112] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1813. 



nel by an English vessel of the 

 same force, gave another timely 

 proof that the superiority of British 

 seamanship was still no empty 

 boast. Captain Maples, of the Pe- 

 lican sloop of war, being directed 

 by admiral Thornborough to cruize 

 for the protection of the trade, 

 descried on the morning of August 

 lith, off St. David's head, a vessel 

 on fire, and a brig standing from 

 her. He immediately made chace, 

 and at half-past five, a. m. came 

 along-side of the United States 

 sloop, Argus, of 18 twenty-four 

 pound carronades, and two long 

 12 pounders. After a warm ac- 

 tion on both sides of 43 minutes, 

 the Pelican was in the act of board" 

 ing, when the American struck 

 her colours. Her loss in killed 

 and wounded amounted to about 

 40, among whom was her com- 

 mander. That of the victor was 

 only two killed and five wounded; 

 so that in this instance the superi- 

 ority of fire was clearly on the 

 side of the English ship, whose 

 complement of men was 116, 

 whilst that of her antagonist was 

 127. 



The gulf of Cataro was the scene 

 of some spirited actions in October, 

 in which the British navy displayed 

 its usual enterprise. Capt. Hoste, 

 in the Bacchante, joining the Sara- 

 cen, capt. Harper, and three gun- 

 boats, off Ragusa, on Oct. 12th, 

 having been informed of the state 

 of the country about Cataro, and 

 the insurrection of the Bocchese, 

 or people of the Bocche (mouths) 

 of the gulf, proceeded thither on 

 the 13th, and forcing the passage 

 between Castel Nuova and the fort 

 of Rosa, anchored his squadron 

 above Castel Nuova. In the even- 

 ing he detached the boats of the 



two ships and two Sicilian gun- 

 boats, under the command of capt. 

 Harper, to capture the enemy's 

 naval force lying between St. 

 George's isle and the town of Ca- 

 taro, in which he completely suc- 

 ceeded. He then attacked and 

 carried the island of St. George, 

 the commandant and garrison of 

 which surrendered at discretion; 

 and thus an important post was 

 gained, commanding the narrow 

 channel leading to Cataro itself. 

 On the 16th, Castel Nuova and 

 fort Espagnol surrendered to tlie 

 British force, the garrison remain- 

 ing prisoners of war. Several gun- 

 boats, and a quantity of stores, 

 were taken in this expedition, and 

 the blockade of Cataro by sea and 

 land was the result. 



A success over a foe, little capa- 

 ble indeed of resistance, was re- 

 ported in the same month by capt. 

 sir Christ. Cole of the Rippon. 

 The French frigate Le Weser, 

 of 44 guns and 340 men, lost 

 her main and mizen-masts in a 

 hard gale on Oct. 16tb. On the 

 1 8th, she was fallen in with, sixty 

 leagues to the west of Ushant, 

 steering under j ury masts for Brest, 

 by his majesty's sloop Scylla, capt. 

 Macdonald, who kept her in view 

 till the 20th, when he met with 

 the sloop Royalist, capt. Bremer, 

 who volunteered to join him in an 

 attack of the enemy. The two 

 sloops bore up in close order, the 

 Scylla on the quarter, and the Roy- 

 alist on the bow of the frigate, and 

 commenced an action, which con- 

 tinued an hour and a half; when 

 their sales and rigging being much 

 cut, they drew off to repair da- 

 mages. A man of war then ap- 

 pearing in sight, the Royalist was 

 dispatched to convey intelligence 



