514 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



iintler sail, as near the vessels at- 

 tacked as the light winds would 

 allow, and captain Hallowell speaks 

 in high terms of praise of the con- 

 duct of their commanders, Crawley, 

 Raitt, and Wilson. Tiie first lieu- 

 tenant Tailour, led to the assault 

 in a most gallant manner, and was 

 followed by the other officers, as if 

 each were ambitious of bis place, 

 and desired to be first ; the whole 

 party bravely maintained the cha- 

 racter which British seamen have 

 established for themselves. 



I am sorry I have to add, that 

 the loss has been considerable, of 

 which I inclose a list. Lieutenant 

 Tait, of the Volontaire, an excel- 

 lent and brave young officer, and 

 Mr. Caldwell, master's mate of the 

 Tigre, a youth of great promise, 

 were the only officers slain. 



Many officers in the fleet were 

 desirous of being volunteers in this 

 service. I could not resist the ear- 

 nest request of lieutenants lord 

 viscount Balgonie, the hon. J. A. 

 Maude, and the hon. W. Walde- 

 grave of the Ville de Paris, to have 

 the command of boats, in which 

 they displayed that spirit which is 

 inherent in them. 



I transmit also captain Hallo- 

 well's letter relating his proceedings, 

 with lists of the officers who com- 

 manded boats, and had appoint- 

 ments in this service, and of the 

 vessels burnt and captured. 



I have the honour to be, &c. 

 (Signed) 



Colli NGWOOD. 



P. S. I have charged lieutenant 

 Waldegrave, of the Ville de Paris, 

 with the delivery of my dispatches; 

 an officer of great merit, and who 

 commanded one of the boats em- 

 ployed on this service. 



His Majesty's ship Tiffre^ 

 off Cape St, Sebastian^ 

 Nov. 1, 1809. 



My lord — In obedience to your 

 lordship's order of the 30th ultimo, 

 I proceeded to the Bay of Rosas, 

 with the ships and sloops named in 

 the margin, where finding it im- 

 practicable to attack the enemy's 

 convoy while under weigh (the 

 wind being at S. E. and a heavy 

 swell), I anchored the ships of the 

 squadron yesterday evening after 

 dark, about five miles off the town 

 of Rosas, and detached all the 

 boats, under the command of lieu- 

 tenant Tailour, first of the Tigre, to 

 destroy them ; the spirited manner 

 in which he led them on to the at- 

 tack, commanded the admiration 

 of every one present; and the gallant 

 manner in which he was supported 

 reflects the highest honour on every 

 person employed on this service. 



I have the honour to inclose a 

 list of vessels captured and de- 

 stroyed on this occasion; and 

 when your lordship is informed that 

 the enemy was aware of our inten- 

 tion to attack him, and had taken 

 the precaution of fixing boarding 

 nettings, and placing a launch with 

 a gun in it in advance, to give him a 

 notice of our approach, and that the 

 vessels were also defended by the 

 very strong batteries on shore, I 

 trust your lordship will consider it 

 equal in gallantry and judgment to 

 anj- exploit that has occurred under 

 your lordship's command. 



Our loss has been severe, and 

 among the lists of killed I have to 

 lament the loss of lieutenant Tait, 

 of the Volontaire, of whom captain 

 Bullen speaks in high terms, as an 

 officer who has distinguished him- 

 self upon many occasions; and Mr. 

 Caldwell, master's mate of the Ti- 

 gre ; 



