OF Naval Events. (FROM MAY 25 TO JUNE 18.) HISTORICAL MEMOIR. WE are at all times happy in bearing testimony to acts of gratitude displayed by British seamen, as well as to their distinguished valour in battle, and good conduct and discipline in the calamitous hour of shipwreck. It is therefore with pleasure we announce, that the captain, officers, and ship's company of the Proserpine, shipwrecked in February last on the Scaron Sand, at the mouth of the Elbe, retaining a grateful sense of the kindness, humanity, and attention manifested to them in such heavy distress by Mr. Lorents Wittké, after they had travelled six miles over ice in very inclement weather, and landed on the island of Newark, almost exhausted with hunger, cold, and fatigue, have lately presented to him a piece of plate in the shape of a coffee urn, with the following inscription: This piece of plate is presented to Lorents Wittké, of the island of Newark, as a grateful testimony of his kindness and humanity towards the Right Honourable Mr. Grenville and suite, Captain Wallis, his officers, and ship's company, after their providential escape on shore from the wreck of his Britannic Majesty's late ship Proserpine, over a field of ice more than six miles distance, on the 1st February 1799. In the course of eight years (says M. Mallet du Pan, in his periodical view of the events of the present times) the situation, dangers, advantages, and re Sources of the Belligerent powers is changed. Errors now would be voluntary, faults without excuse, and wrongs without remedy. Experience has poured a flood of light on this stormy horizon; it has brought to view the course, the ends, the means, and the rocks that lie in the way. Europe may now be compared to a pilot provided with excellent nautical charts, whereas in 1792 it was a landsman launching into an unknowti sea without a compass. -After the battle of Aboukir, it was the general opinion that Buonaparte and his adventurers would not long survive that disastrous event, Anticipation made an end of them by famine and pestilence, by the Arabs, the Mamelukes, the Russians, and the formidable armaments preparing by the Porte. The reverse is the fact: again for the hundredth time since the revolution the predictions of confidence, and even those of sagacity, had been disappointedThe Ottoman empire, adds this writer, stands like those exhausted trees whose antique majesty still strikes the eye during a calm, but whose dead and sapless boughs are broken by the first high wind." The following Letters from Lord Nelson and Sir E. Berry, to Sir W. Anderson, the late Lord Mayor, have been entered in the City Journals. SIR, Vanguard, Palermo, Jan. 31, 1799. I have only this day received the honour of your letter, when Lord Mayor, of the 16th of October; and I beg that you will convey to the Court of Common Council my sincere gratitude for all their goodness to me, and assure them it shall be the business of my life to act in the manner most conducive to the prosperity of the City of London, on which depends that of our Country. I am truly sensible of your politeness in desiring me to say what particular devices I should wish on the sword which is to be presented to me by the City of London; but I beg to leave that to the better judgment of my fellow-citizens. Believe me when I assure you that I feel myself, Your most faithful and obliged servant, See an account of this shipwreck, vol. i. p. 332. NELSON. SIR, Kensington April 23, 1799. I have this instant had the honour of receiving your favour of the 16th October last, which, I conclude, has been travelling in quest of me since that period. Permit me, Sir, to return you, and the Court of Common Council of the City of London, my warmest thanks, and most grateful acknowledgments, for the very high compliments I am honoured with. Believe me, Sir, I esteem it as the highest mark of my country's approbation, to gain which is most gratifying; at the same tinte I have to assure you, that under the flag of Rear Admiral Lord Nelson I only obeyed his Lordship's commands. I have the honour to be your very faithful and obedient servant, E. BERRY. By the last accounts from the Mediterranean, Lord Nelson had shifted his flag from the Vanguard to the Foudroyant. The Crand Seignior has presented the Russian Admiral Uschakow, with a diamond aigrette, similar to the one which Lord Nelson received. By letters from St. Petersburgh we learn, that the exportation of all red wood timber or deals is prohibited, and the proportion of white wood deals allowed to be exported is about 286 dozen to every 100 tons of iron. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL, MAY 23. Mr. Chamberlain stated, that on account of the absence and subsequent death of Admiral Thon.pson, the freedom and goid box voted to him had not been presented. Mr. Deputy I eekey moved, that the said freedom and box should be presented to i ady Thompson, as a niciento of the esteem the citizens of London held for her husband, which was unanimously agreed to. The report of the committee for considering in what manner the court should perpetuate the glorious victories obtained by Lords Howe, St Vincent, Duncan, and Nelson, recommending sculpture, was read, as also the first report relating to the restral column proposed by Mr. Bacon. Mr. Deputy Leekey observed, that unless the court came to some determi nation as to sculpture, or otherwise, the committee could not make a final report; and he therefore, in order to bring the matter to a conclusion, would move that sculpture be adopted. Mr. Samuel Dixon objected to the court entering into the proposition for the present, as he trusted there would be more victories, and the whole of which might be handed down to posterity, and at a time when the state of the chamber would better admit of the expence. June 3. A piece of plate of the value of 150 guineas was sent to Fortsmouth by Messrs. Haynes and Kentish, to Thomas Western, Esq. captain of his Miajesty's ship Tamer, presented to Captain Western by the merchants of Barbadoes in acknowledgment of his great activity and unremitted attention to the protection of the trade of the island when he was upon that station. Admiral Lord Duncan arrived at Yarmouth on the ad of June, to take the command of the North Sea fleet, and on the 4th hoisted his flag on board the Keut of 74 guns, Captain Hope. It may be of service to professional men to he informed that Lord Bridport's flect got stock remarkably cheap at Beerhaven in Ireland. Sheep were only 58. each, pigs 2s. 6d. and fowls 6d, cach. The Economical Society of Batavia have offered a prize of 60 florins for the best answer to the following question: "Are there any means altogether satisfa&ory and hitherto unknown, so completely to purify corrupted water, as entirely to remove its taste and smell, without the mixture of any noxious ingredient, and render it a clear, refreshing, and whek some beverage, and what are those means?" The society requires the following circumstances to be attended to: 1st. That the process be not expensive, but be such as, without much consumption of fuel, can be employed at sea in ships deeply laden, and exposed to violent motion. 2dly. That it can be easily executed by the seamen. 3dly. That it must answer equally in all climates; and 4thly. That it must produce no pernicious effect in the coppers in which the seamen prepare their food. The memoirs to be addressed to J. J. Dessout, secretary of the society at Haarlem, previous to the 28th of February 1800. WET DOCKS.-The select committee appointed to consider evidence on the bills for the improvement of the port of London, have, after examining the three plans submitted to them, reported their opinion that the plan recommended in the petition of the merchants, traders, and wholesale dealers, of London and Southwark, "for newly constructing London Bridge, and enabling ships of 500 tons to lie between that and Blackfriar's Bridge," would be imperfect, as it could not answer the purpose of a substitute to the plan of Wet Docks. They have decided that each of the plans for establishing Wet Docks at Wapping, and in the Isle of Dogs, appeared to have peculiar advantages at tending them, and that the speedy adoption of either would be a great relief and advantage to the whole trade of the port. The contiguity of the proposed Wet Docks at Wapping to the centre of trade their vicinity to the Custom House and the warehouses-and the saving of lighterage, have recommended this plan to their most serious attention. The establishment of docks in the Isle of Dogs would also be productive of great benefits, as large ships would enter more immediately from sea, and avoid the circuitous and dangerous passage of the Isle of Dogs. The result of the committee's report is, "That the Wapping plan affords the greatest convenience to small ships, but that the Isle of Dogs answers best for large ships, and particularly those employed in the West and East India trades." They therefore recommend both establishments, as by no means incompatible with each other; but are of opinion, that the adoption of the plan of the Isle of Dogs should immediately take place. State of the ships of the Spanish squadron which sailed from Cadiz the 12th of May 1799, under the command of his excellency M. General Massaredo. The following is a correct list of the British ships under the orders of Earl St. Vincent at this moment in the Mediterranean-a naval force the most formid. able this or any other nation ever possessed in any quarter of the globe." 28. Ships. Princess Royal 98 Rear Admiral Frederick Captain J. W. T. Dixon Prince George Vice Adm. Sir Wm. Parker 98 Captain J. Bingham Vice Admiral Lord Keith Captain J. Elphinston Purvis Namur Neptune 98 Glory 98 St. George 98 Formidable 98 J. Vashon S. Edwards E. Thornborough Rear Admiral Lord Nelson 84 Gibraltar 84 Le Pompée 80 Le Tigre 80 L'Impeteux 78 Sir James Saumarez W. H. Kelly C. Stirling Sir Sydney Smith Sir Edward Pellew Rear Admiral Duckworth Captain H. Digby G. Campbell E. Bowater Hon. M. De Courcy H. Sawyer T. R. Shivers Sir T. B. Thompson Lord H. Paulet J. M'Dougall R. Campbell T. Seccombe 74 T. Sotheby Montague 74 J. Knight Northumberland 74 G. Martin Warrior Powerful 74 Obrian Drury Vanguard Majestic 74 T. M. Hardy 74 R. Cuthbert Zealous Theseus Alexander Swiftsure 74 B. Hallowell Audacious Minotaur Feilerophon Centaur 74 Markham Goliath 74 T. Foley Culloden 74 T. Trowbridge Repulse 64 J. Alms Lion 64 M. Dixon Amounting in the whole to 52 sail of the line; to which add 5 Portuguese line of battle ships 5 Russian ditto 4 Turkish ditto 2 Neapolitan line of battle ships Crand total-71 PLYMOUTH REPORT, FROM MAY 21 TO JUNE 21. May 22. WIND S. W. Cloudy. Letters from Lisbon, dated the 4th inst. state, they were in no apprehension of the French fleet at that period, nor had they been seen off the coast; nor were they at that period arrived off Vigo Bay or off Cadiz.-Letters of the 10th ult. from Captain N. Tomlinson, owner of the Lord Hawke letter of marque, Captain Pendoch Neale, 14 guns and fifty men, state, that she was captured by a large brig privateer, of 18 guns and 184 men, after an action of thirty-five minutes. The Lord Hawke had one man killed and seven wounded, and was carried into Passage, Spain. 23. Wind S. W. Showery, but mild. Arrived from sea, the Spitfire, 20 guns, Captain Seymour. She chaced and brought to on Monday last, an armed ship from St. Domingo, with sundries, prize to the Arethusa, 36 guns, Captain Woolley. She was one of seven sail, all armed, and lay to to engage the Arethusa; but on her nearing them in a spirited style, they all bore away: it is hoped she will capture some of the rest. The Arethusa spoke Rear Admiral Whitshed off Cape Finisterre last Friday all well, with the squadron under his command, five sail of the line and two frigates, at which period he had seen nothing of the French fleet. 25. Wind S. W. Rain, Letters from Falmouth state the arrival there of the Prince of Wales packet from Lisbon in only nine days. The account she brings is, that Mr. Walpole, our minister, had received an overland express from Captain Peard, of the Success frigate, in Lagos Bay, dated the 7th instant, saying, that on the 1st of May he fell in with the French fleet, nineteen sail of the line, and eleven frigates, 35 leagnes W. of Oporto, steering S. W. and by S. and that he meant to proceed to inform Earl St. Vincent of the circumstance. His Lordship had with himself and Lord Keith off Cadiz, at Gibraltar, and the coast of Barbary, seventeen sail of the line. 26. Wind S. W, Rain. Arrived from Villa Nova, the Providentia, Post, with sundries, and the Spitfire sloop of war, from a cruise. 27. Wind N. W. Fair. Sailed with dispatches for Earl St. Vincent, the William Pitt cutter; and the Fishguard, 48 guns, Captain Martin, with a convoy for Cork. Arrived the Spes Fortune, Lindholme, from Dram; Sly lugger, with the Adventure, from Guernsey; and Suffisante, 16 guns, Captain Whitman, from a cruise. 28. Wind E. S. E. Fair. Sent in by the Danae, 24 guns, Lord Proby, the Two Brothers, from Christian Sound, bound for St. Maloes, supposed to be French property.-Dispatches were received from Lord Bridport, dated the 24th inst. which state, that he was cruising with twenty-six sail of the line and several frigates off Cape Clear. 29. Wind E. N. E. Fair. This being the anniversary of the restoration of royalty to these kingdoms it was observed with every mark of attachment to his Majesty's person and government. At one o'clock at noon, all the men of war, and the guns of the citadel, fired a royal salute. Went down into the Sound, the Amelia, 44 guns, Hon. Captain C. Herbert. Arrived with a convoy from Portsmouth, the Hebe, 36 guns, Captain Birchall. 30. Wind E. S. E. Fair and mild. Arrived the John Carter, Singleton, from Morlaix. By her we hear of the return of two line of battle ships dismasted at Brest from the French fleet; but one was refitted and had sailed again. He brought over two Irish masters of vessels who had bearded Le Romaine French frigate in Killala Bay by mistake. Every inducement and threat had been offered those men to enter into the French service, but in vain, and they were at length sent home. 31. Wind variable. Fair. Arrived from the Downs, the Seaflower cutter, and from a cruise the Valiant lugger and Havick sloop of war. |
