hy) 
-1808.] 
“ley to fland in and endeavour to cut her off 
_this was executed in a manner that mult ever 
reflect the higheft honour on Captain Web- 
ley, the officers and fhip’s company of the 
Centaur, for their valour and perfeverance in 
the fupport of my orders. The boat had made 
 atonfiderable progrefs, and the enemy’s thip 
¥ 
fe 
Was juft entering the port when we had the 
good fortune to lay her on board; ‘her bow- 
fprit taking the Centaur’s forerigging, the 
{wept along with her bow grazing the muz- 
zles of our guns, which was the only fignal 
for their difcharge, and the enemy’s, bows 
were drove in by this raking fire ; when the 
bowfprit came to the mizen rigging, 1 order- 
ed it to be lafhed; this was performed ina 
moft fttady manner by the exertions of Cap- 
tain Webley, Lieutenant Lawlefs, Mr. Strode 
the mafter, and other brave men, under a 
very heayy fire from the enemy’s mufketry y 
by which, I am forry to add, Lieutenant 
Lawlefs is feverely wounded. The thip being 
in fix fathoms water, I hada hope I thpuld 
‘have been able to have towed her vut in that 
pefition, but an anchor had been let go from 
her unknown to us, which made it impoflible 
to effect it; at this period much valour was 
difplayed on both fides, and feveral attempis 
made to board by her bowfprit, but nothing 
could withftand the cool and determined fire 
of the marines under Captain Bayley and the 
other officers, as well as the fire from our 
ftern-chafe guns, that in lefs than half an 
hour the was obliged to furrender. Qa this 
occafion I again received the greateft aid from 
Captain Martin, who anchored his fhip in a 
palition to heave the Centaur off, after fhe 
and the prize had grounded, which was for- 
Incidents in and near London. 
231 
tunately effected at'the moment two of the 
enemy’s fhips_were feen under fail ftanding 
towards, us, but retreated as they faw the 
fhips extricated from this difficulty. 
The prize proved to be the Sevolod, of 74 
guns, Captain Roodneffi; fhe had fo much 
water im-her, and being fatt on fliore, after 
taking out the prifoners and wounded meo, 
I was dbliged to give orders for her being 
burnt, which fervice was completely effected 
under the direétion of Lieutenant Biddulph, 
of this fhip, by fever’ o’clock in the morning. 
I cannoi fpeak too highly of the brave and 
gallant conduét of Captain Webley, and every 
officer and man under his command; and I 
beg leave t= recommend to you, for the no- 
tice of the Lords Commiffioners of the Ad- 
miralty, Lieutenant Lawlefs, for his exertions 
and gallant conduét, and who has feverely 
fuffered on this occafion ; and i alfo mutt beg 
Ieavé to recommend Lieutenant William 
Cafe, the fenior officer of this thip. 
Herewith you will receive a lift of the 
killed and wounded on board this fhip and the 
Implacable, and from every information that 
it was poilible to collect, that of the enemy’s 
fhip captured.—-I have the honour to be, &c. 
Sam. Hoop, 
Sir Fames Saumarez, Bart. K. B. Vice- 
Admiral of the Blse, Gc. Ge 
Return of the Killed and Wounded, 
Nine killed and 53 wounded. 
Killed and Wounded on board the Emperor of 
Russia’s late Ship of War Sevolod. 
Forty-three killed and 80 wounded in ac- 
tion with the Implacable. 180 killed and 
miffing in aétion with the Centaur, Total 
303 killed, grounded, and mifling. 
_ INCIDENTS, MARRIAGES, axp DEATHS, 1x, anp wean LONDON: 
With Biographical Memoirs of distinguished Characters recently deceased. 
a 
THE destruction of the elegant Theatre of 
Covent Garden by fire is to be ‘added to 
the number of conflagrations of edifices dedi- 
cated to dramatic representations, which have 
occurred in the course of the last twenty-five 
years. About four o’clock in the morning 
of Tuesday, September 20th, this extensive 
building was discovered to he in fames 3 and 
so fierce and rapid was the fire, that no exer- 
tion could stop its course. Within less than 
three hours after its commencement, the 
whole of the interior of the theatre was de- 
stroyed: nearly the whole of the scenery, 
wardrobe, musica) and dramatic libraries, and 
properties of all kinds, were a heap of smoak- 
ing ruins. All the books and papers relative 
to the concerns of the theatre, as well as the 
produce of the preceding night’s performance, 
were preserved. A considerable number of 
engines promptly attended, but there was a 
shameful want of water for some time. It was 
upwards of an hour before some of the engines 
evuld be supplied, They afterwards played 
) Montury Maa., No. 176, \ 
with the utmost possible effect for upwards of 
an hour, when the roof of the theatre fell in 
with a dreadful crash, and thus announced 
the destruction of the interior of this elegant 
building. The fire raged with most violence 
at the upper end of Bow street, the western 
side of which, nearly as far as the Police- 
office, was soon birned down, to the extent 
of seven or eight houses, including the pub- 
lic house called the Strugglers. .n Hart~ 
street the flames communicated to the houses. 
on the opposite side of the street from the 
theatre, and four of them caught fire at the 
same moment; but by the.great activity’ of 
the people and firemen, they suffered little 
more damage than 4 severe scorching. Great 
apprehensions were entertained for the safety 
of Drury-lane theatre, as the flakes of fire 
Were carried on by the wind with force and in 
great quantities in that direction. A great 
number of people mounted the roof, ready in 
case of actual fire, to open the large cistern 
of water provided there. They also stopped 
Oo the 
