Star. — London, England, 1809-05-04 00:00:00

F RENCH FLEET AT ROCHEFORT. The following account of the attack lately made the enemy's fleet, being more copious and cir cumstantial than any that has yet been laid before t h, ! public, cannot but prove acceptable to our g?..iders. The statement is from an eye-witness—ail: o fficer belonging to one of his Majesty's ships em. 1„ red on this service ; and , with the p ar ticulars whi c h we yesterday communicated respecting the r .-esent state of the enemy's ships, will put our Readers in possession of every circumstance received cairn that quarter to the latest date. " liis Majesty's ship Donegal, Basque Roads, April 23. On the 3d of April Lord Cochrane at-lived in . Bisqu e Roads with the Imperieuse, to superintend an atte mpt against the French fleet in this port, accord ing- to a plan which he had proposed, and which the A L imiralty had approved. Upon his Lordship's ar livaL a transport, out of a convoy of victuallers w hi c h happened to be in the Roads, was consigned to each of the line of battle ships to be fitted as fire and employed in addition to others on their Ill y f ro m England. The Mediator frigate storeship \ ins fitted as another, by her- own officers. Lord CoclTane undertook the fitting of three vessels of a different description, under the name of Explosion Vessels. Our squadron had recently captured two cr three small vessels running along shore, laden with F itch, tar, and rosin, which,. came very opportunely afford a supply of combustibles, of which there would otherwise have been a deficiency ; this incident wac interpreted into a favourable omen, and made people inclined to believe that the enterprize was de stined to succeed. . . their anchors, in consternation, to avoid the fire-ships ; some had cut from their anchors twice, finding them selves in danger, a second time, of a fire-ship fallin'g on board after escaping once: thus by running ashore, in various directions, the fire-ships drifted by. The 1 spectacle now exhibited was as extraordinary as that of the preceding night, though of a nature altogether different, of a fleet so formidably powerful a few I hours before, r e n d ere d su dd en l y wea k an d di stresse d ; I i lying aground in a diversity of postures almost de -1 fenceless. At high water, the line of battle ships, all except three, floated and moved towards the mouth of the river, where they again grounded. Our whole fleet moved nearer to Isle d'Aix. When the tide admitted, the Imperieuse, who was still in advance, approached the ships that had continued aground, and lopened her fire upon them, which they returned ; ' and, at the same time, the batteries from both islands played upon her. Soon afterwards the Revenge and Valiant, with all the frigates and sloops, were sent t o her assistance, and they were followed by the Czsar and Theseus. Three ships of the enemy surrendered on being cannonaded for a short time, the Aquilon, of 74, Ville de Varsovie, an 80, and the Calcutta.— This last was afloat, and the enemy were in the act of towing her when the firing began, from which they deserted on receiving a few shot, and she grounded on rocks. They were all three burnt as soon as the crews of the two former were removed. The crew of the latter, consisting of only 150 men, made their escape on shore, which her situation, inside the others, easily allowed : meanwhile the crew of the other ship that had not floated, the Tonnerre, a 74, the furthest of the four from our ;lips, abandoned and set her en ..... Monday 10.—The fire-ships from England joined, accompanied by the Etna bomb. The F r ench fleet having recently made some movements, and altered their position in a manner to indicate that they were aware of our designs ; Lord Cochrane and some Of f:;:ers were for making the attempt the same night, but Rear-Admiral Stopford and other Officers op posed this ; and it was deemed most adviseable to fire. The Tonnerre and Calcutta made each two grand explosions, which many thought equal in ter rific magnificence to all they had seen the foregoing night. The Calcutta, besides her own magazine, had a large store of gunpowder in her hold to supply the French Colonies in the East or West Indies. The magazines of the two others being drowned, did not explode. Our four ships of the line that closed with the Imperieuse grounded at low water, but were not much, if at all damaged. The deep water is near to the fort. Their cloAing doubtless accelerated the sur render or the French ships ; but more by furnishing an honourable pretence to strike than otherwise, the incessant fire kept up by . the Imperieuse, having pre viously given the enemy conviction of the necessity of it. The Czsar and Theseus had not occasion to fire a gun, and did not in fact advance until after the surrender. " Thursday 13th, six brigs and schooners, advancing with the flood-tide, and taking an advantageous po sition, anchored within gun-shot of the ships yet aground, whose sterns lay exposed, and kept up a tare oa them for five hours, principally on the three-decker. The bomb took a proper station, and threw many shells, well directed, on the several French ships : two cutters were at the same time employed discharging Congreve's Rockets. There was visible mischief pro duced by this assault, and it prevented the enemy from lightening their shipi. They kept a smart fire from their sterns on our vessels, which, fortunately, did little harm ; td themselvss it probably did greater, by ' shaking their ships while thus ashore. The want of water prevented our frig ates front taking staticn along with the flotilla, which retreated on the ebb; to avoid the dangers of the shoalness. " Friday 14th, blowing strong from the N. W.— Six of the enemy's ships of the line still aground, and two or three frigates—some of them had moved a little. At high water, between three and four o'clock in the afternoon, the French Vice Admiral's ship, the three decker, moved further off, and more into the stream of the river. Between five and six in the even ing the bomb and five brigs again advanced to the ships agronnd, and recommenced a fire upon them, which, from the state of the weather, was not soon be gun. nor so long continued as the preceding day.— The Imperieuse came down to the fleet in the even ing, and moved up to take her place, and pro tect our flotilla off the Boyack. " Saturday kith, at high water some of t7e French ships moved, and amongst them the three decker.— No cannonading to-day by our flotilla. The bomb having expended all her smaller shells, and her large mortar being split, was silent. The Resolution • cut ter, in passing up to our vessels at the Eoyack, was struck by two shot from one of the batteries, by which the Master of her had his leg carried off: In the evening the Imperieuse sailed for England. " Sunday 16th, bad weather ; much wind and postpone it to next day. Lord Ganibier had entered Basque Roads with his fleet the rtr. of March, and extended them in two lines over the place, anchored in such a manner as to preclude, as well as possible, all passage to the enemy's fleet without coming into contact. The French fleet, of tn mil of the line, a 50 gun-ship, and four frigates, firmed by 'a junction of their Brest squadron, with t heir squadron here, were lying at a confined chorage towards the mouth of the river Charente, near to Lle d'Aix, and completely under cover of the guns of the fort there. The appro ich to them was also def.nkhd by a fort on Isle d'Oleron, the sho t frcm the two batteries crossing each other, and hay ing struck our ships and killed men, passing between. Since Lord Gambier's appearance in the port, Isle d'Aix had been strengthened, and a body of troops thrown upon it, in the expectation of our making a descent. " Tuesday 11, at the close of day, our frigates and sloops moved well in to co-operate. The Impe_ rieuse took station inside of all, within point-blank shot of the French fleet, and of Isle d'Aix. At nine at night, with a strong N. W. wind and flood tide, the attempt took place. The Explosion Vessels pre ceded, having in them many casks of gunpowder, and many live shells. They were set forward the first to strike a terror into the enemy, and give them aa idea that the rest of the vessels were the same, as deter them from boarding the fire-ships. Lord Crchrane was himself in the foremost of the former, which exploded with a terrible crash eight minutes quitting her : then went 16 fire-ships ; one was *,:n ashore upon Isle d'Aix, and one upon Isle d'Ole tor the purpose of intercepting the view thence, an i keeping the batteries quiet, which was in a good Tntasure effected at the former place, and completely .it the latter—the rest ran amongst their fleet. They contained not or.ly every kind of combustible, but leantities of shells, carcasses, and Congreve rockets : .t was a spectacle most awfully splendid. The night nas eery dark, but the blaze illuminated the sky se_ ral miles. The flashes of guns fired by the French fleet retreating, by the fort at Isle d'Aix, and by the fire-ships as they burnt, their guns being left loaded, added to the terrible grandeur of the scene. The of iicers, in general, who conducted these vessels, de tho greatest praise ; they did not quit them till ve:ry near the enemy's ships, and it was with difficulty hey regained our own frigates, which had moved a great at dusk, as the sea was high for small boats, the tide strong against them. So strong was the rain. About noon one of the frigates which wesh a d rind at the beginning, that in the fleet nothing could perceived to be irrecoverably aground, was set on fire ')e heard, not even the noise of the vessels exploding, Iby the French, and, to our surprize, exploded. The Although at no greater distance than four miles ; but situation of the residue of their fleet, at evening, is every movement could be seen distinctly, and by the this ; four ships of the line remaining aground, out effect of ele explosions and conflagration, the wind side what is termed the bar of the river, or shallowest was lulled. The boats of our fleet, armed in readi-' passage into the deep water stream ; three ships of less to act, under the direction' of Rear-Admiral the line and three frigates, which had gained that ctopford, who had- made every arrangement, and is- passage, are afloat, beyond any further molestation sued in:truqicns for the occasion, were assembled from us, and supposed to be free from further dan around the Czsar; but the weather was so boisterous, ger ; four of these six, after being repeatedly aground, !bat the Rear-Admiral judged it unnecessary to pro- and not without much arduous labour. ceed with them ; and his judgment proved right, the 4 4 6 The result of all is, the entire ruin of the enemy's trench having no boats out, thinking themselves se- • fleet for the present ; three ships of the line,' a fifty. ore from all attempts on such a night. 1 1 gun ship, and one frigate destroyed for ever ;--four Wednesday 12, at day-light, we had the satin- more not yet out of danger of the same fate; and at r.. ction to observe every one of their fleet, with the ex- any rate, should they escape utter demolition, will be of two ships, aground. They had cut from I incapable of service, as well as three more ships of . . . • e • . . .he line and three frigaieh without , eggential repairs SPORTING 1741TELLIGENVE: but some will, most probably, be irrep trable. - Even the two which continued afloat, and retreated early 111 up the river, cannot hfit uninjtired ; for sorb: of their stmeg must have been thrown overboard to facilitate their retreat. The loss and destruction of stores in those which were ashore must have been considerable. They could 'not have got off but by taking out nearly the whole, a and much must have been thrown over board: The Calcutta was of very great value, being full of stores of every kinci, intended, it is said, for Martinique. 'The Tornierre and Ville de Varscrvie A Handicap were new ships ; the latter a very fine one, admirably Ld Lowther. Yellow Hammer, o yrs 'finished and equipped. All this has been accorn- 1.4 S tarre ll' a ll o Conjurer, 4 yin 014, let. 131 b, Ld Foley 's Cecilia, 4 yrs eta; Ist. 1 i lb. plished in their own port, in their strong holds, guar- D. of Griftoe's vanity. e--- ' ded on all sides by batteries and shoals, with incon- I siderable loss of men to us, and with still less damage to our shipping. It has cost us 12 men killed, and about twice that number wounded. " It is reported by some of :he prisoners, that the Major Wilson ' s Juniper, .84. 121 b - French were preparing a similar enterprize against Mr. Wyndham 's Scorpion, sst. 414: 7 - Mr. Ladbroke's Trinibusb, Tat. Mb. • our fleet, which is contradicted by others; and is not L 4 CrosVener's Sunbeam, est. 5P - generally believed—ours will be memorable in the Seven to agst Jtrni French as well as British navy. The success has Lord been beyond the expectations of most persons. The event being as it is, it can hardly be a subject of re gret that none of the enemy's ships fell a victim to the flames of our fire-ships, for then much the greater part, pea: vs all the pePple on board, Would hive inevitallly perished. This, however, would infallibly have happened had our arrangements been perfected, for it was intended to have three divisions of the fire ships linked together, three by three ; which plan At as not executed, partly from want of time, partly froirf "the boisterousness of the weather. From the latter cause some projects against the enemy, subsequent to the grand enterprize, have been set aside. The whole praise of the achievement is due to these officers who had the ge of the tire ships, and to the rninor'vessels.of the fleet, who seized every op portunity that was permitted to them to display their gallantry and • activity. The large ships have been looking on anxious, but for the moit part, idle spec tators. The ability, the intrepid spirit, and persever ing energy of Lord Cochrane entitle him to every ea, comical, and ,have rendered him the theme of just applause and admiration throughout our fleet. wirqtri7- - r• _ SECOND SPRING MEETING; 1909. • 97EDIVteDAY, WAY 3. The Jockey Club Plate of 50gs. to be run for by Hones tbe pro • . perty of Members of the Jockey Club; 4-yr olds carrying 7sr. 21b. 5-yr olds fist. 31b. 6-yr olds est. 91b. aged sst. 111 b. B.C. Mr. Wyndham's S. h. Canopus, 6 yrs old - walked over, Mr; Vansittart's Currycomb, 9st. beat Mr. Payne's Zoraida • Est. 111 b. Two-yr old C. 200 gs. h. ft.-2 to lon Currycomb. Gen. Orosvenor'sWoodwell-bead, 7st 21b. beat Mr. Howorth's Dwarf, 9st. Two-yr old C. 50gs.-7 to 4 on Woodwcll-head. IA 0. H. Cavendish's Hymen, Bst. alb. rec. from Gen. Grose nor's Trump, 7st. Two r yr old C. 100 gs. Ld Sackville's Deceiver, Bst. 41b. rec. from Mr. Shakespeare's Harpocrates, Bst. 91b. Two-yr old C. 100 gs. A Handicap Plate of £5O; for ail ages. Two-yr old Course. IA Lowther'. Yellow Hammer, 6 yrs old, 'Zr.i 21b. - 1 Stawell's No Conjurer, 4 yrs obl, ist. 13lb, - 14 Foley's Cecilia, 4 yrs okl; Ist. 1 1 lb. - D. of Griftou's Vanity, 6 yrs old, 9st. 91b • - - 4 Six more run, and 13 drawn. The Judge could place but 4. Five to 1 agst VelloW l-fammer, 7 to 2 agst Vanity. Ld C. Sonierset's Fosberry, !Ist.beat Major Wilson's c. by ist. 71b. Across the Flat, 75gs. 40 ft.—TwO to 1 on Foxberry, ;• . Sareepstakes of 100 gs. each, h: ft. for 441 . 41114: :. Airs the Flat. Major Wilson's Juniper, .Bst. 121 b - . I Mr. Wyndham 's Scorpion, Sst. 41b: - - - 2 Mr. Ladbroke's Trimbush, We. 81b. • - • 3 Ld Crosvenot's Sunbeam, est. 51b. - - - - 4 SeVen to e agst Juniper, 6to 4 age Scorpion, 4to I agst • Trimbush, and 4 to I agst Sunbeam. Lord C. R. Somerset's Fozberry best Major Wilson's Buis, list. 71b. each. D.l. Sogi s To be rode by the owners. 14 Lowthees Vellow Hammer, Bst. 10Ib, beat Gen. Grosve nor', Fair Ellen, 7sr.slb. First half of .kb. M. 25gs.—Even. Gen. Grosvcnor's A2alia , Bst. rec. ft. from Mr. Payne's Ferdi nand, Bst. 111 b. Across the Flat; 200 gs. h. R.' Ld C. Somerset's White Rose, 5 yrs old, 9st. rec. 40gs. from Mr. R. Wilson's c. by the ch. Wellesley Arabian, 3 yrs old, 7.:. T. M. M. 50gs. THE ARMY. Geneial HOPE is at present ett Doier for tho pur pose of reviewing the troops in garrison there, con sisting•of the Shropshire, 2d West York, Royal Pert 4 and Royal Miners Regiments of• Militia. The 13th Regiment of Light Drag Oohs which has been in quarters at Exeter, Modbury, Totness, &c. in Devonshire, during the winter, reached Plymouth, last Tuesday, and were embarked in the course of. the day on board thd transports appointed to receive their. It is expected that Brigadier• General Join Hon; whose abilities eminently qualify him for such situa tion, will succeed General MACKAY in his office of Deputy Adjutant-General of Scotland. The detachinent of the Inverness and Forfarshire regiments of Militia doing duty at,Leith, marched on Thursday for Prestonpans, there to remain till the close of the election of a Member to serve in Parlia ment for Edinburgh. Few regiments have been more successful with the Militia-than that old and gallant Regiment, the 15th ; upwards of 200 men from the Welsh Militia are now lon their march to join them. The '2d battalion ex pects soon to have an Opportunity of distinguishing their valour. " We understand that the destination of the French fleet was the relief of Martinique, for, which purpose they had embarked .5000 troops at Brest, who were disembarked on Isle d'Aix. Whatt.ver this objet:t was, it has been totally and completely frustrated.— Their fleet (to use the Napolooniaa dialect), has ceased to exist ; our fleet, that was opposed to them, remains entire and untouched, and are now becOme a disposable ferce ; all, except a very small part of it, that may be left to watch the enfeebled remnant of the enemy's ships, and maintain the easy blockade of the port. Locm. MILMA.—The scl regiment of (Local) Surrey Militia is forming) kis to consist of 904 men, from the townships and parishes of Lambeth, New•' ington, Camberwell, Peckham, Dulwich, and Strea-. tham. The Field Officers are already appointed, and arc as follow : Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant—Taomws Atcoet, Esq. Lieutenant Colonel—The Right Hon. Lord,SomeRVILLE. Majors—H. R. FRAM ta STUN HAUC H, Esq. a half-pay Maitit in the army, and JAmts Bitenbtx, of Clapham, Esq. LIST OF TUE FRENCH FLEET. I ..oc!'an, ICO guns, Vice Admiral Allemande ; Capt. Roland. Fouslroyant, SO guns, Rear Admiral Gourden ; Capt. Henri. Cscsar, 74 guns, Commodore Faure. l'ourville, 74 guns, Captain La Cliile. l'a:riote, 74 buns, Captain Mahe. P.cgulos, 74 guns, Captaio Lucas. Jemappc, 7.1 guns, Captain Fauvau. Tounerre, 74' guns, Captait: Clement dc la ILuciere. Aqui!on, 71 guns, Captain Maingon--burnt 12th April. Ville de Varaovie, SO guns, Captain Cuvillier—burnt 12th April. C.llcutta, 50 gun., Captain I.a Fonic—burnt 12th April. Indictine iriga'c, Captain Pooteau—burnt lush April. Elbe frigate, Captain Berengier. l'allas frigate, Captain Le Bigot. Hortense frigate, Captaiu Jean du Bart, 80 guns—run ashnr•• and wrecked 4 28t h February. ,‘ P. S. All the French ships have got afloat, ex cept two 74's ; but the three-decker floats only at high water—has not moved over the bar, and is ap parently still in a precarious way." • All their men of war ate brought down from Rochefort quite light, and fitted outside the river. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PLYMOUTH...DOCK, MAY 2. The DREADNOUGHT, of 98 guns, was paid wages to-day, and is expected to sail this evening. The AMAZON frigate, which arrived yesterday, left the Tagus on Friday morning, the 7th ult. and conse. quently brings no news. A fleet of merchantmen and transports from Falmouth, passed by this day to the eastward—they are to be joined in the Downs by se veral other vessels, and are said to be destined for the Baltic. Arrived the Betsey and Favourite cutters, and MEnantrus sloop of war from Rochefort ;—the. Louisa tender from Cork, with impressed seamen ; the SHANNON frigate, Capt. BROKE, from a cruize ; and Sisters transport from off Rochefort, laden with brandy, taken out of small French prizes, destroyed at sea by the GLUCKSTADT sloop of war. Sailed the 1 D ECADE .a... , frigate, and the GLUCKSTADT sloop of War , i for Portsmouth ; the PEACOCK sloop of war, and the I Join; BULL. cutter on a cruize. PORTSMOUTH, MAY 3. This morning arrived a Mail from ele Brazils--no Sailed his Majesty's ship DECADE, for Plymouth. i particul as are known. I Sailed the SCHLEY cutter, with a convoy for Guern- Should the squadron of three sail of the line and 1 sey.—Wind N. W. two frigates, which sailed from L'Orient on the old j , DEAL, MAY 3. of February, have been destined to Martinique, they j Arrived this morning the AUDACIOUS, of 74 guns, are probably now in our possession ; for on the 21st . and r. —LUCKSTADT slocip from Plymouth ; the former of March, the NARCISSUS frigate, which had been de- 'remains, and the latter sailed this afternoon for Sheer mashed from the Channel fleet to inform Admiral : ness. Arrived also the SKYLARK sloop, and FANCY COCHRANE of the sailing o f the fleet horn Brest cutter from off Flu .ping. Sailed the ROYALIST sloop, (now nearly annihilated by th e e x ert i ons ci his kiiis- : and GALLANT gun b r i g on a cru i ze : a l so t h e P r i ncesse man), arrived at Martini q u e ;and in consequence French lugger privateer for Dover harbour s of that intelligence the N EPTUNE , o f 98 guns, (Admi. i Ronala i n the D owns —Th e A g i ncourt , Vi ce Admiral enact , . . ral Coop RANO, POMPEE, 80, CAPTAIN, 74, Yoa I:, 74, ..TRACIAN3 Ttnieraire, INTRinno, 61, formed a line of &fence in front of DocoN • Sr. Georg e, Saturn, Mars, Dannem. r.:, Rear Admiral ~ ••, slut.; Venerable, Rear Admiral Sir R. q , Blake, Monmouth, Princess Carouse, Audacious, Clyde, l'Airn- Fort Edward. ablr, Cherokee, Cordelia, Challenger, Kangaroo, Oberon, Troia- The BELLEISLE and ULYR;ES, with a fleet of trans- peuse, Skylark, Mariner, Cracker, and Bold. ports with the troops taken at Martinique, had sailed i GREENOCK, MAY 1. for Quiberon Bay. • I Arrived here yesterday the St, Andrew s RITCHIE, Tuesday a Court of Directors was held at the East a running ship, from Trinidad, after a passage of sit India House,' when Major-General the Hon. ions - week and four days. Sailed thence in company with ABERCROMBIE was appointed Commander in Chic,. at the ship Flora, STODDART, for London, and the brig Bombay, with a seat in Council. • ' Eliza, —, for Liverpool. Parted from the above.- Yesterday a ballot was taken at the East India mentioned vessels about foul- weeks since, near Bet. House, to determine the question, viz.— - . mudas. Spoke on Thursday last, off Tory, the Belle .. That skis Coon confirm the unaniraoui Resolution of the isle, GEMMILI., of Port Glasgow for Demerara, all well ; and on Friday, the Pomona, Rowe, from this Court of Directors of the 2.2 d March, whereby t h e Commander and Owners of the ship Walpple, are fully ac qu i tte d f rom all im . ; potation of neglect or miscondu c t in r e sp ect to t h e loss of that port for St. Tholll lll % Off the Mull of Ki n ty re , a ll ship." well.—Arrived also yesterday the Wealthy Ann, At six o'clock the glasses were closed, and delivered FRYER, from Norfolk, Virginia, in 30 days, with 100 to the scrutineers, who d.clared the question to have hogsheads of tobacco, 149 barrels and 60 half barrels been carried in the affirmative. superfine flour, 3000 hogshead and 1500 banal staves, Yesterday a Court of Directors was held at the East to order. India House, when Captain JOHN STEWART was sworn PROM LLOYD'S LIST. into the command of the ship Windham, destined to ' GRAMEND, MAY 9.—Passed by the Kingsto i Kennedy ; Madeira and Bengal.—The Court adj ourne d : t s i b and Hawkesbury, Ball, from C o rk ; He ar t o f Oak, Lawson, and o'clock till to n3orrosv. John, Malbey, from Rio Janeiro.—Sailed the Braganza, Hart, Tuesday the AJAX, a new ship of 74 guls, was • ' ' • Owen, and the ]Taney, Law* for the Braz il s • Native Hill, for Philadelphia; J r for Belfast ; Want, launched from Dlackwall Dock. . • (Jr HeiliAiOd. Aurora, Fit- • 1 t ~i I~ i