542 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1304. 



ships, Tvere driven on shore in the 

 like manner, and recovered by the 

 army. At eight, the tide falling 

 and leavinj^ us in little more water 

 than ^vc could draw, we were re- 

 luctantiy obliged to haul off into 

 deeper water to keep afloat, and 

 the enemy's vessels that were not on 

 shore, or too much shattered, were 

 thus able to rcafh Ostcnd, — these 

 and the Ostend division have hauled 

 into the bason. I have anchored in 

 such a position as to keep an eye 

 on them; and I shall endeavour to 

 close with them again if they move 

 into deeper water. I have to regret 

 that, from the depth of v.atcr in 

 which these vessels move, gun-boats 

 only can aft against them with 

 eflect : four have joined me, and 1 

 have sent them in to sec what 

 they can do Avith the praam that 

 is on shore. I have great satisfac- 

 tion in bearing testimony to your 

 lordship of the gallant and steady 

 conduct of the captains, comman- 

 ders, officers, seamen, and marines, 

 under my orders. Captains Han- 

 rock and JMason bore the brunt of 

 the attack, and continued it for six 

 hours against a great superiority of 

 fire, particularly from the army on 

 shore, the howitzer shells anno) ing 

 them much. These officers deserve 

 the highest praise 1 can give them. 

 They speak of the conduct of their 

 lieutenants, officers, and crews, in 

 terras of warm panegyric. Messrs. 

 Biidd and ])alyell, from the Ante- 

 lope, acted in the absence of two 

 lieutenants of those ships. Lieute- 

 nants Garrety and Patfui, com- 

 manding the Favourite and Stag 

 cutters, did their best with their 

 small guns against greater numbers 

 of greater calibre. Lieut. Ilillicr, 

 of the Antelope, gave me all the as- 

 sistance aud support on her quar- 



ter-deck his ilUstate of health would 

 permit. Lieut. Stokes and Mr. 

 Slesser, acting lieutenants, dircoied 

 the fire on the lower and main- 

 decks with coolness and precision. 

 It would be the highest injustice if 

 I omitted to mention the intrepid 

 conduct of Mr. Lewis, the master, 

 Mr. Nunn and Mr. Webb, pilots, 

 to whose steadiness, skill, and atten- 

 tion, particularly the former, I shall* 

 ever feel, myself indebted, for hav- 

 ing brought the Antelope into ac- 

 tion within the sands, where cer- 

 tainly the enemy could not expect 

 to be met by a ship of her size ; and 

 for having allowed her to continue 

 engaged with commodore Verheuil, 

 to the last minute it was possible to 

 remain in such shoal. water, Avith a 

 falling tide. It is but justice to say, 

 the enemy's commodore pursued a 

 steady course notwithstanding our 

 fire, and returned it with spirit to 

 the last. I could not detach open 

 boats in the enemy's line, to pick 

 tip those vessels which had struck, 

 and were deserted, mixed as they 

 were with tliosc still firing. Capt. 

 Hancock sent me one schuyt that 

 had hauled out of the line and sur- 

 rendered. She had a lieutenant and 

 23 soldiers of the 48th regiment, 

 with live Dutch seamen on board. 

 She is so useful here, I cannot part 

 with her yet. Inclosed is a list of 

 our loss, which, though great, is 

 less than might have been expected, 

 owing to the enemy's directing their 

 tire at our masts. The Rattler and 

 the Cruizer have of course suffered 

 most in tisc latter respect, but are 

 nearly readj fur service again. The 

 smoke would not allow us to^ee the 

 effect of our shot on the enemy ; 

 but their loss, considering the num- 

 ber of them under our guns for su 

 long, must be great in proportion. 



