when cruising six or seven leagues west-south-west 1812. of Ushant. At11 A.M. captain Campbell had detached March. the Poictiers in chase of a ship to the eastward, which proved to be the british 18-gun ship-sloop Myrtle, captain Clement Sneyd; and whom captain Beresford, on joining him at 1 P. M., sent to warn an english convoy, then seen in the north-east, standing to the westward, of the presence of an enemy's squadron. At 4 P. M., the Poictiers having rejoined the Tremendous, the two 74s resumed the chase of M. Allemand, and were descried by the Diana, in the manner we have just related.

pée re

from

two

ed ene

As the french ships, when they bore up to avoid Pomthe Tremendous and Poictiers, steered in a direction treats to cross the bows of the Diana and Pompée, the two latter, at 6 h. 15 m. P. M., tacked to the south-east. supposSoon afterwards the Diana lost sight of the Pompée my's in the south-south-east, and about the same time ships. observed and answered the night-signal for an enemy made by her two friends to-windward. The Pompée also observed the flashes of guns and rockets, which were the signals made by the Tremendous and Poictiers; but it does not appear that she answered them. Towards midnight the wind shifted to the northnorth-west; and, at about 30 minutes past midnight, the Pompée suddenly discovered two ships in chase of her in the south-east. The british 74 immediately bore up and made all sail, altering her course frequently, to avoid her pursuers; one of whom got near enough to fire three or four shot at her. On this the Pompée started 80 tons of water, and then gained so rapidly upon the two supposed enemy's ships, that at daylight on the 11th they were no longer to be seen. In the course of the forenoon of that day the Diana, and in the evening the Bulwark and Colossus, joined company with the Pompée; as, on the day following, did the Tonnant, Tremendous, and Poictiers. The two latter had lost sight of the french ships at dark on the 10th; but, having again discovered them at daylight on the 11th, had chased

1812. them until 2 P. M.; when, foggy weather coming on, the Tremendous and Poictiers shortened sail and hauled to the wind on the larboard tack.

March.

M. Allemand

Thus left to himself, M. Allemand cruised about chases at his leisure, and on the 15th of March, in latitude the Ni- 47° 39′ north, longitude 10° 20' west, fell in with and jaden, chased the british 12-pounder 36-gun frigate Nijaden, rives at captain Farmery Predam Epworth; but the frigate, Brest. although frequently fired at by the french van-ship,

and ar

ac

respect

and a good deal damaged in her sails and rigging, managed to effect her escape. Captain Epworth, also, by his signals, prevented the Northampton, Monarch, and Euphrates, homeward-bound indiamen, from becoming prizes to the french admiral ; towards whom they were unsuspiciously steering until apprized of their danger by the Nijaden. After making a few inconsiderable prizes, the french squadron bent its course towards Brest, and on the evening of the 29th anchored in the road; a matter of just boast to M. Allemand, as two or three british squadrons, besides the one he had escaped from, were anxiously looking out for him.

Incom- The account we have given of the escape of plete the french admiral from the Pompée, Tremendous, counts and Poictiers, although the only account to be seen ing the in print, is far from being so full and clear as it might escape have been made, could we have gained a sight of the french minutes of the court of inquiry which, it appears, was held at Portsmouth on the subject. We turned dron. to the biography of sir James Athol Wood in the work

of this

squa

French

ships

of Mr. Marshall; but, although 13 closely printed pages are devoted to an account of the rear-admiral's professional life, not a line is spared to throw some light on the proceedings of the Pompée in the spring of 1812.

In the latter part of the present year the Ocean, in Isle and four of the six two-deckers which, along with d'Aix her, had so nearly been destroyed by the British in 1809, were again in the road of Isle d'Aix, watching an opportunity to proceed to Brest; whither the

road.

Courageux and Polonais, in the port of Cherbourg, 1812. were also waiting to get; and where Buonaparte May. wanted once more to assemble a respectable fleet. The french port, which at this time, owing to the powerful fleet at anchor within it, was a much more important station than Brest, now claims our attention.

ceed

Toulon

The british Mediterranean fleet still continued its Prolistless task of watching a superior, though, except-ings of ing a little demonstration now and then off the port, fleet. inactive enemy. On the 3d of January 14 sail of the line, four frigates, and several corvettes, under rear-admirals Lhermite, Baudin, Violette, and Duperré, weighed from Toulon road, sailed out, and sailed in. Once or twice also during the month of May, this manoeuvre was repeated, under viceadmiral Emeriau himself; but the french admiral took care to sail out only when the wind was quite in his favour, and sir Edward Pellew, if in sight at all, at a great distance to-leeward.

lant

and

of the

laus.

On one occasion, however, a few shot were exchanged, and a british frigate was rather critically circumstanced. On the 28th of May, at 7 h. 30 m. A. M., the 38-gun frigate Menelaus, captain sir Peter conParker, bart., being on the look-out off Cape Sicie, duct discovered a french frigate and brig in Hyères bay, narrow standing under all sail, with the wind at east-south-escape east, for the Petite-Passe. The Menelaus immedi- Meneately made sail to cut off the two vessels from entering Toulon; whereupon the latter, which were the 40-gun frigate Pauline and 16-gun brig Ecureuil, from the Adriatic, shortened sail to the topsails, and hauled upon a wind, to wait for the protection of their fleet, which had just then weighed from the road, to the number of 11 sail of the line and six frigates. As soon as they observed that the fleet was sufficiently advanced to cover them, the Pauline and Ecureuil bore up and steered for Toulon. The Menelaus, nevertheless, boldly stood on; and at 9 h. 30 m. A. M., when close under Pointe

1812. Ecampebarion, the batteries of which had already Aug. opened upon her, commenced firing at the french frigate and brig, within musket-shot distance. In less than half an hour a shot from one of the batteries cut the fore topmast of the Menelaus almost in two, and obliged her to wear and stand out. By this time the two advanced line-of-battle ships of the french fleet were nearly in the wake of the british frigate, and the british in-shore squadron of four sail of the line, consisting of the Repulse, Centaur, Malta, and Kent, under rear-admiral Hallowell, was hull-down to-leeward. But, by extraordinary good management, notwithstanding that her fore topmast was only held together by fishes of capstan bars, and that her rigging and sails were greatly damaged, the Menelaus got clear off without losing a man.

New

french

ships

at

Toulon

&c.

On the 15th of August the 74-gun ship Ville-deMarseille, and on the 6th of December the 130-gun ship Montebello, were launched at Toulon; thus Genoa, making the french force in the port 18 sail of the line, including five three-deckers. At Genoa there was the new 74-gun ship Agamemnon; besides the 40-gun frigates Galatée, launched May 3, and Driade, launched October 7; and at Naples, the Capri 74. There were, also, at these two ports and at Spezzia, three or four sail of the line on the stocks.

port

as a

dépôt.

Grow- Venice was now becoming an important naval dépôt. ing im- On the 6th of September, 1810, a fine 74-gun ship, ance of the Rivoli, was launched at the arsenal at Malamacca, Venice about five miles distant from the city, and was floated naval over the bar, that crosses the passage at about midway, by means of a camel, or water-tight box, the same as is used at Amsterdam and St.-Petersburg. This ship. put to sea, for the first time, in February of the present year; but it was only, as we shall presently show, to fall into the hands of a british ship of the same force. In the latter end of 1811 or beginning of 1812 two other 74s were launched at Malamacca; the MontSt.-Bernardo and Regenitore. The first was commissioned under french colours, and in July

LIGHT SQUADRONS, &c. ROSARIO WITH FR. FLOTilla. 65

bore the flag of rear-admiral Duperré; the other 1812. under venetian colours, and was commanded by March. captain Paschaligo, the gallant captain of the Corona in the action off Lissa. On the 2d of August the Castiglioni 74 was launched, and, as soon as she could be fitted, was commissioned by the late captain of the Danaé, whose frigate had recently been burnt by accident in the port of Venice. The Castiglioni afterwards received the flag of rear-admiral Duperré. On the 15th the Reali-Italiani 74 and Piane frigate were launched; but the 74 was only completed as high up as her main deck. There were eight other two-deckers on the stocks, two of which were in a forward state; but a scarcity of timber, owing to the poverty of the local government, greatly retarded the progress of the workmen.

LIGHT SQUADRONS AND SINGLE SHIPS.

rio falls

french

On the 27th of March, at 8 h. 30 m. A. M., the Rosatown of Dieppe bearing south-west distant four or in with five miles, the british brig-sloop Rosario, of eight a 18-pounder carronades and two long sixes, captain flotilla. Bootey Harvey, observed a flotilla of 12 brigs and one lugger standing alongshore. This was the 14th division of the Boulogne flotilla, commanded by capitaine de vaisseau Louis-Pierre-François-RicardBarthelemi Saizieu. Each brig mounted three long 24-pounders and an 8-inch brass howitzer, with a complement of 50 men. The commodore had sailed from Boulogne at 10 P. M. on the 26th, and was bound to Cherbourg. As the Rosario made sail to cut off the leewardmost of these 12 brigs, the whole, by signal from the commodore, formed in line, and severally engaged the british brig while passing on the opposite tack; and, when the Rosario luffed up to cut off the sternmost brig, the remaining 11 and the lugger bore down to support their friend and close with the daring enemy.

Finding them thus determined to support each other, and the Rosario's small force not justifying the risk