[We are happy in laying before our Readers this truly valuable and interesting Naval Paper: it came too late for our last Number.] A few Remarks relative to myself in THE CAPTAIN, in which Ship my Pendant was flying on the most glorious Valentine's Day, 1797. A Tone, P. M. THE CAPTAIN having passed the sternmost of the enemy's Ships, which formed their van and part of their centre, consisting of seventeen sail of the line; they on the larboard, we on the starboard tack; the Admiral made the signal to tack in succession, but perceiving all the Spanish ships to bear up before the wind, evidently with an intention of forming their line, going large, joining their separated divisions, at that time engaged with some of our centre ships, or flying from us, to prevent either of their schemes from taking effect, I ordered the ship to be wore, and passing between the Diadem and Excellent, at a quarter past one o'clock was engaged with the headmost, and of course leewardmost, of the Spanisht division. The ships, which I knew, were the Santissima Trinidada, 126; San Josef, 112; Salvador del Mundo, 112; San Nicholas, 80; another first rate, and a 74, names unknown. I was immediately joined, and most nobly supported, by the Culloden, Captain Troubridge: the Spanish Fleet, not wishing, I suppose, to have a decisive battle, hauled to the wind on the larboard tack, which brought the ships above-mentioned to be the leewardmost, and stern. most ships, in their Fleet. For near an hour, I believe (but do not pretend to be correct as to time), did the Culloden, and Captain, support this apparently, but not really, unequal contest; when the Blenheim passing between us, and the enemy, gave us a respite, and-sickened the Dons. At this time the Salvador del Mundo, and San Isidro, dropped astern, and were fired into, in a masterly style, by the Excellent, Captain Collingwood, who compelled the San Isidro to hoist English colours; and I thought the large ship, Salvador del Mundo, had also struck but Captain Collingwood, disdaining the parade of taking possession of a vanquished enemy, most gallantly pushed up, with every sail set, to save his old friend and messmate, who was to appearance in a critical state; the Blenheim being a-head, the Culloden crippled and astern. The Excellent ranged up within two feet of the San Nicholas, giving a most tremendous fire. The San Nicholas luffing up, the San Josef fell on board her; and the Excellent passing on for the Sant. Trinidada, the Captain resumed her station a-breast of them, and close alongside :- at this time the Captain having lost her foretop-mast, not a sail, shroud, nor rope left; her wheel away, and incapable of further service in the line, or in chace; I directed Capt. Miller to put the helm a starboard, and calling for the Boarders ordered them to board, The soldiers of the 69th, with an alacrity which will ever do them credit, and Lieutenant Pearson of the same regiment, were almost the foremost on this service :-the first man who jumped into the enemy's mizen chains, was CAPTAIN BERRY, late my First Lieutenant (Captain Miller was in the very act of going also, but I directed him to remain); he was supported from our sprit-sail yard, which hooked in the mizen rigging. A soldier of the 69th regiment having broke the upper quarter-gallery window, I jumped in myself, and was followed by others as fast as possible. I found the cabin doors fastened, and some Spanish officers fired their pistols: but having broke open. the doors, the soldiers fired; and the Spanish Brigadier (Commodore. with a distinguishing pendant) fell, as retreating to the quarter-deck. I pushed immediately onwards for the quarter-deck, where I found Captain Berry in possession of the poop; and the Spanish ensign hauling down. I passed with my people, and Lieutenant Pearson, on the larboard gangway, to the forecastle, where I met two or three. Spanish officers prisoners to my seamen :--they delivered me their swords. A fire of pistols, or muskets, opening from the Admiral's stern-gallery, of the San Josef, I directed the soldiers to fire into her stern; and calling to Captain Miller, ordered him to send more men into the San Nicholas; and directed my people to board the first rate, which was done in an instant, Captain Berry assisting me into the main chains. At this moment a Spanish officer looked over the quarter-deck rail, and said they surrendered. From this most welcome intelligence, it was not long before I was on the quarter-deck, where the Spanish Captain, with a bow, presented me his sword, and said the Admiral was dying of his wounds. I asked him on his honor, if the ship was surrendered? he declared she was: on which I gave him my hand, and desired him to call on his officers, and ship's company, and tell them of it; which he did :—and on the quarter deck of a Spanish first rate, extravagant as the story may seem, did I receive the swords of vanquished Spaniards: which, as I received, I gave to William Fearney, one of my bargemen; who put them, with the greatest sang froid, under bis arm. I was surrounded by Captain Barry, Lieutenant Pearson, of the 69th regiment, John Sykes, John Thompson, Francis Cooke, all OLD AGAMEMNONS,and several other brave men, seamen, and soldiers.Thus fell these ships! N. B. In boarding the San Nicholas, I believe we lost about seven killed, and ten wounded, and about twenty Spaniards lost their lives by a foolish resistance. None were lost, I believe, in boarding the San Josef. HORATIO NELSON. (A Copy) (Signed) RALPH WILLETT MILLER. T. BERRY. Further REMARKS, made during the memorable ACTION of CAFE EBRUARY 14, at three A. M. heard the report of several guns, FE from the Spanish Fleet, in the south-east quarter; wind, west. At seven, hazy weather. At eight, being more clear, saw several large ships bearing south by west on the starboard tack. At half past eight, found them to be the Spanish Fleet our Fleet at this time being in close order of sailing, with a press of sail to get up with them.—At ten, the haze clearing up, discovered the enemy's force to be twentyseven sail of the line, with many frigates, armed ships, &c. At half past ten, the Fox cutter captured a Spanish merchant brig: the Enemy's Fleet at this time endeavouring to form, in line of battle, on the starboard tack. At half past eleven, our van ships, Culloden, Orion, Prince George, and Colossus, being up with their rear ships, opened their fire; which became general in a short time. At noon, the fleet in close action with the enemy's fleet. At half past noon, the body of the Spanish Fleet, consisting of nineteen sail of the line, wore, and formed their line on the larboard tack: part of their Fleet being at a small distance a-head, in action, with part of our Fleet, our Admiral made the signal to tack, and cut through the enemy's line; which was effected by several of our ships: the rest of our Fleet still in action with the separated ships of the enemy, to prevent their joining their Fleet. At one, the Colossus lost her fore-yard, and fore-top-sail-yard, being shot away by the enemy; a Spanish three-decker perceiving this, bore down to rake her :-backed our main-topsail to support her; preparing at same time to take her in tow. The Spanish ship seeing us determined not to quit her, they wore ship, and stood from us. Several of our ships tacked, that were in action with the separated ships of the enemy: we filled our main-topsail, and made sail a-head. At two, his Majesty's ship Captain began the action on the larboard tack; followed close up by the Culloden. Blenheim, Prince George, Orion, and Diadem, which were soon in action; the body of our Fleet coming up with all possible sail set. At half past two P. M. the Action became general :-The Admiral made the signal to engage the enemy closer. At three, observed one of the enemy's two-decked ships had struck her colours, and had hoisted an English jack over Spanish colours. At half past three, the Spanish Ship Salvador del Mundo, which we were engaging, struck her colours, and hoisted an English jack :-lowered down the cutter from the stern, and sent our First Lieutenant to take possession of her; then made sail a-head, and reucwed the action. FURTHER REMARKS ON THE ACTION, FEB. 14, 1797. 503 At four, the Spanish Ships San Josef and San Nicholas, being much disabled, fell aboard of each other; his Majesty's Ship Captain, at that time in close action with the San Nicholas, boarded and took her a short time after, the three-decked ship San Josef struck also. At ten minutes past four, we got abreast of the Spanish Admiral, the Commander in Chief, a four decked ship :-Opened a heavy fire on her; as also did the Blenheim soon after, the fore and mizen masts of the Spanish ship went over her side; and being otherwise totally disabled, at fifty-five minutes after four she struck her colours, and hoisted English ones: but we could not take possession of her, as several of their heavy ships, which had been but little in action, came down to her assistance; and the day being far spent, we discontinued the action, and brought to on the starboard tack, in close order of battle, with the four Spanish men of war prizes to leeward-the Spanish Fleet in a line a-head, on the larboard-tack, to windward of our line. Observing several of their large ships bearing down, as we supposed to rake the Britannia, both of us opened an heavy fire on them which obliged them to haul off. At six, both English, and Spanish Fleets, lying to, on different tacks: Ship's company employed all night repairing our damages, to be ready to renew the Action at day-light, next morning. February 15. At day-light, the enemy's Fleet, consisting of twenty-two sail of the line, to windward of ours, in a line of battle a-head, and on the larboard tack. The Spanish Admiral's ship almost out of sight to leeward, with a Spanish frigate towing her.-Our prizes in company. People employed repairing and splicing the rigging, in expectation of the Spanish Fleet coming down to renew the engagement: got all clear for battle, but the Spaniards kept to windward. At two P. M. took one of the prizes in tow. At three, anchored with the Fleet, and prizes, in Lagos Bay; where next day we put on shore about 3000 Spanish seamen and soldiers--the Spanish Fleet then out of sight. MR. EDITOR, ANY methods having of late been proposed to prevent drowning; perhaps for many centuries. "In the year 1730, I was passenger in a ship from Batavia to China, burthen about four hundred tons, called the Pricade, Francisco Xavier commander, freighted by English, Chinese, and Portuguese. Near the coast of China, we met one of those storms called a Tutfoon (Tau fong), or a great wind; which carried away all our masts, bowsprit, and rudder; and in our hold we had six feet of water, expecting every moment the ship would founder: we consequently were consulting our preservation. The English and Portuguese stood in their shirts only, ready to be thrown off; but the Chinese mer chants came upon deck, in bamboo habits, which had lain ready in their chests against such dangers, and they were thus constructed: four bamboos, two before, and two behind their bodies, were placed horizontally, and projected about twenty-eight inches; these were crossed on each side by two others, and the whole properly secured; leaving a space for their bodies, so that they had only to put it over their heads, and tie the same securely, which was done in two minutes, and we were satisfied they could not possibly sink. A representation of the above is annexed.” THIS PLATE XXII. HIS view of Nassau, in the island of New Providence, was taken from some drawings made on the spot by Capt. Piercy Frazer, of the Royal Navy, now commanding the Nymphe, 36 guns: a friend of his, who possesses the original drawings, was so obliging as to permit us to make a sketch from them.-The view is taken from the westward; and shews the town, and shipping in the harbour, the masts of the vessels appearing over the town near the entrance is seen a frigate cruising. In the fore-ground is introduced a Schooner, built according to the mode that is adopted in the island: the vessels of New Providence are much esteemed for being very fast sailers, and good Sea Boats. In many respects they resemble the Bermudians; being chiefly constructed after the same plan. Nassau, the scat of government of the Bahama Islands, situated in lat. 25. long. 77. 30. is well adapted for carrying on an extensive trade with America, Cuba, and the Floridas. The island is strongly fortified, and has a commodious and safe harbour: under the mild administration of its present Governor, Colonel William Dowdeswell, and the wise policy of Government, it is rapidly increasing its commerce; which may also be known from the number of new buildings. The Bahama Islands are very numerous; and it is much to be regretted that a proper survey of them has not been takenthey are too little known to the Mober Country. Besides New Providence, the following islands are settled, and in cultivation : 1. Great, and Little, Exuma. 4. Eleuthera. 2. 1 ong Island. 3. Crooked island. 5. Harbour Island. 7. Rum Key. 6. Abaco Andro's Island. 9. Turk's Island, &c. The chief staple is Cotton. It is in contemplation to publish a more particular account of the Bahamas, as soon as proper information, and materials are collected |