The National Register.
London, England, 1813-03-28 00:00:00

TUESDAY'S LO:VhON GAZETTE.

ADMIRAITV-OFFICr, MARCH 93, 1813.
hniral Lord Keith has transmitted to John Wilson Croker, Esq.
letter from Captain Tobin, of his Majesq's ship.the Andromache,
reporting the capture, on the 14Th instant, of the AmeriCan letter
of marque schconer Courier, of '25() tons, six ens, and ;33 men,
bound from Nantes to Baltimore.

Copy of a Letter from the Honourable Captain Irby, of his Ma-
jesty's ship the Amelia, to Jelut Wilson Cr.'ker, Esq. dated at
Spithead, the •nd inst.
beg have to acquaint you, for the inforntationor the Lord,
Commissioners of the Admiralty, that when I %vas about to quit
bierra Leone river for England, in his Majesty's ship muter my
command, on the of January, Lienteoant Pascoe arrived there
with the chief part of the crew ot his Majesty's gun-brit; Dating, he
having been obliged to inn his vessel on shore, and blow her up at
Tamara (one of the isles de Loss), in consequence of having been
ehased by a French frigate, in company ith two other ships ap-
parently frigates : he reported hayitig left them at anchor oil' the
islands on the ta tit. I imniediately dispatched Lieutenant Pascoe
in a small schooner to reconnoitre the enemy Itc having volunteered
his services); and on the 311 of February be returned, having as.
certained their force to be two frigates of the largest class (L'Arc-
thuse and Le Ruhis), and a Portuguese ship, their priZe; that they
had nearly completed their water ; and, after unloading the Porto-
I:mese ship, intended to give her up to the crew, and proceed them-
elyes to sea to intercept our hoineward-homul trade. Conceiving
that if I cruised off the Isles de Loss (in the event of their not hav-
ing lett them), I might be enabled to fall in With any of his Ma-
jesty's ships that might be coming down the coast, and also protect
the vessels bound to Sierra Leone, of which I had received intelli-
gence, I prepared to weigh ; when a cartel arrived from the islands
with the Master and boat's crew of the Daring, and the Master and
crew 01 another vessel they had taken, whose accounts corrobo-
rating Lieutenant PaSCOeS report, I left Sierra Leone river, and
worked up to the Islands : standing in at day light on the Gth ult.
towards the island ot Tamara, we joined the nine-cis Charlotte Go-
vernment schooner, who informed me, one of the frigates was
at anchor a considerable distance to the northward front the other,
which was apparently unloading the prize. I dispatched the
schooner to Sierra Leone, to leave directions to any ships that might
wive to repair to me. Having neared the island in the evening,
the frigate to the northward weighed, and stood out to sea; the
other frigate had signals living, and being observed at sun-set with
her. topsails hoisted, I stood off for the night ; and the next morn-
ing one of the frigates (I believe L'Aretlinse,) was just visible fr
the &etc; it was then calm ; on a breeze springing up about noon,
alte stood towards ns. As 1 had hopes of drawing her from her con-
sort, we -continued standing out to sea till sun-set, ashen not per-
ceiving the other ship from the mast-bead, mid the breeze tailing,
we shortened sail, write, and stood towetrds her. A little after seven
the enemy observing us near him, tacked, and hoisted his colours.
At 45 minutes past seven p.m. lacing within pistol-shot on his wLa-
ther-how, both ships commenced firing nearly at the same tame,
which continued (remaining nearly in the sante situation)
minutes past 11, when she bore up, having the advantage of be
lit g
able SO to do,• leaving us in an ungovernable state, with our
tanding and running rigging cut to pieces, and masts injured.
Daring the action we twice fill on board the enemy, in attempting
to thwart his hawse, when he attempted to board, but .was repulsed
by the marines (which were commanded by Lieutenant Simpson,)
and the boattlers. Though I most sincerely lament the nuincicus