The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-27 00:00:00

RS

PORTSMOUTH) WEDNESDAY. - This morning, at 9
o'clock, the sere a• revenue cruiser Mermaid, Lieutenant
Stokes, R.N., commanding, towed into this harbour a
remarkably fine handsome barque as a prize, which she
boarded and captured at 5 p.m. yesterday off the east
end of the Isle of Wight. She is they Vesta, of %Vasa,
472 tons, 2 guns, 11 men, Niel Petersen, master, from
Hieres, laden with 600 tons of salt, and cleared out for
Elsinore, but prior to sailing received orders for Got-
tenburg. She sailed from Hieres on the 11th ult.,
passed Gibraltar on the 26th at 8 p.m., and at 5
yesterday was taken by the Mermaid. The
Mermaid took her prize in tow, and anchored in-
side the Nab at 9.30 p.m., weighed at eight this morn-
ing, and anchored her capture in Portsmouth harbour
at 11. The vessel is seven years old, not at all unlike
a man-of-war in build, clean sparred, and valued at
2,5001., without the cargo ; is copper fastened up to 11
feet, and sheathed with yellow metal. While towing
the barque last evening the Mermaid saw a foreign brig,
fired a musket at her, but she would not show her
colours, and bore away to the southwatd at "a spank-
ing rate." The Argus, Fire Queen, Fanny, and Avon,
all on the look-out, may give some account of her a few
hours hence.

SHEERNESS, April 26.—Two Russian merchant ships,
prizes, taken by the Alban, 4 guns, paddle-wheel steam-
vessel, Commander Henry Otter; arrived here this
morning between 8 and 9.o'clock.
Lieut. John Ward (b), of the Alban, came home in
charge of the barque Aina, and Mr. John Bull, Second
Master of the Alban, came home in charge of the brig
Nadeschda ; both of these vessels were from Lisbon,
laden with salt. The Nadeschda was -r; and for Hel-
singfors, and the Aina was bound for—Christiansand.
The bark was sailing under Danish colours, and the brig
was sailing under Swedish colours ; they were boarded
and taken, without resistance, about five miles off the
Trindelen light-vessel, off the island of Laeso, in the
Cattegat, on Friday last at noon. Neither of the Teasels
hove to until a musket was fired over each from the Al-
ban's cutter, in charge of Lieutenant Edward Burstal.
The brig Nadeschda having a very smart, rakish appear-
ance in the distance, was first taken for a Russian
man-of-war brig of 10 runs, which had been reported
to have been seen out, and the Alban's crew were
beat to quarters and fully prepared for action. The
British sailors in the Alban were much disappointed on
nearing her to see the Swedish colours smartly run up, on
her seeing the British ensign flying on board the Alban.
However, they were somewhat better satisfied when they
found they were Russians under false colours. At the time
they were taken the Alban was within pistol-shot distance
of both vessels. The brig Nadeschda had a crew of 11
men and the master. The crew of this vessel were
taken out, except the captain, boatswain, two sea-
men, and one boy .The captain's wife was on board
with him. The owners of the barque sent out directions
to the captain at Lisbon to sell the vessel. She is a
new ship, 'and was on her first voyage, but in conse-
quence of his not being able to obtain 3,0001. for her
he refused to sell her. 2,5001. was offered for her at
Lisbon, and the master now regrets that he had not
" put her in his pocket " at that price ; but he very
philosophically remarks, "It is too late now." The
barque Aina had a crew of 16 men and the captain. The
Aina has now on board the captain, chief mate, two sea-
men, and the steward ; all the rest of the crews of
both vessels were sent on board the Alban, and after-
wards landed and liberated under a pledge that
they would not take up arms against England or France,
to which they gladly agreed, and declared that it was
not their intention to return again to Russia. The barque
Aina got on shore on the Maplin Sand at 3 a.m. this
day, just below the Blacktail Beacon, and floated off
again on the flow of the tide. They were both anchored
at single anchor in the harbour, and after the officers in
charge had communicated with the Admiral's depart.
ment they received orders to proceed for London, and
put the ships into the London Docks. The steam-vessels
Fearless and Myrtle got up steam, and they left here
between 1 and 2 o'clock p.m. for London.
Lieutenant Ward and Mr. John Bull, of the Alban,
report that on Saturday last they saw off the Skaw,
at
the entrance of the Cattegat, a large Russian ship, of
from 800 to 900 tons, very deeply laden, homeward
bound, and they have no doubt the Tribune frigate has
before this time fallen in with her, as the Tribune, was
coming down to cruise off the entrance of the Cattegat.

PLYMOUTH, WEDNESDAY.—Her Majesty's steam-vessel
Avon, Master Commander A. J. Veitch, having in tow
a Russian prize, entered the Sound at half-past 6 o'clock
this morning. The Avon left Plymouth on Tuesday
morning with Lieutenant Millar, First Lieutenant of her
Majesty's guard-ship Impregnable, and a party of 20
marines, and the prize was seized at one o'clock in the
afternoon 50 miles from the Start. She is a Russian
Finland barque, of 370 tons, called the Carlos, is com-
manded by Captain Backe, has a crew in all of 17 men,
two of whom are Frenchmen and two Swedes, and left
Lisbon on the 6th instant with salt for Finland. She is
three years old, and her papers are in custody of Port-
Admiral Sir John Ommanney. Five Russians left Lis-
bon together, and the Carlos is the third captured in
the Channel.

RESULTS OF BRITISH SEA-FIGHTS.

At the present time it will not be uninteresting
to glance at the distinctive results of some of our
great victories in the last war, as much misappre-
hension exists on the nature of the difficulties which
our nautical heroes had to overcome in former
days
Seldom was England in greater danger than in the
momentous year "1797." It was, indeed, an awful
crisis. In France, Spain, and Holland, combined naval
preparations were actively carried on for the invasion of
England and Ireland. Civil war was waging in the
latter country, and, worse than all, there was a mutiny
at the Nore. Taxes were accumulated, the Bank stopped
payment, commerce was paralysed, parliamentary ac-
tion was unhinged, and the Directory of France, raging
with revolutionary frenzy, resolved to strike a tre-
mendous blow, and invade England with 70 sail of the
line, ready equipped for sea, in the ports
of the Texel,
Brest, and Carthagena L While Europe was in suspense,
Lord Bridport was ordered to blockade Brest, Admiral
Duncan was sent to watch the Dutch, and Admiral Jervis
was told to look for the Spanish fleet. Two famous sea-
fights delivered our grandsires from the perils of the hour.
The battle of St. Vincent was fought on 14th Feb., 1797,
the English Admiral having 15 sail of the line, while the.
Spanish Admiral (Cordova) had 27 sail of the line, besides
10 frigates. There are some discrepancies in the accounts
as to the actual numerical force engaged on both sides ;
but all the narratives, Spanish and English, give a formi-
dable superiority to the Spanish fleet. The Spaniards had
La Santissima Trinidada with 130 guns, they had six
3-deckers, of 112 guns each, two 80-gun ships, and 18
74's. The English had two 100-gun ships, three 98's,
one 90, eight 74's, one of which, the Captain, was
mounted by Commodore Nelson, one 64, one 38, and
three 32-gun frigates, two sloops, and one yeac The
line of the Spaniards was loosely formed, and skilful
manoeuvre Jervis resolved to cut off the outlying,
Spaniards, the result of which was that he reduced his
immediate adversaries. to eighteen. The Spanish ad-
miral tried to wear his fleet and rejoin his separated of ves-
sels ; but the tactics of Jervis and the gallantry his
subordinates defeated the object of Cordova, who was
compelled to a close engagement, in which he was sig-
nally defeated, losing four of his large ships and
thi
an
enormous number of his men. So decisive was s
victory that the panic of invasions ceased, and public
confidence was completely restored. The English ad-
miral was at a single creation made an earl, a course
very unusual in the distribution of public rewards. The
political result of the battle was undoubtedly very
great, and the nation was overjoyed. But there have
been'battles more glorious to the English name, although
Jervis deserves all honour for his resolving with about
15 sail to attack the Spaniards with 25 sail-of-the-line,
and an enormous superiority in guns. But it is the
men and not the ships who decide sea-fights. For the
crews of the Spanish ships were the most worthless that
can be conceived, they were composed of pressed land-
men and soldiers of the new levies, with about 60, or at
most 80, seamen to each ship.
The circumstances under which the battle of Camper-
down was fought have been well described in the " Life
and Reign of George the Fourth France
er an had still
the Texel and Brest fleets. Fortune, or rath-
seen event, in which the French had no share, though
such an opinion prevailed at the time, promised them
much more decisive aid. A dangerous mutiny broke out
in the British fleet at Plymouth, Portsmouth, and still
more desperately at the Nore. Admiral Duncan, a
brave veteran beloved in the navy, was deserted by all
but his own ship's crew, his courage, and his presence
of mind. He continued, with his single ship, to make
the usual signals, as if in command of a squadron, and
the Texel fleet did not venture out. The mutiny was
suppressed ; Parker, the ringleader at the
wore, and a
few others, were executed ; subordinationrestored;
and Duncan was again in command of a fleet, Admiral
de Winter, a brave and experienced officer, and an ar-
dent republican, received orders from the Government
of Holland, now called the Batavian Republ an to p
icut
to sea and engage the enemy. He accordingly came
out of the Texel with fifteen sail-of-the-line and ten fri-
gates. Admiral Duncan, who was refitting in Yarmouth
Roads, on being apprised of the enemy's movements, put
to sea with 16 sail-of-the-line, and at eight in the morn-
ing of October 11 the two squadrons prepared for action
off the coast of Holland, between Egmont and Camper-
down. De Winter, whose lighter vessels drew less
water, manoeuvred to keep near the shore. Duncan
penetrated his intention ; and, by an experiment of un-
precedented boldness, broke through his line to get be-
tween him and the land. The battle now began ship
to ship, and was fought for several hours with desperate
valour on both sides, until the Dutch vice-admiral struck
to Admiral Onslovv. De Winter, his ship La Liberte
having become a mere wreck, two-thirds of his crew hors
de combat, and being hirnselc wounded dangerously,
struck to Duncan's ship the Venerable. The Batavian
fleet, with the exception of a few ships which got back
to the Texel in a shattered state, was either destroyed
or captured. This most important victory extinguished
ofthe chances invasion. The admiral was created Vis-