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tion of an armed store-ship, two bombards and a zebec made for the Bay of Rosas. When the ships of war were disposed of, as related in my letter of yesterday, the convoy became the object of my attention, and on the 29th the Apollo was sent off Rosas to examine what vessels were there, and how far they were in a situation assailable.

The next day I appointed the ships, as per margin, for this service, under the orders of Captain Hallowell to bring them out if the wind was favourable, or otherwise to destroy them. The state of the wind and sea would not permit this operation until last night, when, after dark, the ships bore up for the bay, and anchored about five miles from the castle of Rosas, under the protection of which castle, of Trinity fort, and of several other newly erected batteries, the convoy, consisting of eleven vessels, five of them armed, as per accompanying list, were moored.

The boats being arranged in separate divisions, the whole were put under the orders of Lieutenant Tailour, First Lieutenant of the Tigre, and proceeded to the attack of the enemy, who, although he could have had no previous intimation of such an enterprize against him, was found vigilant and completely on his guard. The ship, which was a smaller sort of frigate, was inclosed in boarding nettings, and a gun-boat advanced a-head of her for the look out; on being hailed, and the alarm-gun fired, our boats stretched out, the crews at the highest pitch of animation, filling the air with their cheers; each division took the part previously allotted

to it, the armed ship was boarded at all points, and carried in a few minutes, notwithstanding a spirited and sturdy resistance which the enemy made ail their armed vessels were well defended, but the British seamen and marines, determined to subdue them, were not to be repelled, even by a force found to be double that which was expected, and besides the opposition made by the vessels, the guns from the castle, the forts in the bay, the gun-boats and musketry from the beach kept a constant fire on them... On the opening of day every ship or vessel. was either burut or brought off, aided by the light winds which then came from the land, and the whole of the convoy that came from Toulon for the supply of the French army in Spain, has been destroyed, with the exception of the frigate, which escaped to Marseilles, and. one store-ship not since heard of.

I cannot conclude this narrative without an expression of the sentiment which the execution of this bold enterprize has inspired me with, and the respect and admiration I feel for those who performed it.

In the first place, success greatly depended upon the previous arrangement which was made by Captain Hallowell with a judgment aud foresight that distinguishes that offcer in every service he is employed on: the division of the boats, the preparation of fire materials, and providing them with every implement that contingency could require, established confidence throughout the whole; and in this he was ably assisted by the experience and zeal of captams Wodehouse, Bullen, Taylor, and Hope. The brigs were.

• Tigre, Cumberland, Volontaire, Apollo, Topaze, Philomel, Scout, and Tuscan,

under

under sail, as near the vessels at-
tacked as the light winds would al-
low, and captain Hallowell speaks.
in high terms of praise of the con-
duct of their commanders Crawley,
Raitt, and Wilson. The first heu.
tenant Tailour, led to the assault in
a most gallant manner, and was
followed by the other officers, as if
each were ambitious of his 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 enclose a list. Lieutenant Tait, of the Volontaire, an excellent and brave young officer, and Mr. Caldwell, mas'er'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 earnest request of Lieutenants Lord Viscount Balgonie, the Hon. J. A. Mande, and the Hon. W. Waldegrave 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 Hallowell's letter relating his proceedings, with lists of the officers who commanded boats, and had appointments in this service, and of the vessels burnt and captured.

I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed)

COLLINGWOOD.

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 en ployed on this service.

His Majesty's ship Tigre, off Cape St. Sebastian, Νου 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 impracticable 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 the squadron yesterday evening after dark, about five miles off the town of Rosas, and detached all the boats, under the command of lieutenant Tailour, first of the Tigre, to destroy them; the spirited manner in which he led them on to the attack, 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 destroyed on this occasion; and and when your lordship is informed that the enemy was aware of our intention 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 any exploit that has occurred under ' your lordship's command.

Our loss has been severe, and among the list 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 himself upon many occasions; and Mr. Caldwell, master's mate of the Ti

gre;

gre: the latter has left a widowed nother in distressed circumstances, who looked to him for comfort and support. Among the wounded are hieutenant Tailour, of the Tigre, and lieutenant Forster, of the Apollo, severely.

The brigs were directed to keep under weigh, and were in an admirable situation at day-light to have given assistance, had it been necessary.

I have the honour also to enclose a list of the officers employed on this service, and I have only to state that their conduct, and that of the seamen and marines under their command, was such as to exceed any encomium from my pen, and entitles them to my warmest thanks and approbation.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed)

B. HALLOWELL.

A List of Ships and Vessels captured and destroyed by the boats of the squadron under the command of Benjamin Hallowell, esq. captain of his majesty's ship the Tigre, in the Bay of Rosas, on the morning of the 1st November, 1809.

...Armed store-ship La Lemproye, Bertauit la Brectreete, lieutenant de Vaisseau, commander, of 16 nineponuders, 116 men, and 600 tons : burnt.-Pierced for 22 guns on the main deck-Vessel of war.

Bombard La Victoire Garribou, ensign de Vaisseau, commander, of 14 six-pounders, and 80 men :— burnt-Vessel of war.

Felucca L'Assacien, Rouve, master, of 25 muskets and 20 men: burnt--ransport belonging to government.

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A return of the Killed and Wouned in the attack on the enemy's vessels on the morning of the 1st November, 1809, in the Bay of Biscay.

TIGRE. Killed-James Caldwell, master's mate; Thomas Jones, (1) able; Alexander Duncan, ditto; James Anderson, ditto.

Wounded-John Tailour, lieutenant, severely; D. R. Syer, midshipman, ditto; James Kilfoyle, carpenter's crew, slightly; William Window, quarter-gunner, ditto; Peter McLaughlin, able, slightly; John Riley, (1) ordinary, ditto; John Westway, private marine, ditto; James Terry, private marine, ditto; James Grant, private marine, ditto; George Lemon, able, ditto.

CUMBERLAND. Killed-John Leigh, ordinary; Thomas Gibson,

marine.

Wounded

Wounded-Richard Stuart, lieutenant, slightly; John Webster, master's mate: W. H. Brady, midshipman; John White, able; JolmJames, able, slightly; Charles Spraggs, ordinary; Oliver Isaac, ordinary slightly; Timothy Collins, ordinary; Isaac Stafford, ordinary, very, slightly; Stephen Miller, ordinary; John Rielly, ordinary; Robert Kelly, ordinary; George Hetherstone, private marine, very dangerously; Thomas Bowles, private marine, slightly; George Mitchell, private

marine.

Killed--Dal

VOLONTAIRE. housie Teit, lieutenant; Thomas Harrison, quarter-gunner.

Wounded-Robert Grant, marine, dangerously; Thomas Sutton, seamau, badly; Christopher Anderson, seaman, ditto; James Hays, seaman, ditto; Jacob Schwerin, seaman, ditto; William Hinson, marine, slightly; James Dawden, marine, ditto; John Davis, seaman, ditto; William Thomas, seaman, ditto; Christopher Feat, seaman, ditto; William Thompson, seaman, ditto; Joseph Lewis, seaman, ditto; John Smith, seaman, ditto; Hon. J. A. Maude, lieutenant, dilto-a volunteer from the Ville de Paris; John Armstead, midshipman, ditto -a volunteer from the Ville de Paris.

APOLLO. Killed-Evan Jones, serjeant of marines; Wm. Saunders, private marine; John Mackie, able.

Wounded-J. Begbie, first lieutenant, slightly; J. Forster, lieutenant, severely; Peter Manning, private marine, dangerously; Louis O. Sauf, ordinary, badly; Caul Sauster, able, slightly.

TOPAZE. Killed-James Callaghan, ordinary; Dong. Carmichael, able; James M'Donald, ordinary; William March, ordinary.

Wounded-Thomas Wilson, able, very severely; William Holberson, ordinary, ditto; James White, ordinary, slightly; John Roberts, captain of foretop, ditto; James Harrington, able, ditto; John Card, private marine, severely; Joseph Carter, private marine, dangerously; Henry Tub, ordinary, slightly. PHILOMEL AND SCOUT. None killed or wounded.

TUSCAN. Wounded--Pascoe Dunn, lieutenant, slightly; James Lamb, ordinary, dangerously.

Total killed---1 lieutenant, i master's mate, 10 seamen, 1 serjeant of marines, 2 privates of marines.

Total wounded-1 seaman, 4 privates of marines, dangerously; 2 lieutenants, 1 midshipman, 7 seamen, 1 private of marines, severely; 3 lieutenants, 1 master's mate, 2 midshipmen, 28 seamen, 5 privates of marines, slightly.

Grand Total--15 killed, 55 wounded.

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For the Statement see p. 566.

previously

previously to submit it to the perusal of the Duke of Portland,

It is also to be regretted, that I should not have learnt in July, that your lordship was not party to the assurances then given to me, on behalf of lord Castlereagh's friends in general; and that another member of the cabinet, comprehended in that description, had (as I have since heard,) refused to concur in them.

In this hope I have been disappointed by that fatal event which has deprived this country of one of its most upright and disinterested patriots; the king of one of his most faithful, devoted, and affectionate subjects; and the world, of one of the most blameless and most noble-Had I been made acquainted minded of men.

Thus situated, I have thought it right to revise what I had written, and scrupulously to expunge every reference to the authority of the Duke of Portland, which would now stand upon my sole testimony; retaining such only as are supported, either by written documents which I shall be happy to communicate to your lordship; or by facts which are well known to your lordship or to your colleagues, and in which, for the most part, your lordship is yourself concerned.

Neither, however, can I content myself with this precaution; but must protest, at the same time, in the most earnest manner, against any possible misconstruction, by which any thing in the following letter can be strained to a meaning unfavourable to the motives which actuated the Duke of Portland's conduct.

It is impossible, indeed, not to regret the policy, however well intentioned, which dictated the reserve practised towards Lord Castlereagh in the beginning of this transaction; or that, practised towards myself in its conclusion.

It is to be regretted, that the Duke of Portland should have imposed, and that your lordship should have accepted, the condition of silence, in the first communications between you.

with these circumstances, I should. then have resigned; and my resig

ation would, at that time, have taken place without inconvenience or embarrassment; and without stirring those questions (no way connected with the causes of my retirement) or subjecting me to those misinterpretations of my conduct and motives, which have been produced by the coincidence of my resignation with that of the Duke of Portland.

But, however this reserve may be to be regretted, it is impossible to attribute the adoption of it, on the part of the Duke of Portland, to any other motives than to that gentleness of nature which eminently distinguished him; and which led him to endeavour (above all things) to prevent political differences from growing into personal dissention ; and to aim at executing whatever arrangement might be expedient for improving or strengthening the administration, with the concurrence (if possible) of all its existing members.

And no man who knows the affectionate respect and attachment, which the mauly and generous qua lities of the Duke of Portland's mind were calculated to command, and which I invariably bore to him, will suspect me of being willing to establish my own vindication, at the expence of the slightest disre

spect

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