See ee ae eee ee 
= 
158 
out of the Mole yefterday morning, and 
- got under weigh immediately after, with 
all the _fquadren, except the Pompee, 
which fhip had not bad time to get in the 
matte.” The Admiral fays he was de- 
termined, if poffible, to obftruct the paf- 
faze of this very powerful force to Cadiz, 
Late in the evening he obferved the enemy’s 
fhips to have cleared Cabareta Point, and 
at eight he bore up with the fquadron to 
ftand after them. His Majeity’s fhip Su- 
perb, being ftationed a-head of the Ceefar, 
- he directed Captain Keats to make fail 
and attack the fternmoit fhips in the ene- 
my’s rear, ufing his endeavours to keep 
in fhove of them. At eleven the Superb 
opened her fire clofe to the enemy’s fhips, 
and on the Czfar’s. coming up, and pre- 
paring to engage a three-decker, that had 
hauled her wind, fhe was perceived to 
have taken fire, and the flames having 
communicated to a fhip to leeward of her, 
both were feen in a blaze, and prefented a 
moft awful fight. No poffibility exifting 
of offering the leaft afliflance in fo dif- 
trefing a fituation, the Czfar paffed to 
clofe with the fhip engaged by the Superb, 
and by the cool and determined fire kept 
upon her, which mutt ever refiec&t the 
highelt eredit on that fhip, the enemy’s 
fhip was completely filenced, and foon 
after hauled down her colours, 
The Venerable and Spencer having, at 
this time, come up, he bore up after the 
enemy, who were carrying a prefs of fail, 
ftanding out of the Straits, and loft fight 
of them during the night. It blew ex- 
ceflively hard till day-light, and in the 
morning the only fhips in company were 
the Venerable and Thames, a head of the 
Cafar, and one of the French fhips at 
fome diftance from them, ftanding towards 
the thoals of Conil, befides the Spencer 
aftern, coming up. 
All the fhips immediately made fail 
with a frefh breeze; but, as we approach- 
ed, the wind fuddenly failing, the Vene- 
rable was alone able to bring her to ation, 
which Captain Hood did in the moft gal- 
Fant manner, and had nearly filenced the 
French fhip, when his main-maft, (which 
bad been before wounded) was unfortu- 
nately fhot away, and it coming nearly 
calm, the enemy’s fhip was enabled to 
get ef without any poffibility of follow- 
mg her. The French fhip was an 84, 
uth additional guns on the gunwale. 
“Fhe enemy’s fhips (he adds)-are now 
i ight to the weftward, ftanding in for 
Cadiz. “Fhe Superb and Audacious, with 
the captured fhip, are alfo in fight, with 
_ State of Public Affairs in Auguft, 1801. 
~ [Sept. Fy 
the Carlotta, Portuguele frigate, com= 
manded by Captain Crawfurd Duncany 
who very handfomely came out with the 
{guadron, and has been of the greateft 
affiftance to Captain Keats, in ftaying 
by the enemy's fhip captured by the Su- 
perbe 
The Spanifh Admiral’s fhip, the Real 
Carlos, and the Sans Hermenegildo, were 
the two fhips that took fire and blew up. 
The San Antonio, of 74 guns, under 
French colours, was taken by the Su 
perb. . : 
Sir James Saumarez received the fol- 
lowing ftatement from Captain Keats :— 
The Captain informs the Adiniral, that 
in confequence of his direétions to make 
fail up to and engage the fternmoft of the 
enemy’s fhips, he, at half paft eleven, 
found himfelf abreaft of a Spanith three- 
decked fhip, which, having brought in 
one with two other fhips, nearly line 
abreaft, he opened his fire upon, at not 
more than three cables’ length; this evi- 
dently produced a good effeét, as well in 
this fhip as the others abreaft of her, which 
foon began firing on each other, and at 
times on the Superb. In about a quarter 
of an hour he perceived the fhip he was 
engaging, and which had loft her fore- 
top-maft, to be on fire, upon which they | 
inftantly ceafed to moleft her, and fhe 
proceeded on to the San Antonio, of 74- 
guns, and 730 men, commanded by the 
Chief of Divifion, Le Rey, under French 
colours, and manned nearly equally with ~ 
French and Spanifh feamen, and which, 
after an action (the Chief being wounded) — 
ftruck her cclours. He learns from the 
very few furvivors of the fhips thatcaught 
fire and blew up, that in the confufion of 
the ation, the Hermenegildo miftaking 
the Real Carlos for an enemy, ran on 
board her, and fhared her melancholy 
fate. Fourteen feamen and _ marines. 
have been wounded on board the Su- 
perb ; this is the extent of the Britifh lofs 
in this action. 
The Gazette of Auguft 4 announces, 
that Lord Cochrane, of his Majefty’s 
floop Speedy, off Barcelona, May 6, after 
a mutual chace and warm aétion had cap- 
tured a Spanith frigate of 32 guns, twen- 
ty-two long-twelve pounders, and two 
heavy carronades, named the Gamo, com- 
manded by Don Francifeo de Torris, 
manned by 3:9 naval officers, feamen, 
and marines. He fays, the great difpa-_ 
rity of force rendering it neceflary to adopt 
fome meafure that might prove decifive, 
he refolved to board, and, with Lieute-’ 
nant 
