The Sun.
London, England, 1809-10-21 00:00:00

N AVAL NEWS

FALMOUTH, OCT. 18.—Arrived this day bisMa•
jesty's sill, Ganymede, 24 guns, with five sail of
transports from Jersey, bound to Gibraltar, having
on board the 47th Regiment. The Pomona, DA-
VIDSON, from Saloe, with brandy and wine, tor
orders, -63 days passage. The ship Lord Charles,
SPENCER, from Jersey, bound to Madeira ; the brig
Sophia, BARROTT, from Gibraltar, with wine, &c.
folt orders, 33 days passage ; the brig Antelope,
SwISBoURNE, from Malta, for Guernsey,, with
oil, wine, and currants, 31 days ; the brig Ocean,
PDSTILE, from Cadiz, with barillai &c. for orders,
25 days out--!sailed under convoy of his Majesty's
ship Frederickstein, and parted company on the t tit li
inst. bff Sicily ; the Puzzle schooner, Hootauao,
from Gibraltar, bound to Guernsey, with oil and
brandy, 29 days out.
The brig Emmeline, WATERMAN, froM Cadiz,
with salt, 19 days passage, called here for orders.
Sailed his Majesty's skip Hum ter, with a convoy
for the Downs; the Johanna, °liters, with salt,
for Londod ; his Majesty's brig Setiliott' ,?r, 18 guns,
for Cork. .

PLYMOUTH, OCT. O.—Arrived the French. ves-
sel Jeune Emerance, inballat, captured by his Ma-

jesty's ship Minerva.
A vessel arrived here this morning from Bout-
deaUx ; she was boarded in Wb?tsand Bay by 'a'
French lugger privateer, who permitted her to pro-
ceed on her voyage; the Captain of the privateer In-
formed the Master of the Bourdeaux vessel, that a
French schooner privateer had captured on Tuesday
last, an English brig from the Mediterranean, with
which he got clear off.
The French vessel that strived here yesterday cap•
tured by the Emerald frigate, brings intelligence
that the latter had chased for 50 hours, a large 4rench
corvette, supposed to burthen boo. tot o ; there were
several vessels in company With her during thechase,
but they all separated in the night, and the .Emerald
lost sight of the whole of tliem ; on her return to
her station she fell in with 4 sail, and was left in
chase of them when the prize that is arrived here,
parted company with her.
Arrived the Ann, victualler, Capt. Ilit.t., from
Basque Roads ; this is the vessel which was supposed
to have foundered in a gale of wind. Arrived Also
the-Prince of 11 ales (transport) Capt. WATCOOD,
from Lisbon ; the schooner Eclipse, ZVILL, from
London, to load ; and the Dove, COOrE;‘, Iron
Bristol.

&tied his Majesty's brigs Mariner inch Actceon.

PORTSMOUTH, OCT. 20.—Came in this day the
ak.iguns, Capt. UrroN, from the
Westward, .

Arrived the ship James, from Cadiz, bound to Lon-
don, laden with sett, wool, cochineal, &c. having
been captured by a French bi ig, and re-captured by
his Mojesiy's ship Nymph. The ship has been
plundered of various goods, during the time she was
to possession of the Frenchman, consisting of many
barrels of cochineal, eases of saffron, &c. • The
master and cook were taken out by the privateer.
The undermentioned area list otihe vessels which
arrived under cons oy of his Maie.sty's ship Frederick..
stein, viz:—

*Glory, Reynolds ; Albion, Hamilton ; Friends, Hamble;
Curlew, Douney ; T howas and Mary, Hill ; *Margatet,
Bruce; Harmony, Raitt ; Plioebe,Gunton ; Oronooko, ler-
wood; lane, Orfew ; *Fitz.William, Wilson; Valiant,
%Valls ; *Sytnetr y, Batty ; *Rambler,LawsGn ; IVilbertorce,
Etheridge ; *Martha, Butcher ; Ex Horno, liono ; Com.
merce, Rand ; Clarem out, I'assmore ; Ocean, Postell ;
Charles, Hamilton ; Tullock, S. Issima, Trinidad; Per.
severance, Gray ; Susan, Cator; *Bee, Holland.
Those marked thus * are arrived at the Motherbank.

Passed by this evenit,g, the Spotiate, of 7,4 guns,
from the Mediterranean, with a convoy; and it is
supposed that many of the above ships have joined
the same; and proceeded to the Downs.

SHEERNESS, OCTOBER 29.—Sailed his Majesty's
ship Salsette, Captain BA THURST, forthe Mediter-
.
ranean, wit], specie on board to pay the troops.
Captain PAYNE is appointed to than command of
' the Cretan sloop, at this, port.

DE,., OCT. 20.—Arrived his Majesty's ship Vi-
rago, with a convoy from. Cork and Waterford,,
which are sailed for the river.

IiARWICH,OCT. 20.—Arrived the Prince of Wales
packet, Capt. MASON, from Flushing, with Mails,
and several sick officels.

COPY OF A LETTER FROM CAPTAIN MAXWELL OF:THE
BRITISH FRIGATE THE ALCESTE, TO HIS EXCEL..
LENCi: REAR-ADMIRAL MARTIN.
" On board the Alceste, at anchor ofrlschia, Aug. 16
" Six—l feel infinite satisfaftion in informing you,
that the pride/ and vanity of the present Usurper
of the Crown of Naples, were yesterday completely
• humbled by the bravery and good "condutif of
.the
oilicers and crews of Lis Sicilian 11,I4esty's navy.
" To account ibr their detention here, it is Deces-

nary to inform you; dint subsequent to your
the Island, I was enabled, by the active BSSiS Inc of
Captains Palmer, Milford, and Purvis, to mate
rangements -calculated to impede the eeemy's, pas-
sage to this Island, to his no small mortification and
loss. The, Usurper had given himself a great deal
of trouble in colleding an immense number of gun-
boats, which he was to review on the ifith ; and on
the 16th, as he promised his credulous subjects, hi
was to come here with his flotilla and squadron, to
chase away the English, to take Ponza, and thence
to pass over to Sicily. Several persons believed
that he would_ do so, though I gave them my
word as an English Officer, that nothing of the kind
would happen.
-On • the i I left here Captain Milford, be-
ing- convinced that he would not suffer the enemy
to pass, and proceeded to Ponza, to solicit 10 gun-
' beafs of Prince de. Canosa. He not only acceded to
my request, but proposed to accompany me in per-
son,..with the Venere and Sireno frigates, .12 gun-
boats, atunwO bomb-ketches, doing me t bonuur
to say flat every thing remained at my disposal.
Captain'. Airreigro niest cordially -concurred in tiis
determination, and immediately weighing anchor,
joined me here on the 14th, and Pritice Cariosa dis-
embarked with 150 troops, and two field pieces.
It Was resolved, that the squadron should enter the
bay, to witness the grand fete which was to take
place at Naples pn the 15th, in honour of iltiona-
parte's birth-day, leaving two gun-boats to guard
the passage.
" Next day-break we observed the enemy's floe
tilla, consisting of one frigate, one corvette, a d bg
gun-boats, anchored in a line under proteCtion attics
strong batteries which extend from ) del Ovo
to PPusilippo, and secured with cables made fast WI
shore. In the course of the morning they fired a
salute, hoisted their colours, and made a very fine
appearance while we Were becalmed at the distance
of five miles.

“.--At three in the afternoon, the wind freshened;
we stookktowards them ; and, in an instant, that
splendid and formidable flotilla, fitted out with go
much pains and exvence, to take Porma ancl
thinking itself insecure even under the proteEtiOn of
those immense batteries, broke the line and began to
retreat towards the Mule. i made the sign 11 for his
Sicilian Majesty's gun-boats and bomb% whoattack-
ed in the most brilliant manner, while the three
frigates covered them, acrd cannonaded the bat-
teries ► and the French frigate,. though fastened
with six cables to the Ca%tello dell Ova, was de-
serted by ber crew at the very commencement. of
our attack.

" The tiring continued 'three hours and a half;
and 'persons who have left the city since the actions
state, that seven gun-boats were sunk, and many
more 'damaged ; and that one of the shells killed
three ;nen close to Murat: That, under such cit.
curnst?nce
,when the people of Naples were enter*
Mined. witli‘As naval fete, the enemy'i marine force
shoA be attacked by a petty squadron, chiefly be'
longing to their law ail Sovereign, must undoubted',
aiford pleasure. to you and the Commander of the
Cape. My only merit consists in having brought it
here, and I. hope that you %% ill give an account le
the Sicilian Court of its excellent conduct. I 001
much indebted to Prince Canosa, for his prompt On'
corrence in my plan to Capt. Alrnagre. for hie sea'
'nag co-operation i and Capt. Infante, for his adt
niirable conduclt in the attack,
" Though 14e enemy's red-hot shot aud, shell.o
fell about us in great prolusion, have the pleasure to
state thg they did us no mischief whatever,"

THE MERMAID.

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