140] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1SI9. 



them as close as he could to 

 a point, with her head to the 

 shore ; but they hauled so clo^e 

 round the point, following the di- 

 rection of the coast, that he did not 

 think it prudent to pursue that 

 plan with a ship of such a draught 

 of water. He therefore bore up 

 and steered parallel to them at the 

 distance of two cables length, giv- 

 ing them broadsides, which were 

 returned by a very brisk fire from 

 the ships and batteries, highly de- 

 structive to the Northumberland's 

 sails and rigging. It was Captain 

 Hothara's object to prevent them 

 from passing on the outside of a 

 dry rock ; but there was evident 

 hazard in bringing his ship so near 

 the rock as to leave them no room 

 to pass : this was, however, effect- 

 ed by the skill and care of the 

 master ; and the French ships at- 

 tempting, as the only alternative, 

 to sail between the rock and the 

 shore, all grounded. During the 

 falling tide, the Northumberland 

 was employed in repairing da- 

 mages : she was then brought to 

 anchor with her broadside bearing 

 upon the enemy's ships, which had 

 all fallen over on their sides next 

 the shore as the tide left them. A 

 continued fire was kept on them 

 for more than an hour ; when their 

 crews having quitted them, their 

 bottoms pierced with shot, and 

 one of them completely in flames. 

 Captain Hotham got under sail, 

 leaving the Growler to prevent by 

 its fire the return of the men to 

 their vessels. In the evening, the 

 first frigate blew uj with a dread- 

 ful explosion ; and soon after, the 

 second appeared 1o be on fire. She 

 also blew up during the night ; 

 and a third explosion heard on the 

 next day was doubtless that of the 



brig ; aod thus the work of de- 

 struction was completed. Captain 

 Hotham was informed that these 

 vessels were L' A rianne and L' An- 

 dromache, of 44 guns and 460 

 men each, and the Mameluke brig 

 of IS guns and 150 men : that 

 since January they had been cruiz- 

 ing in various parts of the Atlan- 

 tic, and had destroyed 36 vessels 

 of different nations, the most va- 

 luable parts of the cargoes of which 

 they had on board. The loss of 

 men in the Northumberland was 

 net considerable in proportion to 

 the warmth of the action. 



On July 7th, Capt. Stewart, of 

 his Majesty's ship Dictator, with 

 three armed brigs, being off Mar- 

 doe, on the coast of Norway, ob- 

 served the mast heads of a Danish 

 squadron over the rocks. Captain 

 Robilliard, of the brig Podargus, 

 having a man on board acquainted 

 with the place, offered to lead in 

 to attack them ; but on the en- 

 trance he ran a-ground, and the 

 Flamer brig being left to assist her, 

 Capt. Stewart was deprived of 

 their assistance. Ihe Calypso, 

 Capt. Weir, however, led the way 

 through a passage of 12 miles 

 among the rocks, in some places 

 so narrow that there was scarcely 

 room for setting out their studding- 

 sail booms, till at length they came 

 within reach of the enemy, who 

 had been retiring before them un- 

 der a press of sail. These con- 

 sisted of the Nayaden frigate of 38 

 guns, but mountingSO, three stout 

 lirigs, and 25 gun-boats, lying an- 

 chored close together in the small 

 creek of Lyngoe. The Dictator 

 ran her bow on the land with 

 her broadside to the eiicmy, and 

 being seconded by the Calypso, 

 their fire was so powerful, that in 



half 



