The Sun.
London, England, 1805-09-02 00:00:00

SPANISH ACCOUNT OI• THE LAT! ACTION.

FROM TILE MADRID. GAZETTE. ,
Lieutenant-General *Don FREDERICA
has written to the Most Excellent Generalissimo the
PRINCE of PiAcs, from Vigo; dated July 28, iu the
. following terms
" MOST EXCECLENT SIR, 'MY LORD,
irOn the 22d July, Cape Finisterre'beating S.E.
distant 25' leagues, the Combined Squadron was
standing with the wind IV.N.W. formed in three
lines to the E.S.E. the horizon being covered with
thick fogs, At noon the look-out Vessels 'made
the.signal of having discovered 2t Sail hi the N.N.E..
and,that the greater part were 0 the' Line. Nite.
immediately formed the Line‘of-baktle tfi larboard,
the Spanish
.Squadron- fonning the van, with .myself
at'the head, and the French Admiral in the centre
of the line: The Enemy,' consisting of of
the line, three of which were three-deckers, and
ctvvo cut-downs, • stood on . the contrary tack; with
the intention, as it appeared, pf cutting off our rear
to avoid which, the French Admiral made the7sigilai
to 'Wear, and stand .on the tack, which was
immediately obeyed. The last Ship- 'of the war
being covered, the dirgokonta, on board of loch
I had hoisted my flag, began the a6tion with the,
van of the English, (at a quarter before five o'clock)
who, upon account of the foe, had not perceived
the movement we had executed, • The Ellemy'S
Squadron hauled their wind and'a very wale)
immediately commenced,-within half cannon-shot,
between our van and ite whole of the Enemy's
line, which -succes.sively. extended itself to the
centre of our line. The fog was so thick, that not-
withstanding our proximity, we
,at times lost sight. of
them. The fire was Very well kept up d uri nth aCtion..
We saw a 3-decker without her foremast; and ano-
ther Vessel without her main and touch -inast The
battle continued with our van and centre Until • past
nine &Clock; when
,the 'Enciny bore up, itnd the
'talon ceased.. .00' the morning Of the 23d, at
break of day,' althengh the weather was St ill foggy,
we found that .two of our Ships were missing, and
that they were the San ROzetand,the Firm,. We
discovered The Enemy on the other' tack ; .we im-
mediately formed the line, and chased, 16vinc,; re-
marked that they had three dismasted Ships in tow,
and that their line consisted of only thirteen Slips
of War, including one diimasted of its forctapnmast.
• We continued the chase the whole clay without avail,
'as the Enemy mantruvred to avoid a se.cond,encoun-
ter. The same took place on the 24th, on the morn-
ing of which day we saw them to winciwa'nica*d-
ing all sail, and close hauled, With the Wind from
the N. E, On the 25th; at day-break, the wind
blowing fresh froth the N. E. we we're out of sight
of the Enemy ; and, during the day, w
Muhl:torte bearing due'East. In this saltation, with
the wind flgainit our getting into Ferrol, many of the
French Ships having oilly .;ix days water on Ward, and
having about t 300 sick and Woe Act' :it the Squadrims,
without the necessary succours, it w,i' determined to
'come,to Vigo' 'to provide what was iv.,,:esary. As
soon as I receivd' the details from each Ship, they
shall be forwarded. to your Excellency. In this :talon
the 6 Ships under my command have fought with the
greatest bravery ; and I consider the.,Eriglish Squa-
dron having avoided a second attack, to have been
caused by the' daniage they had received. in the
since the 'forces' of the. two Fleets were
equalized ')y the quality of the Ships,:we having on
atir side no three-deckerS, and two small Ships of
ti 4 guns:" •