The National Register.
London, England, 1811-09-29 00:00:00

-TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER.

ambulations without violating his honour, he took the stone in
This arms, and tarried it to a considerable distance. lie had been
always so scrupulous of honour, he would not easily have
-reached Blyth.

ImfosTon.—A fellow, on Monday last, was de-
tectcd in practising the following curious imi:Gsition upon the
female servants of Taunton. begins his story by telling
them that he is troubled with fits, and that he has been advised
by a Mrs. OwENs, of Boioughl;ridge, to collect thirty-pence
by a penny a piece from each of thirty plaids. With these he
is to purchase a silver ring, by wearing of which he will be
cured of his fits! I'he slanderous rogue impudently asserted
that he had experienced great difficulty In his collection. The
stocks Were represented to him as a better remely than a ring,
but the fellow had no faith in this recipe, and accordingly de-
camped with the utmost celerity.
Wednesday morning, a most alarming fire broke out on the
preinices of Mr. William Collin, at Extling, Suffolk, winch en-
tirely consumed seven dwelling houses and a stable,.v:gctlier
with a quantity of corn. There is no doubt as to the cause of
it, it being evidently by design, a new well-rope having b: en
clic and taken away to prevent a supply of water. The inhabi-
tants have offered 1001. reward, and the Phcenix Fire Office a
similar sum, for the apprehension -of the incendiary. No
less than five fires have happened in this village within four
years.

Thursday night, about eleven o'clock, a dreadful fire broke
out in,the.hoi:se of Mr. Kaye, of Croydon, which was almost
totally consumed in the course of an hour.

Corpor-r1 Wilson, of the West Kcnt 11/Hilda, is committed to
York Castle, for murdering another Corporal of the same Regi-
mew, named Clarke., who hart attempted to take him into custody,
r f.rone militar v offence—he stabbed him through the heart
wi:n a clasp knife.

TUESDAYS LONDON GAZETTE.

ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, SEPT. 424, 1811.

A Copy of a Letter :rem Rear-Admiral Foley, Commander in
Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels in the Downs, to
John Wilson Croker, Esq. dated on board the Monmouth,
in the Downs, the 22d instant, enclose the following :
His Majesty's Ship Naiad, off Boulogne,
7 a. m. Sept. 21, 1811.
SlR—Yesterday morning, while this ship was lying at an an-
chor off this place, much hustle was observed atnoug the enemy's
.flotilla, moored along shore close under the batteries of their bay,
which appeared to indicate that some affair of unusual moment
was in agitation. At about noon, Bonaparte, in a barge, accom-
panied by several other officers, was distinctly seen to proceed
along their line to the centre ship, which immediately hoisted
the imperial standard at the main, and lowered it at his de- '
parture, substituting for it a Rear-Admiral's flag ; he afterwards
visited others, and then continued in his boat fur the rest of the
evening. •
Since it is so much within the well-known custom of that per-
sonage to adopt measures that confer supTosed eclat on his pre-
sence, I concluded that something of that kind was about to take
place. Accordingly seven praams, each having 12 24• pounders
long guns, with 120 men, and commanded by Rear-Admiral
Baste, weighed and stood towards this ship, being expressly cr-
dered by the French Ruler, as I have since learned, to attack us.
As the wind was S. W. with a very strong flood-tide setting to
the N. F. while the enemy bore nearly souti from us, it was
clear that by weighing we could only increasit'our distance from
him ; so that our only chance of closing with him at all vv..s by
remaining at an anchor.
The Naiad, therefore, quietly waited his attack in that position
with springs on her cable.
It was exclusively in the enemy's own power to choose the
distance: each ship of his squadron stood within gun-shot, gave
us successively her broadsides, tacked from us, and in that mode
continually relocated the attack. After this had so continued
for three quarters. of an hour, ten brigs (said to have four long
24pOunders) and one sloop (said to have two such guns) also
weighed and joined the ships in occasionally cannonading us,
which was thus kept up for upwards of two hours without inter-
mission, and returned, I humbly hope, with sufficient effect by
this ship.
At slack Nsikter the Naiad weighed her anchor and stood off,
partly to repair sonic trivial damages, but chiefly by getting to
windward, to be better enabled to close with the enemy, and get
within there of some, at least, of his flotilla. After standing off
a short time, the Naiad tacked, and made all sail towards them ;
but at about nrset it became calm, when the et may took up
his anchorage finder the batteries eutward'of Boulogne, while
the Naiad resumed lter's in lietiernier position.

„ „

In this affair not a British subject was hurt, and the damages
sustained by this ship are too trifling for me to mention or report.
I have indeed to apologize for dwelling so long on this affair, but
my motive is the manner in which I understand it has been mag-
nified by the enemy, and the extraordinary commendations
which have been lavishcd on the Frenchmen engage d in it by
their Ruler. It is fitting, therefore, that his NI: sty'sj., Go ;ern-
ment should know the real state of the case, and the Lords Com-
missioners of the Admiralty may rest assured, that every Officer
and man on hoard the Naiad did zealously and steadily fulfil his
duty. I have the honour to he, &c.
PHILIP CARTERET, Captain

- -
Thomas Foley, Esq. Rear Admiral of
the Red, &c. &c. &c.
A'Copy of another Leetter from Rear-Admiral Foley to John Wile
son Croker, Esq. dated on beard the Monmotal
I,the
Downs, the 23d instant, encloses the following:
His Majesty's Ship Naiad, off Boulogne,
September 21, 1811.
Ste—This morning, at seven o'clock, that part of the enemy's
flotilla which was anchored to the Eastward of Boulogne, con-
sisting of seven praeuis and fifteen smaller vessels, chiefly brigs;
Weighed and stood out on tile larboard tack, the windebeing
S. W. apparently to renew the same kind of distant cannonade
Which took place yesterday. Different, however, from yester-
day, there was now a weather tide. I'lw Naiad, therefore,
weighed, and getting well to windward, joined his Majesty's
brigs Rinalde, Redpole, and Castilian, with the Viper cutter,
who had all zealously turned to windward in the course of the
night, to support the Naiad in the expected conflict. We all lay
to on the larboard tack, gradually drawing off shore, in the hope
of imperceptibly inducing the enemy also to withdraw farther
from the peutection a his formidable batteries.
To make known the Senior Officer'e intentions, no other sig.
nals were deemed necessary, but " to prepare to attack the ene-
my's van," then standing out, led by Rear-Admiral Baste, and
6 not to fire until close to the enemy."
Accordingly the moment the French Admiral tacked in shore,
having reached his utmost distance, and was giving us hie broad-
sides, the King's small squadron bore up together with the ut-
most rapidity, and stood towards the enemy under all the sail
each could conveniently carry, receiving a shower of shot and
shells from the flotilla and batteries, without returning any, until
within pistol-shut, when the firing on both sides his Majesty's
cruizers threw the enemy Into inextricable confusion. The
French Admiral's praam was the principal object of attack by
this ship ; but as that Officer in leading had of course tacked
first, and thereby acquired fresh way, and was now under much
sail, pushing with great celerity for the batteries, it became im-
possible to reach him without too greatly hazarding his Majesty's
ship. Having however succeeded in separating a praani from
him which had handsomely attempted to succour his chief, and
which I had intended to consign to the particular care of Cap-
tains Anderson and M'Donald, of the Rinaldo and Redpole,
while the Castilian attacked others, it now appeared best pre-.
ferably to employ this,ship in effectually securiug her.
The Naiad accordingly ran her on board ; Mr. Grant, the
Master, lashed her alongside; the small arms men soon cleared
her decks, and the boarders; sword in band, completed her sub-
jugation. Nevertheless, in justice to our brave enemy, it must
be observed, that his resistance was most obstinate and gallant,
nor did it cease until fairly overpowered by the overwhelming
force we so promptly applied. See is named La Ville de Liens,
commanded by a Mons. Berbaud, who was severely wounded,
and has on board a Mons. La Coupe, who as Commodore of a
Division was entitled to a broae.penJant. Like the other prawn',
she has 12 lung guns, 24-pc:Madera French, but she had only 112-
men, 60 of whom were soldiers of the 724 regiment of the line.
Between 30 and 40 have been" killed and wounded..
Meanwhile the three brigs completed the defeat of the enemy's
flotilla, but I lament to say that the immediate proximity of the
formidable batteries whereunto we had now so nearly.approach-
ed, prevented the capture or destructiriti of more
.pf their ships
or vessels. But no blame can attach tp any one op this account ;
for all the Commanders, Officeis med. crews did bravely and
skilfully perform their duty. If I may be.pierrnitied to mention
those who served moreimmedlately under my own eye, I must
eagerly and fully teleify to the merits of, and zealous support I
received from Mr. Greenlays, the First Lieutetrant °tithe; ship,
as well as from all the extellent offlcets of every description,
brave seamen and Royal IVltrinea, whom I have the pride and
pleasure of commanding.
I have the honour herewith to enclose reports of our loss,
• which I rejoice to find so comparatively trivial, and -that 'Attire
nant Charles Cobb of the Castilian is the only officer who has
I have the honour to be, &c.
' PHILIP CA.RTEICET, Captain.
, Thomas Foley, Esq. Rear-Actinkal of
the Red; &c. &c. &c.