The conduct of Captain Pelly, on the other hand, was in the highest degree praiseworthy: he was induced to chase an enemy more than doubly superior to himself, in the hope of being able to separate one French frigate from the other, or of falling in with a consort, with whose assistance he might have a fair prospect of conquering the two; and his perseverance in chasing, and success in keeping sight of, two French frigates, during so many days and nights, afforded a decided proof both of his gallantry and his seamanship. Of the Nymphe and Méduse, we have nothing further to state, than that they made their long voyage in safety, and arrived at Brest on the 22nd of December.

While these two French frigates were meditating an escape from the channel formed by the west end of the small island of Madura, the two British frigates Sir Francis Drake and Phaeton lay unconsciously at anchor off the east end, close under the isle of Pondock. They were not, however, lying inactive, as the following details will show. On the 29th of August, Captain Harris, the senior officer, having resolved to attack the fort of Samanap, the capital of the island, sent the Dasher sloop round the south end of Pulo 'I Lanjong, to gain an anchorage as near as possible to the fort, and in the evening, accompanied by Captain Pellew, proceeded with the boats of the two frigates, in two divisions. On the 30th, at daylight, the boats sailed through the channel formed by the east end of Madura and Pulo 'I Lanjong, and by 30 minutes past midnight effected a landing, without discovery, at a pier-head about three miles from the fort.

At 1 h. 30 m. A.M. on the 3ist, two columns, composed each of 60 bayonets and 20 pikemen, flanked by a 12, 4, and 2 pounder field-piece, having in reserve the marines of the Hussar, began their march, in the utmost order, towards the fort. Silence among the men was so rigidly observed, that, notwithstanding the governor had intimation of the Dasher's having weighed and being seen entering the harbour, and that the British boats had been seen standing in for the town, the Dutch garrison at the fort did not discover the approach of the storming-party until the outer gate, which had been left open, was passed. The gallantry of the rush at the inner gate prevented the Dutch from securing it, and only allowed time for two or three guns at the south-west bastion to be fired. The assault was as sudden as it was resolute; and by 3 h. 30 m. A.M., after a ten minutes' feeble struggle with 300 or 400 Madura pikemen, who with

their chief were made prisoners on the ramparts, the British became masters of the fort of Samanap, a regular fortification, mounting sixteen 6-pounders.

On the appearance of daylight, observing French colours flying on a flagstaff at the east end of the town, and perceiving the natives begin to assemble in numbers, Captain Harris despatched Captain Pellew, at the head of a column of 100 bayonets and one field-piece, with a flag of truce to the governor, calling upon him to surrender in ten minutes, and promising that private property should be respected. To this was received an answer, requiring Captain Harris to evacuate the fort; and Captain Pellew sent intelligence, by midshipman John William Oldmixon, described as an intelligent young officer, that the Dutch force appeared to be about 2000 men, protected by four fieldpieces in front, and posted on a bridge, possessing every advantage of situation, the troops of an enemy having to advance along an even and straight road for a quarter of a mile before they could force the bridge.

Not at all daunted by this alleged superiority of force, Captain Harris sent orders to Captain Pellew, to advance when the first gun was fired from a column that the former would lead out of the fort, and with which he meant to turn the enemy's left wing. Accordingly, with 70 small-arm, and 20 pikemen, supported by a 4-pounder field-piece (leaving in the fort, as a reserve, 40 or 50 men), Captain Harris proceeded to put his bold plan into execution, and soon had the satisfaction to observe the Dutch governor, whose force, as acknowledged by himself, consisted of 300 muskets, 60 artillerymen, and 1500 to 2000 pikemen, armed each with a long pike, a pistol, and a crees, draw off two field-pieces and break his line, in order to oppose the small but resolute column advancing against his left. Both British columns discharged their volleys nearly at the same time, and, for nearly five minutes, a sharp fire was given and returned; but as Captains Harris and Pellew and their respective parties advanced nearer, the Dutch gave way, and an animated charge by the British left them masters of the field, the colours, and the guns. The governor and the other Dutch inhabitants were made prisoners; and Captain Harris accepted a flag of truce from the rajah of Samanap, who was present, on condition that none of the inhabitants of the district should again arm themselves against the British.

This very gallant exploit was not achieved without a loss on the part of the latter of three men killed and 28 wounded; and

the loss on the opposite side, although it could not be ascertained, was known to be severe, including among the killed the commander-in-chief of the native troops, second in rank to the rajah, and his two sons. This success was followed up by the total overthrow of the French authority in Madura and the adjacent isles. The spirited conduct of Captain Harris, in bringing matters to such a close, proves that his own element is not that alone in which a naval officer, possessing zeal, activity, and judgment, may be enabled to distinguish himself.

Among the wounded in storming the town of Samanap, was Lieutenant Roch of the Sir Francis Drake's marines, who was speared twice by two natives, while resolutely endeavouring to wrest the colours out of the hands of a French officer. During the time that Captain Pellew, by the direction of Captain Harris, was negotiating with the governor of Madura, Lieutenant Roch, with a column of marines, destroyed, in the face of the enemy, a fort at the mouth of the river, which leads, as we suppose, to Samanap, mounting twelve 9-pounders.

In order to intercept the retreat of General Jansens from Cornelis to the eastward, Rear-admiral Stopford, on the 31st of August, detached the Nisus, Présidente, and Phoebe frigates, and Hesper sloop, to Cheribon, a seaport about 35 leagues to the eastward of Batavia. On the 3rd of September, at dark, the three frigates anchored off the port; and at daylight on the 4th Captain Beaver, having despatched Captain Warren with a flag of truce to summon the French commandant of the fort to surrender, weighed with the frigates, and anchored as near the fort as the depth of water would admit; when, instantly, the French colours were hauled down and the British hoisted in their stead. The marines of the three frigates, amounting, including a party belonging to the Lion 64, to 180, immediately landed, and took possession of the fort. Just at that moment General Jamelle, the commander-in-chief of the French troops, who had arrived at the landroosts from Buitenzorg, was, while changing horses to proceed to the eastward, taken prisoner by Captain Warren, with the aid of his gig's crew; as were also an aide-de-camp of General Jansens and a lieutenant of infantry.

Hearing from the French general, that 350 infantry and 350 cavalry were hourly expected to arrive at Cheribon from Buitenzorg, Captain Beaver landed 150 seamen to garrison and defend the fort; leaving the marines to act offensively against the enemy in the field, should occasion require it, and placing three

launches, with carronades, in the river, to enfilade the two chief approaches to it. On the 5th, in the morning, the Hesper, who had been delayed by bad sailing, joined the Nisus, Présidente, and Phoebe. On the two following days a quantity of treasure and valuable stores, and several prisoners, were brought from Carang-Sambang, a place about 35 miles in the interior, by a detachment of seamen and marines sent thither for the purpose. On the 11th, by 1 A.M., all the seamen and marines that had been landed were re-embarked, having made about 700 prisoners, including 237 Europeans; and at 4 A.M. the Nisus and Phoebe weighed and steered for Taggal, a port about 20 or 25 leagues further to the eastward. On the 12th the Phoebe arrived off the harbour; and landing some sepoys and a detachment of seamen and marines, Captain Hillyar took quiet possession of the fort and public stores.

While the British navy was thus effectually lending its aid, by subduing and taking possession of the different sea-defences of this valuable colony, the commander-in-chief of the British army was pressing close upon General Jansens; so close that, on the 16th of September, the latter, then at the fort of Salatiga, about 30 miles to the southward of Samarang, which is 343 miles east from Batavia, proposed to capitulate; and on the 18th the island of Java and its dependencies were surrendered to the British arms.

BRITISH AND FRENCH FLEETS.

1

THE abstract, showing the state of the British navy at the commencement of the present year, so nearly resembles the last, as to call for no additional remarks.

The number of commissioned officers and masters, belonging to the British navy at the beginning of the year 1812, was :—

And the number of seamen and marines, voted for the service of the same year, was 145,000.3

With respect to the fleets of the powers at war, another inactive year passed; and yet France continued adding to her already powerful navy new line-of-battle ships and frigates. On the 19th of March, Russia declared war against France; and on the 18th of July a treaty of peace was signed at Orebo between Russia, Sweden, and Great Britain. The Scheldt fleet, of from 16 to 20 sail of the line and eight or nine frigates and smaller vessels, evinced, several times, an inclination to put to sea, but was too narrowly watched by the indefatigable officer that cruised off Flushing, Vice-admiral Sir Richard John Strachan. Towards the end of the year, however, a want of men, owing to the frequent draughts made to supply the army, contributed to 1 See Appendix, Annual Abstract, No. 20. 2 See Appendix, Nos. 8 and 9. 3 Ibid., No. 10.