I have to inform you, that on the 5th, at day-break, being off Blancknez, I discovered three luggers to the S. W. and one brig to the Westward, which proved to be a prize to them; and, after every effort to cut them off from the land proving unsuccessful, about eleven A. M. a little to the westward of Estaples, I anchored a-breast of the brig, one of the luggers having regained her, and after heaving as close in as I could, and attempting to drive the lugger's crew, soldiers, and people assembled about the brig from her, as well as having sent my boats in twice to see if it was practicable to board the brig, in vain, I was under the necessity of leaving the brig, though not before I had the satisfaction to sink the lugger, which, from the manner they dismantled her at low water, I conceive to have rendered totally unserviceable. As the tide flowed, the enemy moved the brig close in shore under the batteries, and got her into Boulogne. The lugger appeared to have from 30 to 40 on board; mounted swivels

men

only.

J. SIDNEY HORTON. This gazette contains accounts of the capture of Le Rayon, a

I have the pleasure to acquaint you for the information of the lords commissioners of the Admiralty, that at nine o'clock this morning I got sight of the Dutch fleet; at half past twelve I passed through their line, and the action commenced, which has been very severe. The admiral's ship is dismasted, and has struck, as have several others, and one is on fire.

I shall send captain Fairfax with particulars the moment I can spare him.

I am, sir, your most obedient
humble servant,

ADAM DUNCAN, Upon lieutenant Brodie's arrival, earl Spencer instantly set off to Kew, to communicate the gratifying intelligence to the king. His lordship returned between seven and eight o'clock, and immediately

sent

sent the following letter to the lord mayor.

Admiralty-office, 13th October.
My Lord,

I have the satisfaction to inform your lordship, that an officer has arrived from admiral Duncan, with an account of his having fallen in with the Dutch fleet, off the coast of Holland, on Wednesday last, and that after a severe action, the ship having the Dutch admiral on board had been dismasted and had struck, as had also several others of the enemy's ships.

When the officer left the admiral, at four o'clock in the afternoon, he was then preparing to take possession of the ships which had struck, and to pursue the remainder.

I most heartily congratulate your lordship on this important event, and have the honour to be, with great regard, my lord,

Your lordship's most obedient and most humble servant, SPENCER.

To the right hon. the

Lord Mayor. 14. The ordinary gazette of this day announces the capture of Les Amis, a French cutter, four guns, and 18 men, by lieut, Tomlinson, of the Speedwell, lugger; of the Le Flibustier, of nine guns, and 29 men, by capt. Faulkner, of the Diana; of the San Noberta, Spanish privateer, of four guns, and 42 men, by the Cerberus; and of the brigantine, Le Poisson Volant, letter of marque, four guns, by capt. Roberts, of the La Concorde. London Gazette Extraordinary of

Monday, Oct. 16, 1797. Admiralty-office, Oct. 16.- Capt. Fairfax, of the Venerable, arrived early this morning with dispatches from Adam Duncan, esq. admiral of the blue, commander in chief of

his majesty's ships, &c. employed in the North sea, to Evan Nepean, esq. secretary of the Admiralty, of which the following are copies.

Venerable, at sea, 13th October, 1797, off the coast of Holland. SIR,

Be pleased to acquaint the lords commissioners of the admiralty, that, judging it of consequence their lordships should have as early information as possible of the defeat of the Dutch fleet under the command of admiral de Winter, I dispatched the Rose cutter at three P. M. on the 12th (11th) instant, with a short letter to you immediately after the action was ended. I have now further to acquaint you, for their lordships' information, that in the night of the 10th instant, after I had sent away my letter to you, of that date, I placed my squadron in such situation as to prevent the enemy from returning to the Texel without my falling in with them. At nine o'clock in the morning of the 11th I got sight of captain Trollope's squadron, with signals flying for an enemy to leeward: I immediately bore up, and made the signal for a general chase, and soon got sight of them, forming in a line on the larboard tack to receive us, the wind at N. W. As we approached near I made the signal for the squadron to shorten sail, in order to connect them; soon after I saw the land between Camperdown and Egmont, about nine miles to leeward of the enemy, and finding there was no time to be lost in making the attack, I made the signal to bear up, break the enemy's line, and engage them to leeward, each ship her opponent, by which I got between them and the land whither they were fast approaching. My signals were obeyed with great promptitude, and

(K3)

vice

vice-admiral Onslow, in the Monarch, bore down on the enemy's rear in the most gallant manner, his division following his example, and the action commenced about

forty minutes past 12 o'clock. The Venerable soon got through the enemy's line, and I began a close action, with my division, on their van, which lasted near two hours and a half, when I observed all the masts of the Dutch admiral's ship to go by the board; she was, however, defended for some time in a most gallant manner; but being overpressed by numbers, her colours were struck, and admiral de Winter was soon brought on board the Venerable. On looking around me, I observed the ship bearing the vice-admiral's flag was also dismasted, and had surrendered to vice-admiral Onslow; and that many others had likewise struck. Finding we were in nine fathoms water, and not farther than five miles from the land, my attention was so much taken up in getting the heads of the disabled ships off shore, that I was not able to distinguish the number of ships captured; and the wind having been constantly on the land since, we have unavoidably been much dispersed, so that I have not been able to gain an exact account of them; but we have taken possession of eight or nine; more of them had struck, but taking advantage of the night, and being so near their own coast, they succeeded in getting off, and some of them were seen going into the Texel the next morning.

It is with the greatest pleasure and satisfaction I make known to their lordships the very gallant behaviour of vice-admiral Onslow, the captains, officers, seamen, and marines of the squadron, who all

appeared actuated with the truly British spirit, at least those that I had an opportunity of seeing.

One of the enemy's ships caught fire in the action, and drove very near the Venerable; but I have the pleasure to say it was extinguished, and she is one of the ships in our possession. The squadron has suffered much in their masts, yards, and rigging, and many of them have lost a number of men; however, in no proportion to that of the enemy. The carnage on board the two ships that bore the admirals' flags has been beyond all description; they have had no less than 250 men killed and wounded on board of each ship. And here I have to lament the loss of captain Burgess, of his majesty's ship the Ardent, who brought that ship into action in the most gallant and masterly manner, but was unfortunately killed soon after. How ever, the ship continued the action close, until quite disabled. The public have lost a good and gallant officer in captain Burgess, and I with others, à sincere friend.

Captain Trollope's exertions and active good conduct in keeping sight of the enemy's fleet until came up, have been truly meritorious, and, I trust, will meet a just reward.

I send this by capt. Fairfax, by whose able advice I profited much during the action, and who will give their lordships any further particulars they may wish to know.

As most of the ships of the squa dron are much disabled, and several of the prizes dismasted, I shall make the best of my way with them to the Nore.

I herewith transmit you a list of killed and wounded on board such of the squadron as I have been able to collect; a list of the ene

my's

A list of the killed and wounded on board the ships of admiral Dun-can's squadron in an action with the Dutch on 11th of October, 1797. Venerable. 13 seamen, 2 marines, killed; 6 officers, 52 seamen, 4 marines, wounded. · Total 77. Monarch. 2 officers, 34 seamen, killed; 9 officers, 79 seamen, 12 marines, wounded. - Total 136. Bedford. 2 midshipmen, 26 seamen, 2 marines, killed; I lieutenant, 37 seamen, 3 marines, wounded. Total 71. Powerful. 8 seamen, 2 marines, killed; 4 officers, 74 seamen and marines, wounded. Total 88. Isis. 1 seaman, 1 marine, killed;

3 officers, 18 seamen, wounded. -Total 23.

Ardent, 2 officers, 33 seamen, 6 marines, killed; 8 officers, 85 seamen, 11 marines, 3 boys, wounded. Total 148. Agincourt. None killed or wounded. Belliqueux. 2 officers, 20 seamen, 3 marines, killed; 3 officers, 63 seamen, 12 marines, wounded. -Total 103.

Lancaster. 3 seamen killed; 2 of

ficers, 13 seamen, 3 marines, wounded. - Total 21. Triumph. 25 seamen, 3 marines, 1 boy, killed; 5 officers, 50 seamen and marines, wounded. Total 84.

Officers killed. Monarch, Mr. J. P. Tindall and Mr. Moyle Finlay, midship

men.

Ardent. Captain Burgess, Mr. Michael Dunn, master.

Belliqueux.

Lieutenant Robert

Webster. Mr. James Milne, master's mate.

Officers wounded.

Venerable. Lieutenants Clay and Douglas, lieutenant Chambers of the marines, Mr. Stewart, mid shipman, Mr. Brown, pilot. Monarch. Lieutenant Retalick, lieutenant Smith of the marines, Mr. George Massie, Mr. Benjamin Clement, Mr. Daniel Sherwin, Mr. Charles Slade, midshipmen. Mr. John Chimley, master's mate. Bedford. Lieutenant Keenor. Powerful. Lieutenant Jennings, Mr. Mel. Jones, boatswain, Mr. Daniel Rogers, midshipman, lieutenant Walker of the marines.

Isis. Lieutenant Charles Rea of the marines, Mr. Simon Frazer and Mr. John Walker, midship

List and disposition of the Dutch fleet on the 11th of October, 1797.

Van.

Vice-admiral Reyntjes, commander. Cerberus, captain Jacobson, 68 guns, 450 men.

Delft, capt. Verdoon, 56 guns, 375 men, Taken. Jupiter, vice-admiral Reyntjes and rear-admiral Meuses, 74 guns, 550 men. Taken. Alkmaar, capt. Kraft, 56 guns, 350 men. Taken. Haarlem, capt. Wiggerts, 68 guns, 450 men. Taken. Munnikkendam, capt. Lancaster, 44 guns, 270 men, Taken. Helder, capt. Dumisnilde L'Eestrille, 32 guns, 230 men. Daphne brig, lieutenant Fredericks, 18 guns, 98 men.

Centre. Admiral de Winter, commander in chief.

Gelykheid (the Equality), capt. Ruysen, 68 guns, 450 men. Taken.

Ambuscade, captain-lieut. Huys, 32 guns, 270 men. Taken. Ajax brig, lieut. Arkenbout, 18 guns, 98.men. Haa-je (Aviso), lieut. Hartenfeld, 6 guns, 35 men.

ADAM DUNCAN. N. B. Another line-of-battle ship, reported to be taken, name unknown.

Disposition of the squadron, in the order of battle, on the 11th of October, 1797.

Larboard, or lee division. Richard Onslow, esq. vice-admiral of the red, commander. 1. Russel, Henry Trollope, capt. 74 guns, 590 men.

2. Director, William Bligh, capt. 64 guns, 491 men.

3. Montague, John Knight, capt. 74 guns, 590 men,

4. Veteran, George Gregory, capt. 64 guns, 491 men.

5. Monarch, vice-admiral Onslow, Edward' O'Bryen, capt. 74 guns, 599 men.