252 
and intrepidity displayed in nume- 
rous actions, in which vessels were 
cut out from under the protection of 
batteries, or in other circumstances 
unfavourable for attack ; reflect 
honour on those who succeeded in 
such hazardous enterprises, and 
add, if possible, to the glory ef the 
body, by the ‘individuals of which 
they were atchieved. The enemy, 
whose enfeebled squadrons were re- 
duced to marauding expeditions, in 
which, when detected, they had re- 
course rarely to resistance, more 
frequently to flight, saw with rage 
and disappointment his ports block- 
aded by our triumphant squatirons, 
and the ocean covered with our 
vessels, armed and unarmed. Mor- 
tified, with the failure of his hopes, 
and despairing of success in hts 
maritime schemes, he had recourse, 
as we have already mentioned, to 
the wild and furious project of de- 
stroying commerce and navigation, 
since he could not participate in 
their fruits, But occupied as he was 
with the continental war, he. had 
not leisure to prosecute his pur- 
poses, which terminated for the pre- 
sent year in empty threats and idle 
declamations, or led at most to some 
‘partial and unjust confiscations. 
The commerce of England went on, 
unconscious of the Berlin decree, 
and flourished the more, the greater 
the efforts of Buonaparie to wither 
and destroy it. Founded in the 
wants and necessities of the conti- 
nent, his fruitless exertions to ex- 
tinguish it shewed, that however 
great his power, it was still limited; 
that however submissive his sab- 
jects, it was still possible for them 
to act against his will. 
Four ships of the line were taken 
* March 4th. 
ANNUAL RE 
+ June 21st 
GISTER, 1806. 
from the enemy during the present 
year, and seven destroyed or rene 
dered useless. Thirteen frigates 
were taken and one destroyed ; and 
from 30 to 40 schooners, corvettes 
and national brigs, besidesa great 
number of privateers, were taken or 
destroyed. To counterbalance these 
successes, the only loss sustained by 
his majesty’s navy was that of the 
Athenienne, of 64 guns, which,with 
its captain and 300 of the crew, 
perished unhappily in its way to 
Sicily, by striking on some hidden- 
rocks in the Mediterranean ; and 
that of the Constance already men- 
tioned, stranded .on the coast of 
France, with its prize the Salaman- 
der. Two transports with troops 
on board for Gibraliar were taken 
early in the year by the French 
squadron under admiral Villaumez 3 
but the troops were afterwards re- 
taken by sir [lome Popham,* with 
the frigate into which they had been 
put. Themostvaluable prize taken 
by the enemy was the Warren 
Hastings Kast Indiaman, which,after 
along and well-contested action, was 
compelled to strike+t to the Piedmon- 
tiese, a French frigate of 44 guns, 
and was afterwards carried into 
Mauritius. Some damage was 
done early in the year, by a 
Freuch squadron, on the coast of 
Africa, to the vessels engaged in 
the slave trade ; and several ships, 
employed in the Greenland and 
Newfoundland fisheries, were taken 
and destroyed by the Guerriere, 
French frigate of 50 guns, which, 
however, was afterwards taken ia 
its way homet by the Blanche, 
after a sharp action, near the Ferroe 
islands, . 
An expedition against the Cape 
ft July 19th, 
of 
