The Sun.
London, England, 1801-07-23 00:00:00

LO.NDON, JULY 23, Igor.

yesc.rday stepped the Press, to announce
the arrival of Paris Papers to.. the zoth instant.
The most prominent, ~nd indeed the only fact of
importance which they contain, is the confirma-
tion of the loss of an English Ship, the Ranni-
ba!, of '74. guns, Capt. FERRIS, in att.'mpting a ma-
noeuvre similar to that which ensured us the Vietory
of the Nile. The French Admiral, LINO is, has sent
an account of the action in which this extraordinary
success attended the French. His Fleet consisting,
according to the account in 'the Moniteur, of Two
Eighty-gnn Ships. a Seventy-four, and a Frigate,
appeared before Gibraltar at the moment when an
English Squadron of Six Ships of War had arrived
there, among which, upon the same authority, were
several Ninety-gun Ship. The French Admiral
anchored in the Day of ill,,.fesiras, awaiting the
attack of our force. The battle took place very
warmly, and was Condikied-on both sides with a
desire to conquer. "Already," says the lifonitezer.,
" bad the English Ship, the Hannibal, succeeded in
placing itself between the French Squadron and
the shore—the decisive moment 'vas came." An
English Ship is stated to have struck its flag in
a quarter of an hour after this, and in a moment
afterwards the Hannibal followed the same exam -
pie. Within an hour the English Squadron cut
their cables and sailed away. The first mentioned
Prize was towed away by Gun-boats sent out from
Gibraltar.

There seems, unhappily for the survivors on
board the Hannibal, for of boo men no less
300 were killed, to be no doubt as to the fad of
the capture. of this Vessel, which the zeal and bold-
ness of its Commander had prompted him to place
between the shore and the French Ships. The Han.
?fibril "'brined part of the Squadron under the Com-
mand of Sir J:imEs SAUMAREZ, which consisted of
the C.r.sar, of 8o guns (the Flag Ship), Captain
BRENTON, the Audacious, of 74.gUns, Sir ROBERT
BARLOW, Knt. the Haurnibal, of 74 guns, Captain
FERRIS, the Spencer, of 74. guns, Capt. DARBY ;
the Povpie, of So guns, Capt. STIRLING, and the
Thames Frigate, of 32 guns, Capt. HOLLES (ading)
and the Unicorn Frigate of 32 guns, Capt. WENlyss.
These were to be reinforced, we believe, by the Su.
perbe, of 74 guns, Capt. KEATS, and the Venerable,
of 74. guns, Capt. S. Hoop.. It is from this list of
alp', commanded by Officers inferior in courage And
skill to none in the British Navy,,that six are to be
selected (several of theme' ninety guns), the majority
of whom, in an engagcmene with three French Ships
of the tine and a Frigate, ran away, leaving two
Ships in the possession of the Enemy, one of which
was afterwaids saved by the sore powerful agency.
of the Gibraltar Gan-boats!

Under what disparity of circumstances on the
part of the English, beyond that of situation, which
the French admit, and the difficulty of contending
with Batteries, this attack has- been- made, we
know not ; nor do the French Government think
proper to tell us,- What has been the fate of their
own Squadron, They are contented to express
their anxiety for the details, but it is most proba-
ble, that the objeft of the Article would not have
been answered by a more particular account. It
would not have been matter for Telegraphic Com-
,
munication to have stated the carnage which an
English of 74. guns, probably.the only Ship
of that force engaged, and which sacrificed'half its
force in'the Minn, must have:produced on board
the 13.ear-AdmiraVs • Ship.—Whatever. impatience
we feel for an authentic account of thii extraordi-
nary event, we are without anxiety as to the chi:"
ciaor of our Navy,'or of any iadividual in

•
these Paris -Papers we fir.a a repetition of the
story of the discinUirli:n ion of the TrnOps on board
GANTRE4umE's Squadron at Pertia, in-the Pro-
vince of Barter, .in .order to relieve the French
Troops in Alexandria. If we thouzht this story
unwottho of notice in the first instance, it is not by
it re-publication of it that its iib:).irdity can bill de-
faroygd,

THR scrcFecy with which Ministers have con-
idoeced the NeAoti4rion! has been very juuly the sub_
jet of applause among thoie who are pot in the
habit of commending them, sorpFtbino: is also 4uF
to. M- Onp upon this point! ttec4usg rise dftelosufe
upon, founer occasion* was; Per -ban regre owing
to tht*.c cotr,eft;tl with the person holding the situ-
ption f;yhich ,he now fills, than to Hi;, Majesty's
,Ministersr This,laudable secreu leaves us, upon
,the present occpoion, no means of jwigirig ?.,f the
state of the Neptiation, .but fiat) cjrcum3tancts
come to Our knowleclee. and which have a

reference to this important question. The state of
Parties in France, the preparations on the Coast for
Invasion, the interruption, in some degree, of the
freeuent intercourse which has larely subsisted be-
tween the two Countries, and the language of the
Official Journal, throw some light upon this in-
teresting subje&. We have the most decisive proofs
of the embarassments and difficulties which the Chief
Consul experiences in carrying on the war, and he
seems now reduced to what he has often declared to
be his last pecuniary resource, the Price of Peace
...with Porbegal.—That France, therefore, pants for
Peace, there can be no doubt, but in that Country
, i
the sprit of Party will have more influence upon
the question, than the necessities, or the wishes of
the People. -Already there are three distill& Parties
in France, that of BONAPARTE, of Mott EAu, and
of MASSENA.---BONAPARTE is not supposed to be,
in his own opinion, very unreasonable upon the ge-
. Petal question of Peace, and would certainly be dis_
posed to yield every thing, if Malta and Egypt were
secured to France. MoREATJ is still more moderate.
He knows how difficult it has been to keep the Ar-
my in discipline,- from the great arrears of pay due
to the Soldiers, and he also knows well the general
distress of the Nation. His char: der arid; his ta-
lents give him great weight,' and his adherents,
though not bold nor enterprizing, are both nume..
rous and respe&able. MASSENA, who is a Jacobin,
has for his partizans all who still hold the extrava-
gant doEtrines of that School,. and is the person
most dreaded by BONAPARTE. He is said to have
offered his Services in the invasion of this Country,
and scorns the idea of concluding the 'War until
France has brought all her Enemies under her yoke.
It is probable that the great question of Peace or
War will be decided liy some accidental circum- 1
stance, which. gives the preponderance to one of
these Parties, rather than by the justice of the terms
demanded by one Country from the other. As to the
demonstration of Invasion, .it is probably nothing
more than a threat with which it is thoughtplitic
to accompany extravagant demands ; but it becomes
Our Ministers to provide against it ; let them be
prepared. ai they were when it was formerly
threatened. Probably no attempt will }fie made,
and if it be, it will certainly
.end in the confusion
and discomfiture of the Enemy'. We cannot agree
with Mr. WINDHAM, that no cession of any of the
Colonies we have taken during the 'War should he ,
made to procure Peace, but we are as little disposed
to think that the relative situation of the two Coun-
tries, does not- justify and require Ministers to re-
tain acvcral of them. If Ministers err, we trust,
however, it will he on the side of moderation.
They will have hereafter to shew, that they were
in the Negotiation sincerely desirous of Peace, and
if they have
:made every fit and proper sacrifice
to obtain it, they will carry the Nation with them '
in taking measures for prosecuting the War with
vigour, until it can be closed on .grounds consistent
with our Safety, okir Honour, and our Indepen-
dent
Wt shall take an early opportunity of offering
some further remarks upon the language of the
Moniteur, from which it appears evident that the
most extravagant and inadmissible pretensions are
to be set up,' as forming the basis of any Treaty
with this. Country.

•
The Ilamburgh Mail 'which becaine due yester-
day, is not arrived.
The PRINCE Of WALES was received by the Po-
,pulace in Hyde-Park yesterday with the warmest
acclamations of 'regard, and wasfollpwed, after the
Review, with a zeal that it have been in the
highest -degree gratifying to his feelings.
Yesterday the Marquis of.Bu c KINGIIAM, as Com-
manding Officer of the Bucks Militia, received or-
ders from the'ViTar.Office to march his Regiment im.
mcdiately- froth Chehniford ;o Colchester Barracks ;
and an order was at the same- time. issued by Lieu-
tenant-General BALFoui,commaliding that Distri6;
for' all the Volunteers Corps, both horse and foot; to
be Cal-led out.without loss of time. Detaehmen.ts of
Artillery will immediately march -to strengthen the
principal points on the Kent and Sussex Coasts.

Lord BRAY e ttooKE, as Lord Lieutenant of Essex,
summoned the. Deputy Lieutenants -.and Magis-
trates of that County to meet yesterday, at the Shire
Hall, Clielmsford, to take into consideration the best
mode of defence for that County, and particularly
.for the coast part thereof, in case of the apprehend-
ed invasion of it by tke Enemy from the opposite
Ports of France. The meeting was very numerous.
Several resolutions were entered into, for the de-
fence of the Maritime parts of that County, and the
utmost activity is to be employed for carrying them
into effete

Lord 134-1-Tox, Lord STAWELL, Sir WILLTXM
HEATHCOTE, Sir AL ENANDE4 GRANT, Sir Et/.
W BRA HI/LSE, Lieutenant-Qeneral STEN Ito, &c.
attended a Special General Meeting of the Magis.
triicy of the County of Southampton, at Winehes_.
ter, on the 13th instant, at which several Resolu-
tions were unanimously agreed to, approving of the
measures recommended by Govertunent-against In-
vasion„ apd declaring that every means should be
used for catryipg, them into execution.
Orders have been sent down to. the Lords Lieu
terlants of difri:rent Maritime Counties, tq order
the pale and rtiagagoc to be ;c4noved futt4er
into the interior,,

/ale.
NAVAL NEWS,

Non illi impel-tram pelagi, savhmlue tridCntetn,
Sed mihi, sGrte datum.

PORTSMOUTH,- JULY 22.

SAILED the Le.yden and Texel for the Mediter.

ranean.