CHRONICLE. d1 



Indiaman, whicli has been destroyed lia, captain John Ramsden ; and the 

 by fire since the year 1791. The Earl Fitzwilliam, captain James 

 two former were/the Princess Arae- Tweedale. The commanders of the 



deck ; at the same time a fire of musketry was kept up from her tops, which killed 

 and wounded a number of passengers and recruits that were on the quarter-deck 

 and poop: when the ships were completely locked with eacli other, captain Sur- 

 couff entered at the head of about 150 men, completely armed for boarding, having 

 each a sabre and a brace of pistols ; the contest upon deck was now desperate, and 

 lasted for about twenty minutes ; but the enemy having greatly the superiority, 

 both in numbers and arms, were victorious, and a dreadful carnage ensued, they 

 showing no quarter to any one who came in their way, whether with or without 

 arms ; and such was their savage cruelty, that they even stabbed some of the 

 sick in bed. 



Upon gaining possession of the poop, the French immediately cut down the 

 colours, and soon after this had complete possession of the ship. 



Captain Surcdufffinding some disinclination in his crew to board, had been under 

 the necessity of plying them several times with liquor, as well as to promise them 

 an hour's pillage in the event of their carrying the ship ; and this time they com- 

 pletely occupied, breaking open every package they could come at, and even taking 

 their coats, hats, shoes, &c. from the persons of the officers and passengers. 



From the commencement of the action until the time the French were in posses- 

 sion of tlie ship, was about an hour and forty-seven minutes, and from the gallant 

 manner in which the officers and crew of the Kent behaved, while' the ships were 

 clear of each other, there is not a doubt but she would have overcome the privateer; 

 but there being a very great deficiency of small arms, they had no means of re- 

 pelling such a number of boarders, so well prepared for close action ; and captain 

 Surcouft' acknowledged, that had he not succeeded in carrying her, his own ship 

 must soon have sunk along-side. 



It is with extreme regret we add, that captain Rivington, after the most manly 

 conduct in the defence of his ship, fell by the musketry from the tops of the priva- 

 teer, while SurcouSwas in the act of boarding. 



In the afternoon the officers, passengers, and crew of the Kent, were sent oa 

 board an Arab vessel, and which had been plundered by the privateer the day 

 before ; they afterwards landed at Calcutta. Some of the seamen Were, however, 

 detained on board the privateer, and put in irons, with the hopes of inducing them 

 to enter. The chief officer, surgeon, and surgeon's mate, with thirteen of the 

 most dangerously wounded, were detained on board the Kent, under pretence of 

 its requiring too much time to remove them. 



Although the prize-master informed the unfortunate people, who were sent on 

 board the Arab, that there was abundance of provisions and water, yet, upon in- 

 quiry, there was found but a very small quantity of rain-water, scarcely equal to 

 half-a-pint each per day, for four days, with a few dates and raw rice to subsist on ; 

 and they were consequently reduced to the utmost distress before tliey were re- 

 lieved by one of the pilot-schooners which they met in the roads. 



General St. John and his family were on board the Kent, and appear to have 

 been particularly unfortunate. All his jewels, plate, and baggage, had been burnt 

 on board the Queen, at St. Salvadore, in July last. 



List of Officers^ Scumcii, Passengers, ami Troops, killed and wounded on board (he 

 Hon. (.'ompaui/'s Ship Kent, in Actio7i with La Cuiifiance, French Privateer, off 

 the Sand Heads, in the Bai/ of Jiciigal, the 7th of October, in Tweuty-Jivc Fathoms 

 Heater. 



[Published l)y order of government] 



Killed. Mr. T. H. (iraham, writer, do. 



Robert Rivington, es(|. commander Mr. J. Findlay, carpenter 



Mr. W, Cator, free-merchant, Bengal Mr. W. Bazely, boatswain's mate 



