The Sun.
London, England, 1808-12-13 00:00:00

NAVAL N EW S.

FALMOUTH, DEC. O.—Sailed the Dispatch Packet,
Capt. HARRIS, with Mails for Corunna ; Lord Ho-
bart Packet, Capt. HAMILTON, Witil Mails for the
Mediterranean; and the Winds-or Castle Packet,
Capt. SUTTON, with Mails for the Brazils.

PORTSMOUTH, Dac. 12.—Arriye.d the. Mariner,
FORD, and Expedition, PINDAR, from the Downs,
bound to Jamaica, the latter of which lost an anchor
and cable.

Also arrived the Providence, SMITH, JOhanHah,

--, Friendship and Phoenix, from London ; also
the Emity, —, from Lynn ; Betty, LouGll,CereS,
MOrd, THOMAS, J'ew Concord, HEDLEY,
and Commerce, SNOOK, from Sunderland ; Atalanta,
from Shields ; and the Francis, REDLA:qI), from
Fowey.

SHEERNESS, DEC. H.—Sailed for the Downs His
Majesty's Sloop Royalist, Capt. MAXWELL.
Arrived the .Deptford Tender, Lieut. ANTRAM,
with volunteers and impressed men for:the Fleet.
Mr. JOHN STRANG is appointed Surgeon of His
Majesty's Ship ginchelsea, in lieu of Mr. DANIEL
LANE.

DEAL, DEC. 12.—Arrived his Majesty's Ship St.
Fiorenzo, with the tollowing,Ships under convoy,
viz.—Sir William. Pultney, Worcester, Walpole,
Union, Duke of Montrose, and the Northampton,
from Bengal ; Ranger, Rover, Ferret, Skelton, and

.he Charming Kitty, KING, from the South Seas.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER RECEIVED BY MESSRS. HOGG
AND CO. FROM MR. ROBERTSON, CHIEF MATE OF
THE CATHARINE, FENN, FROM LONDON TO MALTA,
DATED MALTA, SEPT. 26, 1808.

GENTLEMEN---.
" I do Myself the honour to inform you of the
safe arrival of the Ship Catharine in this port, from
Gibraltar, which place she left on the Bth instant ;
but I am sorry to add that Captain FENN was very
badly wounded, on the 13th inst. in latitude 38. 35.
long. 3. 20. by a shot, in an action with a Ftench.
Privateer. On that day a sail hove in sight on the
larboard bow, on a wind, standing for us. We
hoisted ensign and pendant, and fired a gun ; she
strewed St. George's flag and pendant, anti stood on
until she got into our wake, then bore np directly
for u . We prepared every thing for action, being
suspicious of her ; and as soon as it was possible to
be understood, by Captain FENN'S order,' I hailed,
and asked from whence she came ? She answered,-
from Gibraltar, and was in distress for water. .I
ordered her to haul her wind immediately, or we
should fire into her. She still cried out, Water !
water'." and came on, when I immediately pointed
one of the stern guns, and ordered fire. I then
jumped to the opposite.gun, pointed it. and ordered
fire. This order was countermanded, in conse-
quence of her crying ". Mercy ?" and " Water 1"
but as soon as the smoke of • the first gun cleared
away, Captain FENN saw with his gl,,iss that they
were getting ready to change their colours, and were
pointing their bow guns. He called out, "Itis a
Frenchman, fire away !" He no sooner spoke, than
be got the contents of the second ; but before our
guns could be fired again, he grappled, and com-
menced a heavy fire with grape and musketry. I
immediately seized a musket, and-shot the Captain,
who was going to give orders through his trumpet.
I sung out, " I have shot the Captain !—Victory, my
boys !" and we gave him three cheers to advance.
They returned the same, and came on r bravely,
when poor FENN, with his boarding pike in his
hand, was shot through the body. He addressed
himself to me—" I am shot ; but fight on, my dear
fellow." I encouraged my men, and soon repelled
the boarders with very great slaughter.
In about half an hour, like savages they sang
out, and came on again, but were again repulsed
with considerable loss. This caused such great con-
fusion amongst them, that they got their grapplings
unhooked, and 'took a broad sheer-oil, which I im-
proved immediately, by sheering likewise, and got
two of the great guns iuto him before he could get
to again. This, no doubt, damped their courage, but
they again boarded with three cheer,, and several
succeeded in getting over our nettings into the poop,
but our men, like heroes, made a bold push, and ei-
ther killed or wounded every man who made Ids ap-
pearance; and those poor devils who had the impu-
dence to come on the poop were also shoved over-
board with the pikes fast in their bodies. This was
the sickening job, for they made a terrible noise, got
their grapplings unhooked, when I ordered the man.
at the wheel to lull the Ship to give a broadside.
Unfortunately the Ship was unmanageable, her sails
and running rigging flying in all directions; but' ai
a substitute gave them the stern chasers, entirely
loaded with grape, as long as h could be of service.
I then gave all the hands a good glass of grog, and
like smart fellows soon got the vessel on her course
again. This being done, I ran to the Captain, and
dressed his wounds ; he was then apparently dying,
but through a miracle we have preserved his life.—
'He is in a tolerable fair way, and On shore, under
the Doctor's charge.
" The privateer was a fine latine-rigged vessel,
carrying two large sails, and her decks as lull of men
as possible ; we judge from seventy to eighty. We
must have killed a great number, as a great quantity
of blood rose on the water. It appeared to me a mi-
racle that none of our men were killed, as the grape
and musket balls came in like hail. We had only
two Men slightly wounded, one of whom was at the
wheel."

Captain BOWLES is appointed to the Medusa, at
Portsmouth ; Captain AIBOLEAU to command the
Sea Fenciie•les at Salcombe, vice PORTLOCK ; Captain
ROBERTS, to the Castor; Captain .I.lilosiTAoua, to
the Declaignetise ; Caw* pgapos,. of the Proeris,
to. the Terpsichore ; Captain
,NOVRtili, to the ire-
derickstein ; Captain D'AUVERGNE, to the Albtiore ;
Captain SKINNER, to the Gold, finch Captain Hew-
hON to the Monmouth.