiral the Honourable George Cranfield Berkeley, in the Mars 74. On the 16th of April, at 6 P.M., a French convoy, consisting of the armed store-ships Dromadaire and Nécessité, and 50 other vessels, escorted by Captain Pierre-Marie Le Bozec, with the corvettes Etonnante, Société, Mignonne, and Cigogne, and lugger Vautour, were chased by Rear-admiral Berkeley's 1 See Appendix, No. 18.

squadron, but effected their escape into Brest. On the 17th, early in the morning, Admiral Lord Bridport, who, with the Royal George and five or six other ships, had sailed from St. Helen's on the 13th, arrived off Ushant, and superseded Rear-admiral Berkeley in the command.

On the 25th, Lord Bridport looked into the port of Brest, and counted 13 French line-of-battle ships at anchor, and five under way, in the road of Bertheaume, as if preparing to put to sea with the fresh north-east wind then blowing. The British fleet was at this time right in the centre of the Iroise passage, and not above five or six miles to the south-west of the Black Rocks. At 2 P.M. Lord Bridport made sail to the west-north-west, and in two hours was about four leagues to the west-south-west of Ushant, with, including the Russel, which was then about joining, the following 16 sail of the line:

Frigates, three or four, but their names are uncertain.

On the evening of the same 25th of April on which Lord Bridport had thus left open the principal passage in and out of Brest, Vice-admiral Bruix put to sea with, except the Convention, which did not join until the next morning, the following well-appointed fleet: