The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1805-11-07 00:00:00

.-m . , - TUE LONDON GAZETTE EXTRA. ORDINARY. Afisir. illy- r. Nor. 6, I SOS. Dispatches, of which the following are enries. were received at the Admiralty this day, at one o'clock, •. m. frnm Vice-Admiral Clllingsvonsl, Commander in Chief of His Majesty's ships and vessels off Cadiz SIR, Rwyallis, cie Cape Treakit, OR. t!, tans. The ever to-be-lamented Death of Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Ne7son, who, in the late confliel with the enemy, fell in the hour of viAnry, leaves to rne the duty of informing my-Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that on the 19th instant, it was communicated to the Commander in Chief, from the ships watching the motions of the enemy in Cadiz, that the Combined Fleet had put to Sea ; as they sailed with light winds westerly, his Lordship concluded their destination was the Mediterranean, end immediately made all sail for the Streight's En trance, with the Dritish Squadron, consisting of 27 ships, three of them sizty-fonrs, where his Lordship was infirmei by Captain trickwood (whose vigilance in watching, and giving notice of the enemy's movemests, has been highly meritori eus), that they had not yet passed the Streights. On Monday, the 21st inst. at day-light, when Cape 'Trafalgar hare E. by S. about seven leagues, the enemy was diNcnvered six or seven mile; to 'he Eastward, the wind about West, and very light ; the Commander-in-Chief immediately made the sig nal for the fleet to bear op in two columns, as they are formed in order of sailing, a mode of attack his Lordship had previously direeted, to avoid the in. convenience and delay, in forming a line of battle in the usual manner. The enemy's line consisted of thirty-three ships fit' which eighteen were French and Free Spanish), commanded ;a chief by Admiral Villeneuve; the Spaniards, under the direc tion of Gravina, wore, with their heads to the Northward, and formed their line of battle with great closeness and correßness ; but as the mode of attack was unusual, so the structure of their line was news—it formed a crescent, ennvering to lee ward —in that, in leading down to their centre. I had both their van, and rear, abaft the beam ; before the fire opened, every alternate ship was about a cahle's length to windward of her second a-head, and a -stern, forming a kind of double line, and appeared, when on their beam, to leave a very little interval between them ; and this without crowding their ships. Admiral Villeneuve was in the Sucentaure in the centre, and the Prince of Asturias bore Grissimes flag in the rear; but the French and Spanish ships were mixed, without any apparent regard to order of national squadron. As the mole ref on:- attack had hen previously determined on, and cnmmunieareJ to the !slag Of ficers and Cant rites , fen , s'gnals wer e necess tr y, and none were made, except to dire& close et der as the lines bore down . The Ct)mmancter in Chief, in the Vi:,ar;•, led the weather column, and the Royal Sovereign, which bcre my Rag, the lee. The afkion began at tweh•e c'clock, by the leading ships of the columns breaking through the enemy's line, the Commander-in -Chief, about the tenth ship from the van, the second ii, command, about the twelfth from the rear, leaving the van of the enemy unoccupied ; the succeeding ships breaking through, in all parts, astern of their lead ers. and engaging the enemy at the muzzle; of their y ens ; the conflua was severe ; the enemy's ship. were fought with a gallantry highly honourable to their Officers, but the atta,:k on them was irresisti ble; and it pieased the Almighty Disposer of all events, to grant !lit Majesty's arms a complete and glorious vietory ; Aout three, p N. many of the ene my's ships having struck their cokuvs, their line gave way ; Admiral Craving, with ten ships, join. ing their frigates to lesv ad, stood tnwards Cadiz. The five headmost ships in their v . 1 tacked, and standing to the Southward, to windward of the British line, were eneaged, and the wernvnost of them taken ; the other, went elf, leaving to His Majesty's squadron nineteen ships of the line (of which two are first -rates, the Sar.:is,ima Trinidad and the Santa Anna), with thre • flag Officers, viz. Admiral Villeneuve (the Commander-in Chief), L)on Ignacio Maria D'Aliva, Vice-Admiral, and the Spanish Rear-Adl. Den Baltazar Hidalgo Cisneros. After such a viCtury, it may appear unnecessary to enter into encomiums on the particular parts taken by the several Commanders ; the conclusion says more on the subjeft than I have language to oxpress; the spirit which animated all was the lames when all ezert themselves zealously in their aNntry's service, all deserve that their high merits should stand recorded ; and never was high merit Wm conspicuous than in the battle I have described The Achille (a French 74), after having surren dered; by some mismanagement or the Frenchmen, took fire, and blew vp ; two hundred of bee mea ware caved by the tenders. A circumstance occurred during the altien, wOlcis ~.« Such a battle could not be fought without sus talning a great lois of men. I hare not only to !A mem, in common with the Br;!is!! Navy, and t British Nation, in the fail of the Commander ii, Chief, the loss of a Hero, whose name will be im mortal, and his memory ever dear to his country ; bgt my he tit is rent with the msst poignant grie• for the death of a friend, to wh .en, by many yeat's intimacy, :tad a perleft kuowlesige of the virtues of his mind, which i spired ideas supervir s to the com. mon race of men, I was by the strongest ties of afFeelion ; a grief to which even the glorious occasion in which he fell s does not bring the conso lation which perhaps it ought ; his Lordship receiv ed a musket ball in his left breast, about the middle of the :OM% and sent an Olitcor to me immedi ately, with his last fardweil; and soon after expiied. I have al) to Lou •nt the lots of those e xcelle Officers. Captains Ditff of the Mars. and Cooke of the Belleroph ; 1 have yet heard of none others. I fear the numbers that have fallen will be tound very great, when the returns come to me ; but it having bl.,wn a gale of wind ever since the adlion, !have not yet had it in my power to eolith any ipperts from the ships. The Royal Sovereign having lost her masts, ex cept the tottering foremast, I called the Euryaius to me, while the action continued, which ship lyi ig within hail, made my signals ; a service Cap:ain Blackwood performed with great attention. After the aStion, I shifted my flag to her, that I might inure easily communicate my orders to, and coiled the ships, and towed Lb"! Royal Sovereign out to seaward. The whole fleet were now in a very perilous situation, many dismasted ; all shattered, in thirteen fathom water, off the shoals of Tra falgar ; and when I made the signal to prepare to anchor, few of the ships had an anchor to let go, their cables being shot; but the same good Providence which aided us through such a day, pre. served us in the mght, by the wind shifting a few points, and drilling the snips off the land, except four of the captured dism tired ships, which are now at anchor off Trafalgar, and I hope will ride safe un :il those gales are over. Haviog thus detailed the proceedings of the Fleet on this oczasion, I be to cortgratnlgte their I.prd ship, on a via., y, which, I hope, W;il:tid a r.iy to the glory of His Majesty's Crown, and b.: atteadrd with public benefit to our Country. I am, &c. (Signed) C. CoLsiiitswooo. tv,tFlin Mar.de.l, The 00-der in whirl fir Shot of th e eprit..h Sguatlron ottecAed the Co•ndmed Keels on the 21st of Onro her, 1805 : VAN. Vintery. Temeraire. Neptune Conqueror. Leviathan. Ajax. o ion. Agamemnon. M rotator. Spartiate. !Stamm's. Africa. Furyalos. Ph m. 0.. Pickle Icho , r•er. F.:sire:no/Lne Cutter. (s.gned) PEAR. Royal Sovereign. Marv. Rol lei4e. Tonoant. Bellerophon. CAUSSUI. Achille. P..ly phein us. eve:ige. Serfteuie. Deknce. Thunderer. Defiance. Prince. Dreadnought. C. SOLLINGWOO D. GENERAL IL/AUER. Eurydlus, Om 22, •tisoo. The ever-to-be-lamented deatltsif Lord Viscsiunt Ne'son, Duke of Biome. the Cornmander-in•Chief, who fell in the adtion of the 81st, in the arms of Vidory, covered with glory, whose memory will be ever dear to the British Navy, and the British Nation, whose zeal for the honour of his King, and for the interests of his country, will lie ever held up as a shining example for a British seaman, leaves to inz a duty to return my thanks to the Ri;;ht Hen. Rear-Admiral, the Captains, Officers, Seamen, and detachments of Royal Marines, serving on board His Majesty's StilAdrOn g now unizr my command, for their conilud on that day ; but where can I find language to express my sentiments of the valour and skill which were displayd by the Officers, the anJ Marines, in the battle with the enemy, where every individual appeared an hero, on whom - he glory of his country depended; the attack was irresistible, and the issue of it adds to the page of our naval annals, a brilliant instance of what Bri tons can do, when their King and their Country need their service. To the Right lion. hear-Admiral the Earl sf so strongl► marks the spirit of British ssT men, when engaging the eileniies of their country that I cann't resist the plessnre I hare in making ;' known to their Lordships; the 71wzr.riee vrai beard ed by accident, or design, by a French s ip, on on. side, and A Spani tr 1 nn ;he other; the cont :cc IN 45 •1gr.1011% but, in the en.l, the combined Ensign were torn from the p and the British hoisted in their paces. Norther';, to the Caat tins, 03kers, and Seamen, old to the Oiricets, Non.commissinned Of f icers. and ''rivatee of the ft:tyal Mailssea. I be; to give my sincere and hearty thanks . , lot their highly merito -ions condua, hmh in the ?Flinn, and in their zeal and anivity in bringing Th. captured sbids out horn tic perilous situ ttnin in v. i.ich woe, ;heir .orrender, among the snipe:: of Trafalgar , in bins- Peri Ats weather. And I desire that the respective Captains will he pleased to commnnicate to the Ott:ers, Seamen, and Nlarines, this public testimony of my high ippt obation of their conchni, and isty thanks for it. (Signed) C. Couutecwoon. o the Rich t I lonow.,hle Rear.Admeral the 31 , 1 the reepettlee Cap taint a. 141 Connuan,lert. GENERAL ORDER. The Almighty God,, whose arm is strength, hay. ing of his great mercy been pleased to crown the exertinn of Majesty's fleet with success, in giving them .t complete viaory over their enemies, on the 2ttt of this month ; and that all praise and thai,ks gis ing n:ay be offered up to the thisme of Grace for the groat benefits to out country and to mankind, I have thought proper, that a J.ty should be ap pointed, of general l , umiliation before God, and thanksgivin g for this his me:cifui goodness, imPlor ng forgiveness of sins, a continuation of his Divine mer y, and his constant aid to us, in the defence of our country's liberties and laws, without which thc utmost efforts of man are nought, and direel there fore that' , be appointed for this holy parpose. _ • Given o.t hoard the Furyatus, off Cape Trafegar, 22) Or. tuber, IdS. !ti , goc.l) C. COLLINGW(IOD. To the receectie,Cl,,t.,lll...,ut N. 13. The Flvet b caa disperse) by a gale of wind, no day AS yet ha; been able to be appointed for the Above purpose. SIR, .s, off Caiiz., OS. 24, MI. lu my letter of the I detailed to you, for the information of my L •rds Commissioners of the Ad miralty, the proceednigs of His Majesty's squadron on the day of action, and that preceding it, since which, I have had a continued series of misfottuties; but they are of 1 kind that human prudence could not poasibly provide against, or my skill prevent. On the `2.1, in thu morning, :s strong southerly wind blew, with squally weather, which, however, did not prevent the tia;vity ot :he Officers and Sea men of str.-ln ships as were m +nag:stilly from getting hold of many of the prizes (tlarteen or fourt::e;.) and towing them off to the wes: ward, when I order ed them to ren leavous round the Royal S ,, vereign, in tow by the Neptune: but, en the 23J, the gale increased : and t':e sea ran at high, that many c•f them hr ke the tow-rope, and drifted far to lee ward, befre they were got hold of again, and some of them, taking advantage in the dat k and boisterous night, got before the wind, and have perhaps drifted upon the shore and sunk; on the afternoon of that day, the remnant of the Con,hined Fleet, ten sail of ships, who had not bee, much engaged, stood up to leeward of my shattered and straggled charge, as it meaning to attack them, which obliged me to coiled a force out of the least injured ships, and form to leeward for their defence ; all this re tarded the progress of the hulks, and the bad we.t• ther continuing, determined me to destroy all the lee wardmo t that could be cleared of the men, consider ing, that keeping possession of the ships was a matter of little consequence, compared with the chance of their falling again into the hands of the enemy ; but this was an arduous task, in the high ,at which WAS running. I hope, however, it hat been acconi phshed to a isonsiderable extent ; I entrusted it to skilful officers, who would spare no pains to execute what was possible. The Captains of the Prince and Neptune cleared the Trinidad, and sunk her. Cap tains !lope, Bayntun, and Malcolm, who joined the fleet this moment from Gibraltar, had the charge of destroying four others. Ihe itedoubtable sunk astera of the Swittsure, while in tow. The Santa Anna, I have no doubt, has sunk, as her side was almost entnely beaten in ; and such is the shattered condition of the whole of them, that sinless the weather moderates, I doubt whether I shall be able to carry a ship of them into pan t. I hope their Lord-hips will approve of what I (having only in consideration the destrunion of the enemy's meet), hare thonght a measure of absolute necessity. I have taken Admiral Villeneuve into this ship ; Vice-Admiral Don Aliva is dead. Whenever the temper of the weather will permit, and I can spare a frigate (fur there were only four in the action with the Fleet, Luryalus, Sirius, Phoebe, and Naiad ; the Melpomene joined the 22d, and the Eurydice and Scout the 23d), I shall collen the other Flag-Officers, and send them to England,with their Cgs, if they do not all go to the bottom, to he laid at His Majesty's feet. There were four thousand troops embarked, un der the command of General Contamin, who was taken with Admiral Villeneuve in the Bucentaure. 1 I am, Sit, 'cc. (Signed) C. Cc.t i isc,wooci. THE BRITISH P . ES: LONDON, THURSDAY. NIPTEM eta 7. DESTRUCiirr.T Or THE COMBINED FLEETS cif FiVINCE wed SP4II; AND THE ) EATII Or LORD NELSON!!! We lately- announced. that Goierninen s. e daily e x p e el at i on of important news from t h e o f ~ off Cadiz, und er t h e command of Luis! Isletsoi. It has at l engt h arr i ved. At one n'clnek, • . L'elhEenalit LA PoioTittle, Commuue, the Ptclie schooner, arrived with dispschei Admiral Coati:es:woos, who had been s •colid in command to his Lordship ; and, about three o'doci s . Capt. SYKISs, of the A r amidur, also arriy.,,,l at the Admiralty, with duplicates of the same. 'l.ticir contents are given in Tic Ex:rooptliwtry of which an accurate copy will be found i 4 our per. ceiling columns, announcing the most gtorisst, els tensive, and decisive vietory, ever cubraiue4 by a British ; and the desch of the bravest, m..: lamented, and meritorious Oliver, that ever Alan. el the British Navy—the great Lnrd NALsON ! Th.! Board of Admiralty m-t at an early hpur, and were attended by Capt. SYKES and Lieut.!,untie,. Title E. The moment the Board !lad read the di,. patches, an Adstiralty Messenger was seat off with an account •ci His %axis- v, at Windsor, where he arrived at h di -oast six o'clock, 4. As, His Royal Highness the Dale,- of YORE arrive! at the Castle about eight, at once to cungratulate Their MAMA TIES upon this most glori uis V tc roa v, and condole with them upon the great aod heavy loss by which it was purchased. Her kIAn'TY, 01 h2ing io. formed of the news, called the Pitifictsses artutid her, and read the di,patch aloud; while the whole ROYAL GaourE dropped a tear to the memory of Lord NALsOv 1 His MAJESTY was greatly affeCied, and exhibited, in his countenance, evident marks of the sincerest sorrow ! The ROYAL FAMILY then went to Chapel, to return thanks to Almighty God for the success of His Msassry's arms ; *ad, about Ole o'clock, the Stafferdshire Militia marched to the Little Park, where they fired three vol:ie; in ho nour of this great event. The Luke of CA s, BRIDGE, and the Princesses Aymara, MAR v, an:: Soma., accompanied by Lady Wisv A RD, viewed the scene from a balcony. While the Ro vA L FAmILY were expressing their thankfulness for this glorious viaory, and their sorrow for the death of the heroic Chief, and those brave tars, by whose exertions it was obtained, the news began to spread through every part of this great metro polis. Ahoot ten o'clock, the public mind became: greatly azitated. Tile public offices, the coffee houses, and other places of general resort, were crowded with a isfit.t.ts eaquilers. The office of Tae Bail - Ist( Prt Ess w 4, tilled, and its doors besieged by a I descriptions of people, and to gratify their ins. pm tunity, we published a SECOND Eotriots, con. taining the substance of the news ; but it was im ',fusible to furnish a supply of Papers equal to the demand. At half past 10 o'clock, the firing of the Park and 'rower guns announced this glorious vie wry, and, shortly after, the following comm was seat to It.ovia's from the Admiralty : " /tomtit at...Tv-orrice, Nov. G, at One, e m. " L'eut. LAPEAOTIERE, of the Pig schooner, arrived last night with dispatches from Vice-Ad miral Cottiwir.woon. announcing a glorious vie. tory gained by his MAJESTY'S Fleet, off Cadiz, and r the command of Admiral Lord IsiTtisum. " On the 19:h of 0 flober, the enemy's fleet, con sisting of 33 ships of the line, four frigates, acd :ac brigs, came oot of Cadiz; and, on the 21 st, at ll' were brought to aClion by the British cii sisting of 27 sail of the line (seven having beta viously detached under Rear-Admiral Louts,j lour frigates and two smaller vessels. " The engagement lasted four hours, and tete& nated by 19 ships of the enemy's line striking their Colours, and being taken possession uf, exclusive of one which blew up in the aelion. " Lord IsILLSON's ship heieg closely engaged with the Sanoissinra Trirrialerle, and others of the enemy's ships, a muske!-shot, fired from the top, wounded his Lordship, and deprived him of his most valua ble life. " A gale of wind at S.W. coming on the next day, and on the 2kh and 25th encreasing in vio lence, many of the Prires drove adrift, anJ being close to a lee-shore, it is supposed, that serer al la._ :% 4