The Sun.
London, England, 1801-07-27 00:00:00

JULY 23.

The squadron of ' Rear Admiral Sir JAMES
SAUMARE Z, which was defeated by Rear-Admiral
LINOIS, consisted of the C‘rsae, the Spencer, and
the Pompee of 84 guns ; the Audacious, the- Han-
nibal, and the l'enerable, of 74 guns. The Han-
nibal was taken ; the Pompe't had struck, and is
not in a condition to serve any more. All the
other Ships suffered very considera4l4-;
JEROME BONAPAR:riIS • tks7l and Ad-
miral GANTHEAUME'S eversinzejiie° hied from
Brest. He sheaved tti gt4tAnte.i'Mr j:particu-
larly in this aaion. ! 4)-

The following are the details of this'afrair, given
by Qeneral DEVAUX, who commanded the Troops
'which Werediserfibarked,` in a ,Letter dated:A/ge-
siews, -the Bth July. -
4_c have the, honour to acquaint you, -Citizen
Minister, oldie memorable' aCtioU which took place
on the 5111 of this month," 17efsv'c: n" the 'division
commanded by ke4r-Admirai..l4;:o comr-osed of

Vida
gate agaiith English
.iii the
1, :.e, and ti Priwte.: Wl; ati;iefted
in the road before itigesirai- at half past:eight in
-the Morning. The Aftion lasted Seven hours and
'a half: I have
,no language strong,eribugh,to di
justice-to the valour display.c,Lby our brave
the troops who were lanth!d bravely, seconded their
efforts. Rear.. Admiral. Li NC) e.mtrilnited mach
to the vidory, by the;.eourae and the'skill of his
manoeuvres. Captain of the Dessa;..V,
fbugli like a hero; as well -as the Ciptain'.cif the
Frigate. The Captains.. of the L'ilidi,n4table'and
the,Formida7de, who tlic4- in the bed. :of lioncin,r,
'deserve the sincerest reg:e:: The_ English Ship the
.1-lannibal,, of was ..taken, and .two other
Ships rendegd unserv,iceable...„;; .We it great
many killed and wounded,: but the- Englis:i
more. We' ;11-"! thrVarcned-xivitif a nets attack, for
the purpose of burning the ships in the prt. I had
the honour of being with the Fi-enCh cant. ;t sers ort.
the Wtteries of Algtsirds, 'which we servt;(l. ns ‘vell
as we were

(Signed)

cc DEVAU;;."

CALMS,, JULY 19. ---This morning at eigh,
o'clock, a small Squadron, consisting of six gun
boats, set sail from this port, carrying a R.,:mber of
troops. The signal had - been made that some of
the Enemy's Ships were in view, but as they ap-
peared at too great a distance to take any concern
in the movements on the Coast, the Squadron thought .
it might venture to set sail. and to gain BouhLrnz.,_
pursuing the cost with -a favourable 'wind.—lt lta~d
already-. proceeded half the:distance, when doubling
Cape'Grinis; it perceived four English Ships waiting
for them out of the sight of the Watch Towers. it
is supposed that they had choSen the night to gain
that station. The Squadron first meditated retiring
at the sight of such a superior force, when they
discovered six other Frigates, , which having Oh-
served them sailing from afar, had come upon their
rear; and thus kept: them blockaded-,—At the. sane
time one of the Enemy's Brigs tiring a signal of
1 S guns, about zo Ships of War, of all sizes, from
the Frigate down to the' Corvette, came to take the
Squadron in flank.
Thus blockaded on all sides, and supporting the
fire of . t 9foy,before, ,behind, and in flank,
they luckily found' a shallow part, and having by
an adroir nix-IC:env re, and.soiinding every minute,
placed themselves in such a 'Situation, that there was
a sand-bank 'between them and the English, they
cast anchor in sight of the Enemy, who did the
same. The Squadron was now in a situation of,
great danger : they had no Forts to Protea them ;
but their stedfast conduCt awed the English, who
appeared to hesitate as to the mode of attack. •
In, the
,mean time, Gen. FERRAND, commander of
the Military Division, Gen. Botia As commandant of
the place, and their General Staff on horseback, fol-
lowed by part of the garrison, by the Cannoneers, who
form part of it, and. by several pieces of .Artillery
set out in haste from the city towards the shore, in
order to carry assistance to the Squadron, by
throwing up batteries, which might; prevent'-the
English from taking or destroying them. But
while these arrangements were made, and while all
the speetittors were in 'great uneasiness and indig-
nation, the wind suddenly subsided, and 'a dead.
calm followed. The
,Squadron taking advantage of
this-favourable moment, and, by the assistance of
its oars, managed by the Crew and the Troops on
hoard, passed the British Fleet with intrepidity,
Who did not dare to attack it, nor to follow' it by
their ,Gun-boats nor Sloops, came back into port
amidst the acclamations Of all the spethtors, about
four o'clock in the afternoon.