capt.

by.

Willoughby was injudicious in making the signal, 1810. Enemy of inferior force,' to the Sirius, she being Senthe only ship in sight, and not justifiable, as the enemy tence evidently was superior. But the court is of opinion, that upon his majesty's late ship Néréide was carried into battle wilin a most judicious, officer-like, and gallant manner; lough and the court cannot do otherwise than express its high admiration of the noble conduct of the captain, officers, and ship's company during the whole of the unequal contest, and is further of opinion that the Néréide was not surrendered to the enemy until she was disabled in every respect, so as to render all further resistance useless, and that no blame whatever attaches to them for the loss of the said ship." To this testimony in favour of the Néréide, we shall merely add, that the noble behaviour of her officers and crew threw such a halo of glory around the defeat at GrandPort, that, in public opinion at least, the loss of the four frigates was scarcely considered a misfortune.

ham

Paul's,

com

mo

Row

for Isle

The arrival of the Windham recaptured indiaman The in the bay of St.-Paul, Isle Bourbon, on the evening Windof the 22d of August, informed commodore Rowley arrives of captain Pym's projected attack upon the french at St.frigates in Grand-Port. At this time, in consequence and of a previous arrangement between lieutenantcolonel Keating and the commodore, the flank- dore battalion of the 86th regiment was held in readiness lev to embark on board the Bombay transport, in order sails to establish a strong military post upon Isle Platte, de la or Flat island. With the view of cooperating more Passe. effectually with captain Pym, the Boadicea took on board two of the flank companies and a detachment of artillery, and sailed the same evening; and the Bombay, with the remainder of the force, and a supply of provisions both for Isle de la Passe and Flat island, was directed to follow as expeditiously as possible. Owing to baffling winds, the progress of the Boadicea became very tedious; and on the 27th, in the morning, she picked up the Magicienne's barge, with lieutenant Wauchope and 14 men, despatched by captains Pym and Lambert, with letters,

1810. (part of them duplicates of those brought by lieuteAug. nant Watling,) acquainting the commodore with the unfortunate issue of the attack upon the french squadron in Grand-Port.

Arrives

and is

Vénus

On the 29th, at daylight, the Boadicea made Isle off de la Passe, and perceived two frigates lying to chased off the island. These were the Vénus and Manche; the the former still engaged in receiving prisoners from and the Iphigenia and Isle de la Passe. The Astrée had, Manche the preceding evening, been detached to cruise beto St.- tween the isles of France and Bourbon, but was Dénis. seen to-windward by the Boadicea, as the latter,

back

with signals flying, approached the Iphigenia, under a hope that she was still in captain Lambert's possession. When the Boadicea was nearly within gunshot, the Vénus, making a signal to the Manche, that the admiral's motions were to be disregarded, crowded sail after the british frigate. The Boadicea thereupon tacked and stood off; and presently the Vénus made a signal to her consort to join in the chase. In a short time the two french frigates hauled off from the Boadicea; but, wishing to draw them down as far as possible from their station, in order to give the Bombay an opportunity to succour the Iphigenia, and to favour the escape of both, commodore Rowley again stood towards the Vénus and Manche. On this the latter resumed the chase, and continued it until 8 h. 30 m. p. M. on the 30th, when the Boadicea reached in safety the road of Saint-Dénis, Isle Bourbon. On the 31st, in the morning, the Vénus and Manche made sail from before the road. On the following day, the 1st french of September, they chased ineffectually the british anchor gun-brig Staunch, and late in the evening anchored inPort- in the harbour of Port-Louis; where, had just preLouis. viously arrived, the Astrée and Entreprenant.

The

two

frigates

mo

Com- Commodore Rowley, as soon as he had cast anchor, ore despatched an express across to the bay of St.-Paul, Row with directions to captain James Tomkinson, of the ley sails ship-sloop Otter, then dismantled for heaving down, again. to move, with his ship's company, on board the

Windham, and join the Boadicea off the island; 1810. meaning, with this reinforcement, to proceed in Sept. search of the two french frigates. When the Boadicea arrived off St.-Paul's, expecting to be joined by the Windham, the commodore learnt that captain Tomkinson, considering that ship to be unfit for immediate service, had declined the command of her. In consequence of this, captain Henry Lynne, of the Emma government transport, with a highly commendable zeal and indefatigable exertions, fitted that ship with the guns of the Windham, and presently joined the Boadicea off the road of St.-Paul. The latter, accompanied by the Emma, immediately made sail towards the Isle of France; but, soon discovering that the transport could not keep company with the frigate, the commodore detached the ReconEmma to cruise between Isle Ronde and Rodriguez, Grandin order to give notice to any friendly ships she might Port. fall in with, of the comparative state of the british and french naval forces on the station. The Boadicea then proceeded alone off Isle de la Passe, and found the Iphigenia gone, but plainly saw four ships at anchor in Grand-Port; the Bellone, with topgallant yards across and sails bent, and in apparent readiness for sea, the Minerve, with jury topmasts, and the ReanNéréide with jury main and mizen masts. Finding at St.that nothing could be effected by a single frigate as Paul's. matters then stood, the Boadicea put about, and on the 11th reanchored in the road of St.-Paul,

noitres

chors

squa

from

No sooner had the Vénus, Manche, Astrée, and French Entreprenant arrived at Port-Louis, than the dron governor-general of the Isle of France began taking sails measures to profit by the naval ascendency which Portthe French had so unexpectedly acquired in these Louis. A squadron, to consist of the Iphigénie, (late Iphigenia,) captain Bouvet, Astrée, Entreprenant, and Victor, was to be immediately formed, and placed under the orders of the former. Accordingly, on the 3d of September, the Astrée and Entreprenant quitted Port-Louis, to effect their junction

seas.

1810. with the Iphigénie and Victor off Isle de la Passe. Sept. On the 9th this object was effected; and in the afternoon captain Bouvet detached the Victor round to Port-Louis, to bring some articles of stores required for the Iphigénie. The latter frigate, with her two consorts, the Astrée and Entreprenant, then proceeded on a cruise off Isle Bourbon; where the Victor, as soon as she had executed her mission, was to join them.

Africaine

On the same day the british 38-gun frigate arrives Africaine, captain Robert Corbett, on her way from at Ro- England to Madras, touched at the island of Roddriguez riguez to replenish her water; but, learning what

pro

spect

her.

had befallen his friends at the Isle of France, captain Corbett changed his route, and hastened to join the Pre- squadron under commodore Rowley. In the spring vious of the present year this frigate, commanded by ceed- captain Richard Raggett, had returned to Plymouth ings re- from Annapolis; whither she had conveyed Mr. ing Jackson, the british ambassador to the United States. About the same time the 38-gun frigate Bourbonaise, (late french Caroline,) captain Robert Corbett, anchored at Plymouth from the Cape of Good Hope. The admiralty, having determined to send the Africaine to the Isle of France station, wished to have the benefit of captain Corbett's local experience, and therefore appointed him to supersede captain Raggett in the command of that fine frigate.

Re

of

serve

with

Cor

bett.

On the arrival of captain Corbett on board the fusal her Africaine, the ship's company manifested an alarmcrew to ing degree of discontent at the change of commanders, and proceeded to the extremity of declaring that captain they would not go to sea with captain Corbett. Rear-admiral sir Edward Buller, accompanied by captains Thomas Wolley and George Cockburn, went Admi- on board the Africaine, by direction of the board of send a admiralty, to inquire of the ship's company, if they depu- had any just cause of complaint against captain Corbett. It now appeared that there was not a man board. on board the frigate, who had ever served under

ralty

tation

on

Sept.

crew

duty.

sails

Indies.

captain Corbett, but that the crew were intimidated 1810. by his reported severity. It was explained to the sent men, how certain they were of being made very serious examples of, should they persist in so unreasonable an expectation, as that the admiralty would cancel the appointment of captain Corbett; but that every thing would be overlooked, if they received their captain without any further proof of disaffection. By this prompt measure on the part of the admi- The ralty, coupled with the temperate, but firm conduct return of the officers charged with the performance of it, to their order was restored, and the men returned to their duty without its being found necessary to inflict the slightest punishment. In the month of June the AfriAfricaine sailed for the East Indies, and captain caine Corbett was the bearer of despatches to the governor- for East general, containing orders for the immediate equipment of an expedition against the isles of France and Bourbon. The orders respecting the last-named island had, as we have seen, been successfully anticipated, some weeks before the Africaine arrived at Rodriguez. On the 11th of September, at daylight, the Africaine made the Isle of France; and, Makes just as Isle Ronde bore north-north-east two miles, Isle of she discovered a schooner about four points on the France larboard bow, standing on a wind to the southward. At 6 h. 15 m. A. M. the frigate hauled up in chase, stood close to the reef in Grande-Baie, and tacked; in doing which she carried away her fore topmnast. The schooner, which was the french aviso, No. 23, commanded by enseigne FrançoisNicolas Massieur, from Port Louis laden with stores for M. Duperre's squadron at Grand-Port, then bore up off the land; but, after having proceeded about a quarter of a mile, the vessel hauled to the wind, stood in through a passage in the reef, and ran on shore in a small bay or creek of the Poudred'Or coast, within pistol-shot of the beach.

taches

At 7 h. 3 m A. M., being near the reef, the Africaine Dehove to and sent her jollyboat, with master's mate her