The Sun.
London, England, 1802-02-22 00:00:00

NitY AL NEWS.

,g4tat% the LoApart,. GAZETJ'J, Feb. 20,
AdmiraltifrOSte, Feb:2o, i 8 z .
.904:4,,a4 a Letter from Vice-Admiral Rainier; Com.
litander in Chief of His Majesty's Ships and Ves-
sels in the East Indies, to Evan Nepean, Esq.
dated•in Madras Road, the z9th.qf Op .

SIR,

I have at present nothing very particular to com-
municate to you, for their Lordships'. information,
beyqnd what may be colleaed from the Disposition
List :of His Majesty's Squadron under my coin-
,
herewith inclosed, except the capture of the
,Fyncll National Frigate Chiffonne, in Mahe-Road,
4! the Seychelles, on the 19th ultimo, force as per
margin*, by His Majesty's Ship La Sybille, Capt.
Charles Adam, after a short but gallant anion, in
which a well constraled battery of. the Frigate's
'forecastle guns, furnished with a furnace for heat-
ing red-hot shot, co-operated in her defence. This
circumstance, added to the advantage the French
Frigate derived from her position, being at anchor,
while His Majesty's Ship had" to steer for her op.
ponent, at the greatest hazard, through a winding
and intricate channel, formed by various dangerous
shoals, with no other guide than as the water was
seen Ito discolour on them by a man at the mast-
head, placed there for that purpose, may be bit-1y
estimated to overbalance the trifling Prerenee in
the calibre of the metal of the Enemy's-Ship, and
justly entitle Captain Adain, his Officers, and Crew,
to the distinguished honour of having taken a Ship
of equal foi.ce-
The Chiffonne was commanded by a Monsieur
Guiesse, sailed from Nantes 74. th April last, is a
fine new Ship, had never been at sea before, com-
pletely armed and equipped ; her errand to the Sey.
chelles was to land thirty.,tivo persons who had
been suspetted of being concerned in an attempt on
the life of the First Consul of the French Republic.
As His Majesty's Ship Suffolk will proceed shortly
with Convoy to Spithead, I shall defer to that op.
portunity the forwarding a Copy. of Captain Adam's
'Letief on the occasion, with other particulars ; but
it may be- proper to acquaint you that, on the isth
of May,'licar the Coast of Brazil, the Chiffonne took
a-Porttigiiiese Schooner ; and three days after a Fri.
gate ofthat,Nation, named L'l-firondelle, armee cn
flute, with twenty-four Carronades, twenty-four
pounders, after a short action, but after throwing
her guns overboard, and taking out her stores, suf.
fered her to go about her business,. the Captain.aid
Officers giving their parole for themselves and Crew.
On the 16th of June, off the Cape, she captured the
English Ship 13ellona, laden with a very valuable
cargo, from Calcutta bound to England, who gPt
safe into the Mauritius.

I have _only to add, that I have given orders for
the purchase of the Chis Tonne for His Majesty'::
Service, and shall place her on the establishment of
a thirty-six gun Frigate, agreeably to her dimen.,
sions, and that of her masts and.yards.
I have the honour to be, &c. &c. &c,
PETER RAINIER.

Killed and IfSunda o. 7„; board La Sybille.
2 SqrfleP, killed ; t Midshipman, wounded.
Killed and ikound:d sn hoard. 1.4 Chiffi,nife,
23 Seamen, killed ; 3o Seamen, wounded.

* Main Deck.---28 TYVClVe.PofinderS.
4
Quarter Deck.-6 Eight-Younder Thirty7siT-pO9O
;
Carronades.
Fprecastle.-4 Eight-pounders; with zso Men. •