The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-05-24 00:00:00

FRGM LIST NIGHT'S GAZETTIL
Admiralty (Vim May 23, iscg.
copy Pis leper from Hear-Admiral the Huu. Sir Melt/oiler,
Cacho/me, K. B. Commander-io-Chief of His Mojeoty's
rhipo lad mods at the Leeward Islands, to the Hon, %. W.
Pols, dated on huajd the Ncptuue, oil the Mona Postage,
the 17th of Apriloso9.
btx--1-tsving in my letter, (No. 6.37,) dated the
7th instant, informed the .Lords Commissioners of
the Admiralty of the arrangements that had been
made between Lieut.-General Beckwith and we,
for the rejection of the Saints, and, if possible, to
secure the French squadron of three ships of the
line mid two frigates, then at anchor there, which
it is ascertained -were sent to this country, expressly
for the relief of Martinique; I have now the ho-
lm'''. to acquaint you, for their Lordships' informa-
tion, with our subsequent proceedings, which have
been attended with the capture of Le D'ilittitpoult,
fine new ship, of seventy-four guns, of the largest
class.

The troops, under the command of Major-Ge-
neral Maitland, arrived at the Saints on the 13th
instant, and were landed the following duty with lit-
tle loss ; the direction r all naval operations con-
nected with the army b.F. ing been left entirely with
Captain Beaver, of the .leJsta, who conducted that
service with all the correctness and celerity which
I expected of him.
On the afternoon of the same day, two howitzers
end mortars began to play upon the enemy's ships ;
and I reee,red information that one of the line oad
weighed one of her anchors, bat that the others did
not appear to be preparing, for sea.
• I must here call then .ordsh '4lll' attention to
situation of the Saint:. whit!. ;lave three pas-
sages the . 4,nr could e.cui,, shying!), utid these
lacing iiituet,i: iifferent directions, mode it par-
ticularly difficult a guard by tive s'ops of the line,
so as to bring. an equal force to trivet enemy a;
either point. I •
At batf-pus• nine in the evening the concerted
signal was may • for the enemy's ships having put
to sea ; but the signals were for their having gone
both to windward and to 1- ,•ward of the Islatids,
which vas literally the c, as lam informed the
two frigates ptueeedc:l el), •v ay, and the three line
of battle snips the other.
The Neptune britt at the time off the south-
west passim!• • m-rde sail to join the Pamper, sta-
tioned ',oder west end, which ship 1 le;und had
• • and in chase of three ships, •pparently
u:iiing to the W. S.W. but from their inn:ear-
:ince in the dark, I did not suppose theta to be• of
the line.

At this time I was particularly at a toss how to
act, for if !hoer ships should hr the enemy's small
men of war, and the line of battle ships, reported
to he preparing for sea, should remain behlud, the
withdrawing of the equadroa from the Saints would
have lwen fatal to the worms landed the preceding
.In. The night was very dark, end it was not
detereni .e whether the whole of the
snips in off welt. of 1,.r line or not, although
\t'e crom2.l so near toe .:rninrr.t. that her shot
-track the Neptumatei kiilerl one man and wound-
ed roar. Worn daylight approached, they were
glearly discovered. and ev-ry endeavour maid to
come tip with t.:ein, the Parapet: being the only
line of battle ship. in company, cud the frigates
not joiniug ontil the fullt.witg day. Some ships
were seen from the mastw-eed, to whom I seat
to sigoity, by a sloop of war, the course we were
steering.
The superiori of the enemy's s:iiling, left little
chance for Ike Neptune getting up, unless mime of
the ships were disabled. and if any accident had
happened to the PompEe's masts, they must its-
evitably have all escaped ; .1 therefore directed
Captain Fshie to endeavom to cripple the stern-
most ship, without bringing uu the collected fire of
the three, then in liue abreast. hu th'al attempt, hr
was most gallantly supported by Captain Napier,
tit His illarsty'a sloop Recruit, who kept close up,
although fired at from all their stern chase guns,
mid did every thing that WAS possible to be done to
cot awry the enemy's masts nod rigging. end conti-
nued this service during the whole chase. which
lasted until this morning at half-past three, when
Le D'Hampoult was brought to amiou by the PPM.
pie and Castor, as will more fully appear by Capt.
Fabie's feelers here judo:smell
. _

1 should tint render justice to that excellent Of-
ficer was 1 to withhold the praise due to him for his
inireinetted atteutiou duriu. so long and arduous •
pursuit. and his taking such advantages of the ewe-
my's situation as o, casunially oceurred.t
I have much to regret in the loss of those that
have fallen mid suffered on the occasion, a lid of
whom is inclosed.

As the other two ships of the eneray separated
on the morning of the 17th, at two o'clock, their
route cannot be well ascertained; I suppose they
made sail to the southward, and will pass through
the Sombrero manage. They had outsailed this
ship so much as to be at too great a distance to be
observed when they parted, we of course followed
the Poitipi:e's
I am now waiting until the Pompiv and the
prize are refitted. to proceed to the windward ; and
I have detached the York and Captain, wall two
frigates and a sloop of war, to the Northward, to
try to intercept the enemy's two ships that have
escaped.
Until their Lordships' pleasure is known. I have
commissioned the prize. wild appointed Capt. Na-
pier to the command of her, as a reward for his spi-
rited conduct during the chase.
I have the honour to be, &c.
ALES. CoCISRANZ.
Via Majesty's Ship Pamper, April 17, tenet.
Cape Rawl, Purtu Lilco, N.L. by Di. arern
or right leagara.
obedience to your orders, com-
municated to use by telegraph at five p.m. on the
lob instant, proceeded under the Lower Saint, Mr
the Orissa: bf watching the enemy's motions,
should they attempt to escape from thence to the
Northward, I observed, soon after nine o'clock, this
signal, from the small ships and bri4s more in shore,
niuler the orders of Captain Cameron, of His Ma-
jesty's 4100 p the Hazard, that the enmity had put
• to INA, those signals were repeated to you ; and at
forty minutes idler nine o'clock, the Lower SaMt
hearing east, about a mile and a half, 1 distinctly
saw three large ships coming down, under all sail,
arid followed closely by the Hazard and several
others of the in-shore squadrons aith the signal for

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