ing at the Golden Cross, Charing Cross. She not knowing any person in England, took her place by the Liverpool coach, to proceed the following morning to Ireland. She slept at the inn, and was called In the morning at four o'clock, the coach starting at five. She got up when she was called, and was waiting for the coach starting, under the gateway in St. Martin's-lane; the ostler went to her, and told her the coach was nearly ready, and desired her to follow him; she did so a few yards, but, it being dark, fost sight of him; when the prisoner and another man accosted her, and said they were going by the coach she was, and as the coach would stop at three places before it got off the stones, which was very disagreeable, advised her to walk on with them till they got to the last place, which she was silly enough to agree, to. They set off, and, as she supposed, along the Strand (the contrary road the coach goes). It has since been ascertained they went up Drury-lane, and stopped at the Black Boy public-house; the prisoner and his companion had three ralf pints of gin; the prosecutrix did not take any liquor, but got some milk of a woman at the door. After the prisoner and his companion had drunk their gin, they conducted her to the Cock public-house, in Dyot-street, St. Giles's, which they told her was the last place the coach called at, and they asked her to treat them with some liquor; which she agreed to. She put her bundle on the bar, in expectation of the coach coming up. The prisoner's companion took her bundle on his back, she supposing he was taking it to the coach. In a few minutes after, the prisoner told her the other man had run away with her bundle; this very much alarm ed her. The prisoner said he would run after him and bring him back; he then ran out of the house, but never returned. In this forlorn state, the prosecutrix was left in one of the most shocking and dangerous neighbourhoods in London, without being sensible of it, or knowing where she was, or a single person in England, and robbed of the whole of her property! This brought her into such a distracted state of mind, that is more easily conceived than described, which induced her to have recourse to the rash act of committing suicide. She took a penknife from her pocket and cut her throat: however, a surgeon was procured, and it was discovered that the knife had not penetrated deep enough to endanger her life. The wound was sewed up, and she is in a fair way of doing well. She said, in justification of her rash act, that she might as well lose her life as her money and clothes. In this forlorn state, an honest sailor took compassion upon her, and took her to his apartments, where she fared as he and his wife did during Sunday, and they made up a bed for her. The sailor, after making many fruitless inquiries, conducted her to the above office. Treadway traced out the two publichouses where they stopped at, and learned, at the Cock public-house, in Dyot-street, that one of the men's names was Daly, and that he was a watchman, and at length discovered him to belong to St. Mary-leStrand, and apprehended him on Monday night, on his beat,__in Fountain-court, in the Strand. The prisoner underwent an examination, when he acknowledged being one of the men who was with the prosecutrix, but denied knowing who the other man was, or where he was to be found. He was committed for further further examination. This case excited so much compassion with the gentlemen in the office, that they made a liberal subscription for her; Mr. Read also ordered her property to be advertised at the expense of the office. Several subscriptions have been since sent to the office. LONDONGAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY. Admiralty-office, Nov. 29. The hon. lieut. W..Waldegrave, of the Ville de Paris, arrived here this morning with the following dispatches from lord Collingwood, commander in chief in the Mediterranean. Ville de Paris, off St. Sebastian, Oct 30. Sir, By my letter of the 16th of September, their lordships would be informed of the intelligence I had received relative to the intended movements of the French squadron, and of my reasons for changing my station to St. Sebastian. While on this station, on the night of the 22d inst. the Pomone joined, and captain Barrie (who with indefatigable perseverance had, with the Alceste, watched the port of Toulon) informed me that the day before several of the enemy's squadron had put to sea, that others were coming out when he left them, and that there was every appearance of the whole fleet being on the move from the harbour. They had a numerous convoy with them; and as this movement was made with the first of an easterly wind, there was little doubt of their being bound to the westward. I immediately made the necessary signals for the squadron to be prepared for their recep 1809. (193) tion, and placed the three frigates and sloop (Pomone, Hydra, Volontaire, and Minstrel) to windward, to give notice of the enemy's approach. On the following morning (the 23d), scon after eight o'clock, the Volontaire made the signal for a fleet to the eastward: while they continued to come down before the wind, no alteration was made in the squadron, except by advancing two fast-sailing ships, the Tigre and made the signal that the enemy had Bulwark. At ten, the Pomone hauled to the wind; and the convoy separating from the ships of war, (which were now discovered to consist of three ships of-the-line only, two frigates, two smaller frigates about 20 sail of vessels,) I ordered or store-ships, and a convoy of rear-adm. Martin to chase them, and eight of the best-sailing ships, which, standing on contrary tacks, might take advantage of the changes of the wind, which was then variable. At two p.m. the Pomone, having got far to windward, was di rected by signal to destroy such of the convoy as could be come up with; and in the evening she burnt two brigs, two bombards, and a ketch. The enemy before dark was out of sight, and the ships chasing, not much advanced, were standing dron with me stretched to the southto the northward, while the squaward. The next morning neither ships were in sight. This morning the French nor our own chasing rear-adm. Martin joined with his division, as named in the margin*, having again fallen-in with the enemy, on the 24th, off the entrancé of the Rhone, and on the 25th they chased them on shore; the Robust, *Canopus, Renown, Tigre, Sultan, Leviathan, and Cumberland. (N) of of 84 guns, bearing the flag of rearadm. Boudain, and the Leon of 74, off Frontignan; where the day following themselves set fire to them. The Borée of 74 guns, and a frigate, ran on shore at the entrance of the port of Cette, where there is little probability of either of them being saved. I cannot sufficiently express the high satisfaction I have felt at the intrepid perseverance of rearadr. Martin, and of the captains of the ships who were with him in the pursuit. Nothing less ardent, or less skilful, would have produced a result so fortunate, where the coast near the Rhone is exceedingly shoal and dangerous, so that some of the ships were in five and six fathom water, the weather thick, and the south-east wind blowing strong. I enclose to you, sir, rear-admiral Martin's letter; and beg to congratulate their lordships on three great ships of the enemy being thus destroyed, without the smallest resist ance on their part, or a shot being fired by the British ships, except a few by the Tigre at the Borée when she was pushing ashore at Cette. Of their two frigates, the Ponione and Pauline, one hauled her wind some time in the night, and fetched into Marseilles road. The other part of the French squadron are found to remain in Toulon by the ships which have since examined that port. COLLINGWOOD. Canopus, at sea, Oct. 27. My lord, In obedience to the signal for the Canopus to chase E N.E. I stood that way the whole of the night of the 23d, and the following day, in company with the Renown, Tigre, Sultan, Leviathan, and Cumberland. In the evening four sail were seen, to which we immediately gave chase, and pur sued them till after dark; when, Ville de Paris, off Rosas, Nev. 1. was was chased on the 23d ult. their transports separated from the ships of war, and under the protection of an armed store-ship, two hombards, and a zebeck, 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 capt. Hallowell, to bring them out if the wind was fa. vourable, 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 newly-erected batteries, the convoy, consisting of 11 vessels, Ave of them armed as per accompanying list, were moored. The boats being arranged in separate divisions, the whole were put under the ordersof lieut. 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 enterprise 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 gunboat advanced a-head of her for the look-out on being hailed, and the alarm-gun fired, our boats stretched out, the crews highest pitch of animation, filling at the (195) 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. All their armed vessels were well defended; but the British seamen and marines, not to be repelled, even by a force determined to subdue them, were found to be double that which was expected; and besides the opposifrom the castle, the forts in the bay, tion made by the vessels, the guns the beach, kept a constant fire on the gun-boats, and musketry from them. On the opening of day every ship or vessel was either burnt or brought off, aided by the light winds and the whole of the convoy that which then came from the land; 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 of the sentiment which the execution this narrative without an expression me with, and the respect and adof this bold enterprise has inspired miration I feel for those who performed it. In the first place, success greatly depended on the previous arrangement which made by capt. Hallowell, with a judgement and foresight that di stinguishes that officer 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 he was ably assisted by the experi throughout the whole; and in this was Tigre, Cumberland, Volontaire, Apollo, Topaze, Philomel, Scout, and Tuscan. (N 2) ence ence ard zeal of captains Wodehouse, Bullen, Taylor, and Hope. The brigs were under sail, as near the vessels attacked as the light winds would allow; and captain Hallowell speaks in high terms of praise of the conduct of their commanders, Crawly, Raitt, and Wilson. The first lieutenant Tailour led to the assault in a most gallant manner, and was followed by the other officers, as if each was ambi. tious of his place, and desired to be first: the whole party bravely maintained the character which British seamen have established for themselves. I am sorry I have to add, that the loss has been consider able, of which I enclose a list. Lieut. Tait, of the Volontaire, an excellent 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 earnest request of lieuts. lords viscount Balgonie, the hon. J. A. Maude, 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. COLLINGWOOD. P. S. I have charged lieut. Waldegrave, of the Ville de Paris, with the delivery of my dispatches; an officer of great merit, and who commanded one of the boats employed on this service. Tigre, of Cape St. Sebastian, Nov. 1. My lord, In obedience to your lordship's order of the 30th ult. 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 squadron yesterday evening after dark, about five miles off the town of Rosas, and detached all the boats under the command of lieut. 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 enclose a list of vessels captured and destroyed on this occasion; 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 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 judgement to any exploit that has occurred under your lordship's com. mand. Our loss has been severe; and among the list of killed I have to lament the loss of lieut. Tait of the Volontaire, of whom capt. Bullen speaks in high terms, as an of ficer who has distinguished himself upon many occasions; and Mr. Caldwell, master's mate of the Tigre: the latter has left a widowed mother in distressed circumstances, who looked to him for comfort and lieut. Tailour of the Tigre, and support. Among the wounded are lieut. 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 |