Alms had fired some broadsides at her, when the Hero, 74 guns, and Seahorse frigate, came up, and let their anchors go, abreast of the enemy.-Captain Alms, having given his orders to these Ships to wait the return of tide, and if she floated to bring her off, or otherwise to burn her, made sail, and returned to the Admiral, with an account of what had taken place the vessel was afterwards burnt, and proved to be a small frigate, of 22 guns, from France, with dispatches for their Commanders in Chief

On the 12th of April another engagement took place, off the island of Ceylon, in which Captain Alms distinguished himself in the most brilliant manner. On this day the Monmouth was Sir Edward Hughes's second, on the starboard tack.

d

At half past noon, the Admiral made the signal to alter the course, the Fleet was then steering two points to port. At forty-five' minutes past noon, the Admiral made the Isis's signal for being out of her station; at one o'clock the signal was made to veer,—and two minutes after, the signal was thrown out to engage-immediately the Admiral hauled down the signal to engage, and repeated the signal to veer. At this time the headmost of the enemy's Ships began to fire upon our van; upon which the Admiral hauled down the signal to veer, and repeated the signal to engage. As soon as the Monmouthcame within the Point-Blank, she engaged the enemy's third Ship, which passed her under a press of sail :-and in the heat of the action Captain Alms observing that Monsieur Suffrein, and the Ship next to him, were bearing down on the British Admiral, apparently with an intention to board; animated with naval spirit to support the honour of his Country's Flag, Captain Alms luffed up the Monmouth to rake Suffrein's Ship, which brought her within pistol-shot. The French Commander struck with this daring manoeuvre, having given Sir Edward Hughes a broadside, shot his Ship up alongside of the Monmouth, and with two of his nearest Ships, opened a terrible fire upon her, which continued from a quarter after one, until three o'clock; when the Monmouth's mizen mast fell over the stern, and the main-, mast over the larboard quarter. The French Admiral seeing her distress, but having himself severely suffered, set all the sails he had left,

We have not given an engraving of this action, as we wish first to be favoured with the original painting, in the possession of the family.

and hauled out of the line, having the weather gage: in this however he was greatly interrupted by a brisk fire from the Monmouth.-The firing having now ceased in The Centre, and Rear of both Fleets, and the smoke beginning to disperse, Captain Alms found himself to windward of the British line, and also to windward of part of the van of the French: perceiving that seven Ship's of the enemy's rear were standing for the Monmouth, he put her before the wind, and cut away the wreck of her masts. In getting down to the rear of the British line, he received several broadsides from the enemy, as he passed them, which to the best of his ability he returned with his larboard guns, and at length took shelter to the leeward of our own Ships.

Before the fall of the Monmouth's masts, eight men, that is, two sets of helmsmen, had been killed, or wounded at The Wheel-the wheel itself had been dismounted, the ensign had been shot away from its staff, and another hoisted at the mizen peek: after the loss of the mizen mast, Captain Alms caused the colours to be nailed to the stump of that mast; thus declaring, as did lately our gallant veteran off Camperdown, that they should never be struck !—the pendant in like manner was secured to the stump of the main-mast. The Monmouth, in this most gallant action, had seven of her guns dismounted, forty-five men killed *, and one hundred and two wounded. Captain Alms received two wounds in the face from splinters, two musket balls passed through his hat, his hair was on fire, his coat torn between the shoulders, and part of it shot away in this situation he was left on his quarter deck, with only his first Lieutenant, Mr. George Murray +, and Mr. Tatlock his Master: every other person quartered there, and on the Poop, having been killed or wounded, except Captain Pierce of the marines, and his second Lieutenant M. Minheer, who, after their men had been all killed, or wounded, nobly went and assisted at the guns, on the Main Deck.

In the evening, at a quarter past five, the Admiral threw out the Signal to anchor; when the Monmouth fell into a quarter less than

During this action Captain Alms lost his eldest son GEORGE PIGOT ALMS, who was one of the Lieutenants in the Flag Ship, The Superbe : he was Lieutenant in the Monmouth in the former action with Mons. Suffrein. It is not improbable that this young officer fell from the broadside, which the French Commander poured in, at the very instant when Captain Alms, in the Monmouth, so gallantly luffed up to defend The Superbe. Lieutenant Alms died whilst distinguishing himself in action. This officer was the pride and hope of his parents; though young possessing considerable merit-beloved and regretted by all who knew him. It was a severe loss to his brave Father, and cast a gloom over the glory of this memorable day :-He saw thy coming battles! He bebeld the battles which ought to come. " And fallest thou son of my fame! And shall I never see thee ! when others bear of their sons, I shall not bear of

thee!" OSSIAN.

Afterwards advanced Post Captain.

four fathoms water, and immediately struck hard. upon a shoal: Captain Alms let go his small bower, and came head to the wind.

He then ordered the Well to be sounded; and from the number of shot which The Ship had received between wind and water, found five feet water in the hold.At six, the Admiral anchored in shore of the Monmouth; and soon afterwards, three of the enemy's Ships were observed bearing down to attack her; upon which having drove over the shoal, she cut her cable, and ran within shore of the Admiral; and coming to an anchor in six fathoms, on his starboard quarter, took shelter during the night under his wing: at the same time the French anchored to the northward of the British, distant about six miles. Captain Alms now got his Ship, as much in order as was possible; cleared the guns that were not disabled, to be ready for a second attack, and put a spring on the cable: Ship's company remained all night at quarters.-From the day of the action, to the 18th, they were employed in raising jury masts, and getting ready. to proceed to sea.

On the morning of the 18th, by eight o'clock, the French Squadron got under sail, and stood to the south-east; they then tacked and stood in shore towards the British Fleet; then tacked again, and stood to the south-cast, and the next morning were out of sight. At this time the Friar's Hood bore S. W-distance from the nearest shore. about two miles.. On the 21st Sir Edward threw out the signal to weigh; and the next day for all sick and wounded, to be landed

At Trincomale, in the island of Ceylon, whose bay affords an excellent roadsted + for Ships on the Coromandel coast, and whose harbour has considerable resemblance to that of Portsmouth, being almost land-locked, the Monmouth was refitted, as well as circumstances would allow.-On the 24th of June Sir Edward Hughes sailed thence; and on the fifth of July, being at anchor in Negapatnam Road, discerned the French Squadron advancing towards him, from the northward, favoured by the sea breeze. The Admiral immediately unmoored, and got his Ships under sail : towards evening the wind coming off the land, the British Fleet had the wind of the enemy. Sir Edward kept plying off, and on, until day-light, endeavouring to

Captain Alms finding the hull in a very bad state, requested that his Ship might be surveyed. The same day, in consequence of an order from the Admiral, Commodore R. King, with four of the senior Captains of the Fleet, attended by the Admiral's Carpenter, and four other Master Carpenters, surveyed the Monmouth, and reported, that-" it was their opinion, if the Monmouth was to be fitted with jury masts, she might under the care and protection of the Squadron proceed to the nearest harbour."-They also reported many very material damages.

It is prejudicial to the health of seamen, being too much sheltered from the sea breeze.

Mol. II.

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get the wind of the enemy; at which time the French Squadron, that had anchored, were seen getting under sail, and standing to the westward he then threw out the signal to form the line of battle on the larboard-tack, the enemy having formed theirs on the opposite one. Soon afterwards Sir Edward made the signal to form the line abreast; and at ten minutes past seven, a third to bear down, each Ship in our line against the Ship opposed to her in the enemy's line-but the enemy continuing in a line on the starboard tack, our Ships were obliged to form in the same manner. At forty minutes past ten the enemy's line began to fire: when a very close, and desperate action commenced with Commodore King's attack on the enemy's van; from ten minutes after eleven, until thirty-five past noon, the engagement was general from yan to rear in both sides, and mostly very close. Victory at length appeared to have declared in our favour-one of the enemy's Ships having struck †, a second having been cismasted, several others much damaged, and their main body giving way; when, on a sudden, the wind shifted, by the setting-in of the sea breeze; which gave the French the weather-gage, and threw the British Squadron into some disorder: a cannonade soon afterwards took place between some of the Ships, which lasted about an hour.—At half past four Sir Edward hauled down the Signal for the line of battle ahead on the larboard tack, which he had thrown out at halfpast-one, and made the signal to prepare to anchor; and at five, the Admiral anchored between Megapatnam, and Nagore; the other Ships of the Squadron anchored as they came in with the land, and the Worcester next day. The enemy anchored, about six, P. M, in a close body, about four miles to the northward, to leeward of the British Squadron. On the 7th, in the morning, the damages sustained by the different Ships appeared to the Admiral so great, that he gave up all thoughts of pursuing The Enemy: at nine A. M. the French got under sail, and returned to Cuddalore Road ; their dis

The French Flect in this action consisted of ten Ships of the Line according to the accounts published by the Fast India Directors-Sir Edward in his letter makes them twelve. The English Hannibal, 50 guns; and the Frigates Bellona, Naide, and Diligente — Sir Edward Hughes had eight line of battle Ships, with the Sultan, Magnanime, Isis, and Sea Horse.

I a Severe had struck to the Sultan; but, while the Sultan was wearing to join the Admiral, La Severe made what sail she could; raked the Sultan, without shewing any colours, and then escaped among the French Fleet. Sir Edward Hughes sent the next day to demand the dishonourable Frenchman, when Mons Suffrein submitted to send as his answer,—that the balliards of ber enign bad been sket arvoy, and that her colours bad come down, without being intentionally year 1783.

struck. Such were the French in the

On the coast of Coromandel, near the place where formerly stood Fort St. David. It was taken by the French in 1781. In 1783, it stood a severe siege against the English, which was ended by the intelligence received from Europe of the l'eace. It is eighty miles south of Madras.

A

abled Ships ahead, and those less so covering their retreat in the

rear.

In this action, the eighth in which Captain Alms had been engaged, it did not fall to the Monmouth's lot, to sustain a very considerable share, the enemy's rear being so far to leeward, that the Ships of the British Rear could not, even whilst the wind was favourable, close with them, without considerably breaking the order of their own Line. The Monmouth's loss consisted of fourteen men wounded, the greater part of whom died. Her first Lieutenant Mr. Gascoign, received from some splinters a severe contusion on his head, and was struck down close by the side of Captain Alms, on the quarter deck: the contusion, though severe, did not prove mortal.-Sir Edward Hughes proceeded in a few days to Madras Road to repair the damages his Ships had sustained, and to take in provisions.

Towards the end of July, 1782, it having been determined in the Madras Council, that it was absolutely necessary to send a supply of European troops, engineers, stores, and provisions, for the preservation of the garrison at Trincomale, Captain Alms was fixed upon by Sir Edward Hughes for the execution of this service: Captain Graves of the Sceptre, 64 guns, one of Sir Richard Bickerton's * Squadron, who had arrived in India on the 13th of the above month, received orders from the Admiral to put himself under Captain Alms's command. On the 1st of August, the troops, and stores being embarked, the Monmouth and Sceptre + left Madras. Sir Edward, in his official letter of the 12th of August, when mentioning the service on which Captain Alms had been sent, adds" And I have the satisfaction to inform their Lordships, that service had been very completely performed, and the two Ships rejoined me on the tenth of this month."

Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, on the 20th of August, 1782, sailed from Madras with his Squadron, consisting of twelve line of battle Ships, three frigates, the San Carlos Store Ship, and Combustion Fire Ship; but he met with such strong currents, and contrary winds, that he did not see the land of Trincomale before the second of

Sir Richard Bickerton, created a Baronet on the 19th of May. 1778, Vice Admiral of the White, and Port Admiral at Plymouth, with his flag in the St. George, 98 guns; died on the 22d of February, 1792. His son is at present Rear Admiral of the Flue.

By the 5th of August they were in BACK-BAY at Trincomale. On the 6th they landed the troops, stores, and provisions. At day-break on the seventh, Captain Alms discovered The French Fleet to leeward in the offing; the wind being then off the land: he immediately got his Ships under sail, and stood away with them W. N. W. along shore He was chased for a short time by two of the French Ships; but on the 10th of August anchored again in safety with the Sceptre in Madras Road; and immediately received the admiral's warm approbation of the service he had thus critically performed in the space of sen days..