142 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1804. 



active and enterprising officers were 

 distributed in the dltlcrent explosion 

 Tessels, and the whole put under the 

 orders and direction of admiral lord 

 Keith, commanding in the Downs, 

 "who vvas to cover tlie smaller iorce 

 ■with his powerful squadron. The 

 apjMjarance of 150 of the enemy's 

 flotilla on the outside of the pier of 

 Boulogne, determined the moment 

 of attack, and an early day in Oc- 

 tober was fixed upon for this impor- 

 tant operation. It is not easy to 

 describe the mingled sensation of 

 anxiety and confidence, which the 

 length of time, and the extent of the 

 preparation for this enterprise had 

 created in the public mind. The 

 latter, however, far predominated, 

 and was confirmed by tho rumours 

 which were industriously spread that 

 the first lord of the admiralty would 

 himself superintend the execution of 

 his plan, and that Mr. Pitt and 

 other of the ministers were to be 

 witnesses of its success from the ele- 

 vation of Walmer castle. To such 

 a pitch had this infatuation risen, 

 that accounts in the public papers 

 •were published, on the first moment 

 it was possible that the issue of the 

 contest could be known in the me- 

 tropolis, announcing, in tho most 

 enthusiastic, and exaggerated terms, 

 its complete success in the utter de- 

 struction of 150 of the enemy's ships 

 (the whole number on the outside of 

 the pier)and congratulating the coun, 

 try on the acquisition of such a naval 

 minister as lord Melville, for whom 

 they claimed the whole merit of the 

 plan, and no small share of that of 

 its execution ! The jo/ and exulta- 

 tion to which- those fabrications, 

 (which were, doubtless, written in 



anticipation of the event) gave birth, 

 were lowered gradually by the non- 

 appearance of official statements ; 

 and when lord Keith's account ap- 

 ])eared some few days afterwards, 

 totally subsided, and gave way to 

 sentiments of a very opposite iia« 

 ture. 



On a comparison of the English 

 and French accounts of this allair, 

 it may, we think, be fairly stated 

 as follows. On the 2d of 06tober, 

 admiral lord Keith, with hrs formida- 

 ble fleet*,anchored at about a league 

 and half from the north to the Mcst 

 of the port of Boulogne. In the 

 course of the day, a sufficient force 

 was thence detached to take up an 

 advanced and convenient anchorago 

 for covering the retreat, and to give 

 protection to wounded men, or to 

 boats which might be crippled ; dr» 

 should the wind freshen, and blow 

 in shore, to tow off the boats in 

 general. While these preparations 

 were going forward, the enemy was 

 not inattentive or negligent in pre- 

 paring his defences : the batteries 

 were prepared, and the army drawn 

 up in readiness for what might hap- 

 pen. At a quarter past nine, un- 

 der a heavy fire from the advanced 

 force, and which was returned by a 

 tremendous one from the shore, the 

 first detachment of fire-ships was 

 launched. As they approached the 

 French line, the vessels of the flo- 

 tilla opened to let them through, 

 and so effeftually were they avoid- 

 ed, that they passed to the rear of 

 the line without falling on board of 

 any one of them. 



At half past ten the first explo- 

 sion ship blew up ; it produced an 

 immense column of fire ; its wreck 



* The French say 52 sail, of which 6 were of the line, 6 frigates, 16 corvettes 

 10 brigs, 15 cutters, and 2 luggers. 



3 spread 



