The National Register. — London, England, 1812-02-16 00:00:00

I FEB. 16. NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE. - - - EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM AN OFFICER OF THE LAUREL, DATED PLYMOUTH-DOCK, FEB. 8. We had for the last five weeks been employed blockading four line-of-battle ships, in the pert of L'Orient. The Maidstene frigate was dispatched by Sir H. Neale, to order us to Quiberon B ay, wher e w e arrived on the evening of the 3uth. The fleet was employ , . d all that night in watering the Laurel, as we had been selected as one of three frigates ordered to pursue three French frigates that had escaped trom the Loire. At eight, on the morning of the 31st, we weighed, in company with the Rota and Rhin frigates, made sail through the passage faieneese, a difficult and ateneous one at all times; it blowing very hard, the Rota led through the passage, the Laurel unfortueately fol lowed; the Rota's pilot lost the marks and got bewildered, it being then extremely hazy. The Rota escaped the rocks, we unfortunately struck on the Govivas, a sunken rock, as did the Rhin, hut was not damaged to th ex tent the Laurel was, whose false keel and part of the main immediately floated alongside, and a large hole in her bottom. The Laurel was backed off and brought to an anchor, sails furled, and all halide to the pumps. In this disastrous state we continued pumping far one h our and a half, when it was reported the ship was gaining fast, and would be down in ten minutes. No time was to be lost to pre vent the ship sinking in ten fathoms water—tite cable was cut, and the ship run on shore on a reef of rocks, about one mile from the French coast. ill order to save the lives of the men. "The enem . directly commenced a heavy fire of shot and shell, from their batteries and field-pieces. In order to save the lives of the crew, a tiag of truce was hoisted. The enemy continued the fire until we dis patched three boats, with about 70 men and four officers, on shore, when the firing ceased, we imagine, in consequence of our officers remonstrating against the inhumanity of firing on defenceless men; but such was their want of feeling, and must fur ever stamp the French manic with infamy, that they would not suffer our boatsto return for the renrainder of the officers and ship's company, who must have perished, it riot been for the brave and indefatigable Capt. Sommerville, who, in defiance of all danger, and against the remonstrance of his pilot, worked his ship up among the rocks, brought her to anchor, and took the remainder, officers and ship's company, off.the wreck, after remain ing there several hours, with no prospect of saving our lives, except by a raft we were then preparing on the Rota's boat ;on our taking the re mainder of the men from the Laurel, the enemy commenced firing again on the boats, until they were out of reach of shot. At the time of my quitting the ship, she was entirely under water; the men wear hang ing on the weather bulwark for several hours before leaving the wreck. flius was lust one of the finest fast-sailing ships his Majesty ever possess ed, from the haziness of the weather, and ignorance of the French pilots. "NA MES OF OFFICERS NOT PRISONER S.—First Lieut. O'Shatielinessy; Mr. Hodge, Master; Mr. Mercer, Purser; Mr. Crofton, R. M.; Nfeerrs. Crowley, Corneck, Clayton, Lambert, Eaton and Gardner, Midshipmen; and Mr. Whichcow, Clerk. " PRISONER S.—Lieutenaliti Brone and Green; Mr. Forbes, Surgeon;. Mr. Chozner, Lieut. R. M.; Mr. Galway, Midshipman; Messrs. Digs, Tighe, and M'Cat thy." Vire following letter gives some interesting particulars of the action in which the French frigate .Pomona was taken : " His Majesty's Shill/Verge, Lisea, Dec. 12, 1811. " We arrived here about ten days ago, with a French frigate and store-ship, captured by us in company with the Active and tin/V, after very hard fought action of two hours and fifty-five minutes. The enemy's squadron consisted of the French frigates Paulin°, of 46, Paeone, of 44, and Persian°, store-ship, of 52 guns • the latter parted cleverly before the action. The Unit(' was sent in chase and took her, After a running fight of three hours. The 'Halle and Actire were then left to engage the Paulin and Ponione. We were very much cut up in the commencement of the action; in endeavouring to pass the Po mow, within musket-shot, to get alongside the French Commodore, they shot away our fore-top gallant-mast and our main-mast. The Po mune fought till she had not a stick standing. She struck when she had five teet water in her hold, and not until then. 4 . The French Commodore did not behave so well, he kept at a respectful disc. nee during the whole action. I Was in the first beat that bearded the prize, and found her in a terrible state. The wounded were lying about the decks, some under the masts crushed to death and others drunk. The French Captain is mach of a Gentleman, we conveyed him on board, where he delivered his sword. " The Active goes down with the prizes ; she is very much cut rip. The Alceste had seven men killed and twelve wounded, and one Officer killed. The Active had ten killed and twenty wounded. Captain;t ;toe- Dow has lust a leg, and the karst Lieutenant an arm, but are both eeing well; on e Midshipman was The Unit had one man Wounded. " Commodore RoWLET has taken, off Corfu, a store-ship laden with corn. " Our prizes have got in about 150 guns, to fortify the coast. I expect We shall in three or four mouths go down to Mai, ~ and from thence toEngland. We expect to fall in with another squadron, which we • told a coming up here." THE NATIONAL REGISTER• SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. 103 BETTING ON THE DERBY. OAKS, AND OATLANDS' STAKES. DERBY.-13 to 2 apt Dick Andrews filly. 9to 1 apt Comus. 11 to 1 agst Whitburn. IS to 1 apt All-Fours. 16 to 1 abet Humming- Bird colt. OAKS.--6 to 1 apt Dick Andrews filly. 7to 2 agst the Duke of Rutland's filly. 10 to 1 apt Catherine filly. 14 to 1 agst 16 to 1 agst Mr. Vansittart s filly. 16 to 1 agst Gen. Groivenor's t.ll y. 17 to 1 agst Mr. Ladbrokes filly. 100 to 7 apt Dick Andrews fill/ 'winning the Derby and Oaks. 0 ATI. ANDS. FIRST CLASS.+6 to I agst York. sto I apt Romeo. 7to 1 agst Morgiana. 6to t agst Sprightly. SECOND CLASII.4 to 1 apt Engraver. Sto 1 apt Poulton. 5 to 1 agst Stingtail. THIRD CLASS.-7 to 2 apt Sorcerer. sto 1 apt Beverley. 6to 1 agst Whalebone. 7 to I apt Britannia. 1000 to 25 agst naming the three winners. PROVINCIALS. A singular attempt to rob the public-house situate at the tall-gate, called, Pease Pottage-gate, on the Cuckfield-road to London, was made in the night of Wednesday last. Towards the evening of that day, a person, decently attired as a female, applied at the above house for re freshments and a bed, both of which were obtained. Soon alter the r.'- tiring to the latter, the maid of the house hinted her suspicions to her master, that the stranger she had lighted up stairs was a ma:: disguised in woman's clothes. After much had been said on the subject, three or four persons who happened to be drinking in the house, :!greed to sit up all night in the tap-room, in the dark. In the night the t :could of foot steps, as of some person, cautiously descending the stairs, was heard by those below, and some one, soon afterwards, ft oni within, made an eioay to open the front door, sounding a whistle at the same time, and foot steps were distinctly heard front without. The party on the watch rushed forward, secured the mysterious personage, on the inner side of '- the door, and the suspicions of the house-maid were coofirmed. The detected ' ruffian has been fully committed fur trial. About , two o'clock on Thursday morning last, Mr. John Finch, of Dartford, hearing a noise as' if some pers: ns were attempting to 1nt2.1 into his house, he, in consequence, went down stairs armed with a brace of pistols and a blonde buss. On finding the back door cut, and the fastening undone, he searchad about the premises, but could discover no one until coming to the *ivy, when two men, with their faces Witched, ru , hed out upon him ; one of them he shot in the shou..ler and fell ; with die second he had a long scuffle, and received two wounds from a knife; at length getting at liberty he fired hVs other pistol, and shot this his second assailant through the body, 1 svo ladies, living next door, hearing-the report of the pistols, alarme37"the neighbours ;.d the wa t c hman who was as/e'p, but, who did not arrive in time to secure the ; and Mr. Finch was so exhausted, as to he capable of doing it himself. A good* deal of blood was afteryards discovered on the ground. F.traitv RONIERT.—A most extraordinary burglary has recently heen perpeti , ned in one of the home counties. In the de.id the night, a gait.; of rnfli.ins broke into the seat of an elderly Genqmtan of consi derable consequen •, and sit ipped it of plate, casa, and the 1 ally's jewels, to a very la. tie amount. Suspicion tailing upon a fellow of des perate character, lie wt:s apprehended, :Ind warrants were issued fur securing others ; but on the examination . -fthe former, it appeared that the CAindeeinii's west .:-f had !tag ed hitosell on thi °cc. m with the band of robbers, and, in consequence of this discovery, toe warrants are said to have been recalled, to prevent any farther disclosure of this singular transaction. To tlse Nobility and Gentry of F.LsIuon.—.•DONAL I) , Ladies' Head-dress and Gentlemen's Peruke-manufacturer, No. :N.), Jerinyn street, St. James's, begs to acquaint Ladies and Gentlemen, that he has invented and brought to pertec; ion his Patent Head-dres , es and (kit tlemen's Dre,s P.rukes, the texture of which is ;;o extremely fine and light, and each hair comes so distinctly through, appear , ; as if it were growing front the skirt ; they trity be combed in any (liri:ction or fashion, and attach so closely to the head, that it i 3 imp sssible ton tcov,e the 2t front a real head of hair; they are of an exceedinA sof ad elastic cra nky, and nev.r which rundt us them tro,y urn tlemen's Scalps curiously wroug'tt of the cane texture, to On I'ITESDAY NEXT, all tho rATE LOT ITRY will he Drawn, only 8,t)00 enntains Of l'wo of 4,(itJul.; Four of 1,0 mt.; and l Prii!:s 4CCI. 151. RICHAR PSON, (,901)1,13CK, and Co. ropf•ctftil!v inform till Public that Tickets and Shares aro (Pi Sale for the above Lotici - 7, <tt their Offices, the Cor.er of Cornhill ; grid facing :Jai King's Mews, Clearing-Cram.