The Sun.
London, England, 1802-10-18 00:00:00

GIBRALTAR, SUPT. 23.

ON the morning of the i9th we had a most yip_
lent storm -.of thunder and lightning; which ;did'
considerable damage to -our Squadron,. in "the Bay,
.and which, if it bad continued hail an hour longer,
would most probably have disabled the whole Fl t,
as none of the Ships were prqvi.led with chain_.
conduaors to guard them from the effeCts- of light-
ning.
the first Ship which was struck was the Gib-
raltar, ..of So guns, and f.rotri the diredion which
the lightoing„took,
_close to the magazine, it seems
almost a miracle that it..was n 2,1 blown up. A
tremendous flash of lightning struck the fore-top,
gallant mast-head, split the fore top_niast, and
shivered the fore-toast into a thousand pieces, driv-
inglarge splinters of it as far •aft as "`the. quarter,
deck. . From, the fore-mast it passed into the light_
room, close to ;he magazine, shivering the whole
of the strong,plate glass to pieces ; and from thence
into the Gunner's :store-room, 'where it completely
destroyed several boxes of grape-shot, after which
its prog,rmcOuld be traced no farther. Fortunately
only two men were hurt by the stroke—one of
then), however, was severely scorched.
A dreadful flash shortly afterwards struck the
Allifve frigate, which split the top-gallant Mast,
and carried away _ the main-top mast, in
.a most
singular manner, several feet of the whole body
of the mast completely disappearing, not a vestige
of that part of it was to be found after the ex-
plosion. The main-mast was split in several places,
and, the ship's butcher, who was standing near it,
With his cleaver in his hand, was killed dead on the
spot ; and almost every person- on the deck was
knocked down by the violence of the shock. The
lightning was observed Jo play like a large stream.
of.fire for a short time about the deck, and on dis-.
appearing left a strong sulphureous smell behind.

• The Superb and Dragon Were also both struck ;
the former had her ,main-top-gallant,. and also the
binnacle on the quarter deck, carried away ; the
latter ship was not injured, though the lightnog,
passed all round the Captain's cabin, running alOng
the bell-wires.
The Gibraltar and Aaive have both been ob-
liged to go, into the Mole to repair their damages,
which it is believed will amount to upwards of
five thousand pounds.
Our late allied enemies appear to be gradually
colleting a large naval force in the Mediterranean,
as hardly a week elapses that some French, Spanish,
or Dutch ships of the line, do not pass the Streights.
Two Dutch ships of the line, two frigates, and a
corvette, passed lately. The French still possess
both Leghorn and .Genoa ; they are also going to
fortify and garrison two harbours belonging to the
Algermes„ and are spreading themselves every
where round these shores ; so that if we once give
up: Malta; ive shall hardly have a single friendly
harbour..for our fleets, in •the Mediterranean, in the
event of another war. A man of war's cutter has
arrived!, this morning in z 8 days from Malta.
When she sailed we had not begun to evacuate
that Island.

The Fortuper Frigate, Capt. CLEMENTS, which
received considerable damage in going into the
Ttxel, has been repaired in the New Diep, and
sailed for Sheerness.

The 'Decade Frigate, Capt. 11..wriiiitFORD, is
paid off, and laid up in ordindry,

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