176 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



Marshal Sir W. Beresford's pri- 

 vate letter, to which Lord Wel- 

 linojton's dispatch refers, is dated 

 at Bourdeaux, 12th March, 1814. 



It states, in substance, that he 

 entered the city on that day. That 

 he was met a short distance from 

 the town, by the civil authorities 

 and population of the place, and 

 was received in the city with every 

 demonstration of joy. 



The magistrates and the city 

 guards took off the eagles and 

 other badges, and spontaneously 

 substituted the white cockade, 

 which had been adopted universally 

 by the people of Bourdeaux. 



Eighty-four pieces of cannon 

 were found in the city ; and an 

 hundred boxes of secreted arms 

 had been produced already. 



Admiralty-office, April 2. 

 [The annexed letter from Cap- 

 tain Palmer, of the Hebrus, de- 

 tailing the capture of the French 

 frigate L'Etoile, on the morning 

 of the 27th ult. after an arduous 

 chase of 120 miles, and a well- 

 fought action of two hours and a 

 quarter, in eight fathoms of water, 

 under Cape La Hogue, is trans- 

 mitted in letters from Rear-Ad- 

 miral Sir R. Bickerton and Capt. 

 Sir M. Seymour, both of whom 

 declare themselves at a loss to 

 express in adequate terms, their 

 admiration of Captain Palmer's 

 skill and decision on so interesting 

 an occasion, and his new ship's 

 company, his officers, and his own 

 able and intrepid conduct.] 



His Majesty's Ship Hebrus, 

 MarcL 29, 1814. 

 Sir, — When the Hannibal and 

 his Majesty's ship under my com- 



mand separated on the morning of 

 the 26th, in chase of the twa 

 French frigates we had fallen in 

 with, we continued in pursuit of 

 the one you were pleased to de- 

 tach us after, the whole day with 

 all our canvas spread. About 

 midnight he reached the race of 

 Alderney, and the wind scanting, 

 we began to gain upon him fast ; 

 by the time he had run the length 

 of Point Jobourg, leading into 

 the Bay of La Hogue, he was 

 obliged to attempt rounding it 

 almost within the wash of the 

 breakers ; and here, after an anx- 

 ious chase of 15 hours, and run- 

 ning him upwards of 120 miles, 

 we were fortunate enough, be- 

 tween one and two in the morn- 

 ing, to bring him to battle : we 

 crossed his stern, our jib-boom 

 passing over his tafrail, and shot 

 in betwixt him and' the shore, in 

 eight fathoms water, and it falling 

 nearly calm about this time, the 

 ships continued nearly in the 

 same spot until the conclusion of 

 the action. At its commencement 

 we suffered considerably in our 

 rigging; the enemy firing high, 

 he shot away our fore-top-mast 

 and fore-yard, crippled our main- 

 mast and bowsprit, and cut away 

 almost every shroud, stay, and 

 brace we had. Our fire from the 

 first, and throughout, was directed 

 at our opponent's hull, and the 

 ships being as close together as 

 they could be without touching, 

 he suffered most severely, every 

 shot which struck passing through 

 him. About four o'clock his 

 mizen-mast fell by the board, and 

 his fire ceased, when, after an ob- 

 stinate contest of two hours and 

 a quarter, he hailed us, to say that 

 he had struck his colours. The 

 moment we could get possession. 



