The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-12-08 00:00:00

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LORD COLUNGWOOD'S FLEET.
VICRACT OP A LEITER VitoN A GENTLEMAN, ON
O,IID THE toI.94SUS.

"1/ M. a. cetwssus, eif lamas, NOV, t,tatg.
ate DEAR Six—l sun very happy to And there
is au opportunity of writing to England by a ship
which is going home with Lord CoLtaximousi'ili
dispatches, and I shall not let it pass animist writing
to you, especially as !hare some good news to com-
municate. On the night of the 22d of October.
(cruising' off Barcelona) we observed a ship to wind-
ward, coining down wrier all sail, and tiring gulls ;
and ou her nearer approach. we bad the pleasure of
seeing she had the night signal up for the enemy's
fleet bating put to sea. The Admiral immediately
made the signal to cl.•ar for
action, and make
all sail iii chase to windward ; which you may be
sure was complied with. with the greatest alacrity.
••••••At day-light. we observed a frigate to wind-
ward, let fly her top-gallant sheets and tire a gun,
which is the signal tor a strange fleet being in
sight. At eight p. in. we saw them Irmo the toast-
bead, and soou found it was the etiritty 's
fleet. We
beet to quarters, and made all sail in these. It
appears they little expected to have fallen in with
us, as, when we first saw them, they were coining
dowu before the wind ; but, upon seeing us, they
immediately fended their wind to the eastward, un-
der a heavy press of sail, and we after them, with
every stiteh of sail we could-carry. 0:i our coming
• utarar to them, we could mike out three ships of
the line and two trigates, with a convoy of about
twenty sail of merchant snips. • We were coming
up with theirs very fast; bat, night coming on, and
testing they avert escape in the dark, the Ad.
*Marl made the sigma fur the weather division of
the fleet to continuo the chaise to windward, while
we (the lee division) went off to Barcelona, to pre-
vent then) getting in tittle, us we supposed it was
i their isitention to have relieved that (dace; but we
did not see any thing of them afterwards. But,
however, the weather division joined us on the 30th,
bringing the pleasing intelligenee of their having de-
stroyed the enemy's squadron, except one frigate,
which, by her superior suiting, made her escape.—
Our ships chased them so cluse, that the enemy
were obliged to run ashore, to prevent their ships
falling into nor Minds. Two of them blew up,
with a dreedfal explosion ; the other, and the fri-
gate, remain on shore, on their basin-ends. with all
their mastsgone, and by this time are destroyed.—
The convoy made their escape into Roses Bay.—
But while there is a British fleet afloat, the enemy's
ships are safe in very few harbours, much less at sea.
We cult live of Omni out last night, and hurtled
three, two of which were laden with powder, and of
course blowing up, they made a famous dust in die
air. Very kw people were loot, as they made their
escape on shore. The other slips we do not kilo*
any thitig of, but I dare say, they will be picked up
by some of our cruisers before they reach Toulon.
The lose on our wad rather heavy, as we bad to
tut the ships out front taml-r a very hearty battery.
One of the ship's haat, ...PI 11110W11 utt along-title the
powder-ship when she blew tip. We took and de-
stroyed in all 15 mil, Nome of wl.icli were sunk iu
the hay, so that the French have been completely
bitelkral in their attempt to relieve Barcelona.-a.
They thought we were lying off Port Malicia, when
they put to sea.
" I am your's affectionately,