The National Register.
London, England, 1811-09-22 00:00:00

NATIONAL REGISTER.

Aampus fri-
gate, Captain E. HAween, whom he hailed first,
peremptorily ordering him to discleite all Ameri-
can sailors, and send them on board the President.
Captain HAWKEIt very properly answered that he
was not authorised to discharge any one seaman
from his ship without an order from the Admiralty,
or his own Admiralty. The inflated hero replied
that " he must use force," and instantly fired a
shot athwart the fore part e%f the Melampue, think-
ing that sufficient to terrify Commander into a
cornpliattfle. Disappointed in his axpectAtions, he
then repeated his demand and hie shot without
more effect, and proceeded to a third, when he re-
ceived such ar broadside as completely hulled his
ship, and .struck him with regret at having impru-
clenrly relied on his superior force. The engage-
ment continued some time, when the President
slackening her fire, seemed to Indicate some symp-
toms of a repetion of her former conduct, when
finding the Little Belt unconquerable, she called
ber wanton aggression a mistake, and avoided a
Continuation of the contest by making an apology
for having attacked a weaker vessel. To prevent
ter availing
.herself of a similar excuse, Captain
Kivegen made up for the inferior number of his
guns by the vivacity of his fire, so- that in a short
time the American hero struck hit flag and was
Safely conducted to Halifax.
This account *as brought by the Peacock, of 18
suns, Captain PEAKE, which arrived at Plymouth
on Friday last. The following ar,! two letteos from
Plymouth descriptive of the action
PLYMOUTH, SEPT. 19 —The latter ,;;!d of July the Me-
lampus, 36, Capt. E. H. esker, sailed on a rruize from Halifax,
and off the c ast of America fell in wi tltv Pre,ident, 41,
Commodore Rodgers (uf Littl.! Belt memory). The Meidm-
pas was laying to, 'when the President bore down, and hailed
ber rather in a haughty manner, ordering Capt. H. to discharge
all American seameni:e might have' on b,rard, and send them on
board the Pettsident. To this insolent request Capt. H. mildly
said, he had no orders to discharge any seamen on board'his Ship
Without Admiralty orders, or an order trom his own Admiral;
on which Commodore Rodgers fired a shot
.athwart his fore-
foot; then repeated the same order—received the same reply;
When the President fired a second shot, repeated the same order,
•and again received the same answer—on which the President
fired a third shot. Then Capt. Hawker fired such a broaUde
into the President as astonished. Commodore Rodgers —A spi-
rited attion then commenced, which kited some time, when
the President, having had her main mast gone by the board)
struck her colours, and was conducted into Halifax.
" The Peacorh, Capt. Peake, arrived with the above ac•
count, having spoken, ( Ow Lizard, yesterday, a vessel front
Halifax, h left the FreFident and Mtlampus going into the
harbour. The Master stated the above particuhirs. The Me-
'law pus had 2.5 men killed and wounded; the President, 60 killed
4tnd wounded."

Master of which informed him, that previous to his leaving
Halifax, the Melampus frigate, Capt. Hawker, had arrived
there with the United States frigate President; that the latter
had fallen in wiilt the former at sea, and bore down on her
that Cominodore RODGERS fired a shot at the Melampus, and
demanded that any American seamen on board should be dis.
chargt.d. He answered, that no discharge of seamen could take
place without an order from the Admiralty, or Port Admiral az
Halifax. A shot was fired, and Commodore Rodgers asked,
whether he wouid.now give them up. No, was •the reply. A
second shot was fired, and the deniand repeated ; and, on a
third shoi.behig flied, an action cniumenced. The President
struck, having lost 50 or 60 men killed and wounded. I have
riot ascertained the loss on board the Melampus.
" The Captain of the English metchant brig declares he saw
the Melanipus towing the President into Halifax."
" N. B. The Presideritgrigate, Commodore Rodgers; United
States frigat*, and the Argus sloop' of war, arrived at New
York on the 7th ult. from $ cruiue."—Lloyd's, Sept. 21.

FIRING ON THE FRENCH COAST.
The firing -from the French coast, as our Ready
ers will see by the following letters from Deal and
Dover, was incessant nearly the whole of yester-
day--it was the heaviest that has been heard .for
three years. Our Dover Correspondent thinks it
was too great for a salute or rej:icing ; and resem.
bled the firing in an engagement. It was observed
to be the heaviest near the new tower erecting at
Boulogne. There were 70 of the flotilla out yes.
terday, and we trust our ships were able to get near
enough to take part in their manoeuvres.
4' DEAL, SEP r. 20.—A most iucessaot firing has been heard
the whole of this day from the French coast ; it tvis obsermd to
he parricnlarly heavy at nine A. M. and about three P. M.—,
Although conjecture respecting its cause is various, yet it is giro
neraliy and confidently attributed to the arrival of Bi.lotiorevalls
on the coast."
DovER, SE p.r. V.—Four pilots are ordered from this place, td
j,,in four more chips destined to reinforce the squadron off Fluslio
ing, and 30 more pilots have r,:eeived orders to be ip readiness
at a moment" notice. The Lord Warden is expected here next
week, to hold a P:lot's Court. and to fill up the vacancies. The/
1 eldest of the pilots, Mr. Sicepinan, about SO years of age, died
on Tuesday last.
Early this morning we heard a heavy firing on the opposite
shore ; it continued at times all the morning, and was very hot
'about one o'clock ; the wind is to the southward and eastward,
which makes us hear very plain; no news has arrived as to the
cause: by some it is conjectured that Blionaparte is at Boulogne,
and by others that the flotilla is out, and some of our cruiser,
firing at them: it still conchnies, though not so he vy as in the
early part of the day. Sir F. Burdett is at the Ship Inn • be is
on a tour along the coast, it is said, and dined yesterday at
Hythe, having been to see the Martell° Towtrs. We hear that
the Decoy cutter ran down a smuggling boat last night in chase,
but the people were all saved.—Aitbough great exertions are
made to suppress it, the guinea. trade still goes on ; it is chiefly
carried on by gallies, 'which row with from six totes oars each.
[ANUCHER LETTER SAME DATE.'
• The whole of this week a deal of firing has been heard on the
French coast, and it has been conjectured by many that Bony
had arrived at Boulop,ne, and that it was in honour of his arrival.
This morning, however, it was ascertained, that the firing,
which commented • about six o'clock, proceeded from the ene-
my's flotilla marreenviing outside the harbour; towards noon the
firing iricreased, and at length it became tremendous. A fisher-
man has since arrived here, and informs us, that he saw his
Majesty's ship Naiad, and two or three sloops of war on alto
• station, and by Way of showing the imperial Fleet a little A-
version, dashed in 'amongst, and appeared to disperse them.
No further varticulars art yet known,
A boat, containing 12,000 guineas,wis ran down last_ night by
the Pireoy cutter thtee of the men were wounded, and got OA
' shore at FullutOnS j the otlicra•are DOW op board the cutter. '

599 l'ilE
mencement of the action with the 114