$14 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



shells about Uvo in the morning', 

 after twelve hours incessant la- 

 bour. 



The flotilla of mortar, gun, and 

 rocket boats, under the direction 

 of their respective artillery officers, 

 shared, to the full extent of their 

 power, in the honours of this day, 

 and performed good service ; it 

 was by their fire all the ships in 

 the port (with the exception of 

 the oviter frigate) were in flames, 

 which extended rapidly over the 

 whole arsenal, store-houses, and 

 gun-boats, exhibiting a spectacle 

 of awful grandeur and interest no 

 pen can describe. 



The sloops of war which had 

 been appropriated to aid and as- 

 sist the ships of the line, and pre- 

 pare for their retreat, pei formed 

 not only that duty well, but em- 

 braced every opportunity of firing 

 through the intervals, and were 

 constantly in motion. 



The shells from the bombs were 

 admirably well thrown by the 

 royal marine artillery ; and though 

 thrown directly acioss and over 

 us, not an accident that I know of 

 occurred to any ship. 



The whole was conducted in 

 perfect silence, and such a thing 

 as a cheer I never heard in any part 

 of the line ; and that the guns 

 were well worked and directed, 

 will be seen for many years to 

 come, and remembered by these 

 barbarians fnv ever. 



The conducting this ship to her 

 station by the masters of the fleet 

 and ship excited the praise of all. 

 The former has been my compa- 

 nion in arms foi- more than 20 

 years. 



Having thus detailed, although 

 but imperfectly, the progress of 

 this short service, 1 venture to 



hope, ihat the humble and devoted 

 services of myself and the officers 

 and men of every description I 

 have the honour to command, 

 will be received by his Royal 

 Highness the Prince Regent with 

 his accustomed grace. The ap- 

 probation of our senice, by our 

 Sovereign, and the good opinion 

 of our country, will, I venture to 

 affirm, be received by us all with 

 the highest satisfaction. 



If 1 attempted to name to their 

 Lordships the numerous officers 

 who, in such a conflict, have been 

 at different periods more conspi- 

 cuous than their companions, I 

 should do injustice to many ; and 

 I trust there is no officer in the 

 fleet 1 have the honour to com- 

 mand Avho will doubt the gi'ateful 

 feelings 1 shall ever cherish for 

 their unbounded and unlimited 

 support. Not an ofhcer nor man 

 confined his exertions within the 

 precise limits of their own duty ; 

 all were eager to attempt services 

 Avhich I found more difficult to 

 restrain than excite ; and no where 

 was this feeling more conspicuous 

 than in my own captain, and those 

 officers immediately about my per- 

 son. My gratitude and thanks are 

 due to all under my command, as 

 well as to Vice-Admiral Capellen, 

 and the officers of the squadron of 

 his Majesty the King of the Nether- 

 lands ; and I trust they will be- 

 lieve that the recollection of their 

 ser\ ices will never cease but with 

 my life. In no instance have I 

 ever seen more energy and zeal : 

 from the youngest midshipman 

 to the highest rank, all seemed 

 animated by one soul, and of 

 which I shall with delight bear tes- 

 timony to their Lordships, when- 

 ever that testimony can be useful. 



I have 



