IdS 



ANNUAL REGISTER, isu. 



of his Majesty's ship Niger, 

 transmitted by Vice Admiral 

 Dixon to John Wilson Croker, 

 Esq. 



His Majesty's ship Niger, 

 at Sea, Jan. 6, 1814. 

 Sir, — I acquaint you for the in- 

 formation of the Lords Commissi- 

 oners of the Admiralty, that having 

 made the island of St. Antonio yes- 

 terday morning, for the purpose of 

 correctingmy longitude previous to 

 allowing the ships parting com pan v 

 who were bound to Maranham, a 

 strange sail was discovered a-head. 

 I immediately gave chase ; his Ma- 

 jesty's ship Tagus in company. — 

 She was snon made out to be a 

 frigate, and we bad ihe pleasure to 

 find that we were gaining upon 

 her ; at day-light this morning we 

 were not more than a mile and an 

 half distant ; at half past seven they 

 took in studding sails and hauled 

 the wind on the starboard tack, 

 finding that we had the advantage 

 before it. The Tagus being to 

 windward, Captain Pipon was en- 

 abled to open his first fire, which 

 was briskly returned by the enemy, 

 who had hoisted French colours on 

 the Tagus showing her's. After 

 exchanging a few broadsides, the 

 French frigate's main topmast was 

 shot away, which rendered her 

 escape impossible ; and as his Ma- 

 jesty's ship under my command 

 was coming up, any further de- 

 fence would only have occasioned 

 a useless sacrifice of lives ; they 

 fired a broadside, and struck their 

 colours. On taking possession she 

 proved La Ceres, French frigate, 

 of 44 guns, and 324 men, com- 

 manded by Le Baron de Bougan- 

 ville, out one month from Brest on 

 ber first cruize : she is only two 



years old, copper fastened, and sail* 

 well. 1 should not do justice to 

 the Baron if I omitted stating, that 

 during the long and anxious chase 

 (in which we ran 238 miles), his 

 ship was manoeuvred in a masterly 

 style. I have sent Mr. Manton, 

 first of this ship, in charge of the 

 prize, who is a deserving officer. 

 I have the honour to be, &c. 

 (Signed) 



P. Rainier, Captain. 

 To Vice Adm. Dixon, Com- 

 mander in Chief, &c. 

 Rio Janeiro. 



Admiralty-office, April 2. 

 Extract of a letter from Captain 

 Hayes, of his Majesty's ship Ma- 

 jestic, addressed to Admiral Sir 

 John Borlase Warren, and a Du- 

 plicate transmitted to John Wil- 

 son Croker, Esq. 



Majestic, at sea, Feb. 5. 

 I have the honour to acquaint 

 you, that, in my way from St. Mi- 

 chael to Madeira, in the execution 

 of your orders, at day-light in the 

 morning of the 3rd instant, in lati- 

 tude 37, and longitude 20, being 

 then in chase of a ship in N. E, 

 supposed to be one of the enemy's 

 cruizers, three ships and a brig 

 were discovered about three leagues 

 off, in the S. S. E. of very suspici- 

 ous appearance, and not answer- 

 ing the private signal, I gave over 

 the pursuit of the ship to the north- 

 ward and eastward, hoisted my co- 

 lours, and proceeded to reconnoitre 

 the southern squadron, when two 

 of the ships immediately gave chase 

 to me; on closing within 4 miles, 

 I discovered them to be two 44 

 gun frigates, a ship mounting 20 

 guns, and a brig which I could not 



