The Sun.
London, England, 1804-01-02 00:00:00

NAVAL NEWS.

PLYMOUTH, DEC. 3i.—Arrived the Cfollodent
of 74 guns, one of the Channel Fleet, from a Cruize
tlff Brest ; also the Jane, HOWARD, from Lisbon,
with fruit, seven days passage ; and ,the Danish
Gallint Stad Copenhtmen, from Amsterdam, with
sundries, bound to Cadiz.

The Lapwing Frigate, with thirteen sail of
Merchantmen under Convoy from Newfoundland,
was off the Bar of Lisbon on the 23d inst. laying
to, and fearful to enter the Harbour, on account of
a report received on the passage, that the British
Merchants had quitted Lisbon ; but the jaw,
which is arrived here, informed the Commodore
that the intelligence was void of foundation.

PORTSMOUTH, JAN. i.-Came into the Harbour,
the American Schooner Traveller, HALL, from
Alexandria, bound to Havre-de-Grace, detained by
Ris Majesty's Ship Pluto.
His Majesty's Ship Courageaux, of 74 guns,
Convoy to the West Indies, laying at St. Helens,
has this afternoon made the signal for sailing with
the Fleet ; and as the wind is N. E. it is expected
they will sail early in the morning.
Orders have been received -for the Montague, of
74 gu-ns; tart. OTWAY (Which was commissioned
last week), to be got ready with all possible dis.

patch.
'Went out of the Harbour, His Majesty's Ships
Diomede, Venus, and Aurora.
Sailed the Liberty, Weatherhead, and Friends, Norley, fur
London ; Neptune, Brown, for Guernsey ; Heaor, Spar-
row, and Elizabeth and Mary, Boyle, for Plymouth;
Ame-
rica, Robinson, for Liverpool ; and Friends Hope, Boe, for
Frederickstadt.

NAVAL APPOINTMENTS.-Captain V. V..I3AL-
LARD, to the Beschermer, vice MANSELL ; Capt.
T. BAYLEY, to the Liftex27)/e ; Capt. G. ARGLES,
to the Trusty ; Capt. G. CocKs, to the Etna; Capt.
R. THOMAS, to the Tbunderer; and Capt. Ro-
13ERTS, to the command of Sea Fencibles in Ireland.
On Friday a Court Martial was held on board
the Gladiator, on Lieut. R. CRAvrEoRD, of the
Diomede, for absenting himself from the said Ship
without leave. He was sentenced to be reprimanded,
and admonished to be more careful in future.

A Court Martial was also held on John Roberts,
Purser's Steward of the Aurora, for having embez-
zled a quantity of spirits, and selling, it to the
Ship's Company; and on R. Prince (who assisted
in the Stew.ard's room) as an accomplice in the theft.
.doherts was sentenced to be mulled of his pay, and
one year's confinement in the IViarshaisea ; and
Prince was acquitted.

CORK, DE c. 26.—His Majesty's Sloop of War
La Stffsante, of i 6 guns, Capt. HEATHCOTE, was
totally lost, and went to pieces, by going ashore in
this Harbour last night, in a gale of wind. Seven
of the Crew were drowned, and three killed by the
fall of a mast.
This Harbour was scarce ever more crowded with
West Indiamen, waiting for Convoy.

FALMOUTH• DEC. 3o.—Arrived this day the
;Prince Ernest Packet, PETRE, 3.5 days from Tor-
tola, with Leeward Island Mails. The Crew are
very healthy. She has only one Passenger, Mr.
ATCHINSON.

The Prince Ernea brings an account of a very
gallant action having been fought by the Queen
,ielrlotte Packet, Capt. MUDGE, on her outward
"Yage, with a French Privateer of i 6 guns, from
St. Domingo, which she beat off without sustaining
any injury. The Queen Charlotte Packet was ar.
rived safe at Batbadoes.

Arrived the American Ship Thomas, Capt. BUSH,
35 days from Norfolk, with tobacco ; called here
for orders : five days since saw a Danish Vessel in
great distress, but owing to the strong gales of
wind, could not speak her.
Sailed this day, the American Ship Ng-cry-York,
C3pt. GASS, with tobacco, for Dieppe..
His Majesty's Brig Gannet, of 18 gans, Captain
BASS, will sail the first favourable wind, with the
Townshend and Auckland Packets under Convoy,
for Lisbon. By the former Packet the Portuguese
Ambassador will take his passage for Lisbon
exPefted to arrive here this evening from Lon-
don. The Princess Elizabeth Packet, Kt on, for Ja-
maica, and the Princess Augusta ditto, THOMPSON,
for New_ York and Halifax, with Mails of the 7th
inst. will also sail the first favourable wind.
Arrivq.l this evening the Brig Nancy, Captain
FERNEL, with fish from Newfoundland for Fal-
mouth.

StatEttittss, JAN. 1.---On Friday His Majesty's
Ship Hero, Captain the Hon. ALLAN GARDNER,
was paid bounty and two months advance : she has
no--' tile signal flying for a Convoy to the North-
. -- -
ward and Westward.
Sailed His Majesty's Ship Hindostan.
DEAL.) JAn. t•--Sailed the Euualtli Friglies

ii*cher Gan brig, Pluto and the Autumn Stoops of
`War, on a Cruize.
Arrived the Bloodhound, Locust, Balilisk, and
Coniliti Gan-Brigs from a Cruize ; and remain with
His Majesty's Ships as per last.

BRITISH NAVY,

STATEMENT OF THE DISTRIBUTIO

BRITISH FORCE, TO THE F
Line 1 so's
In Port and fitting, and I 18
with sealed orders
Guard-Ships - - 8
In the English and Irish ?
Channels - -
32
On the Downs and North i 6
Sea stations -
At the West India Islands 2
and on the Passage 5 o
On the Jamaica station 6
American & Newfound- ?
land stations - S e
C. of G. Hope, E. hid. ?
6
and on the Passage 5
Coast of Africa - o
Portugal and Gibraltar - o
Mediterranean and on passage 13
Hospital and Prison Ships to

20

S

1) 5

Total in Commission 99
Receiving Ships - 3
Serviceable and repairing 1
S
33
for Service - -
In ordinary - - - - 41
Building - - - 17

Total 193

3 6
o o
0
2
1 9

3' 21
II 36

STATE OF THE ORDINAR

Portsmouth - -
Plymouth - •
Chatham - •
Sheerness - -
River - -

1 42

AT II

1 185

ACH P

121
91
41

1 26
'9

I 241

2
S
30
12

I 65i

ORT.

Line. 50's I Frig'
Sps. Tot.
9 2 5 S 2f
12 3 I 6 22
111 I 62 I 5 1
1 253
11
3 I 11 I 5 2o

Total 4t f tt f 2; 1 22 1 99

The Plantagenet having repaired her damage,
sailed on Thursday from Plymouth, to rejoin the
Channel Fleet.

The British Sloop of War Lilly, of 16 guns, on
the 7th of November, in making Boston Harbour,
got aground between the Toddy Rocks and the
Quakers, half a mile from the Light-house; she
fired signals of distress during the whole of the
night; but the surf and wind were so high, that no
boat could reach her till Tuesday noon, when she
was got off, and carried into the road.
The Pylades, of r 6 guns, Captain BURROWS,
with four Ships of her African Convoy, was well
in lat. 48. long. 9 ; the rest of the Fieet had been
dispersed in a gale.
His Majesty's Ship La Loire, of 40 guns, Captain
MAri LAND, arrived at Cork from a Cruiie, on the
zoth ult. in the course of which she sprung one of
her masts, in chasing a large French Frigate which
she fell in with, and no doubt would have taken,
but for the unfortunate accident, of which the Ene-
my had not the courage to avail himself.
The Mary, Captain WitrrEw AY, from Oporto
to Newfoundland, was taken near Oporto, by a
French Privateer, who took possession of the Ship,
leaving on board the Captain and part of the Crew.
When off Guarde, Captain W. seeing a favourable
opportunity, with his Crew, rose upon the French-
men, when after a bloody engagement, wherein
seven of the Frenchmen were killed, Captain W.
and his men retook the ship. Twenty-four hours
afterwards, whet} off Oporto Bar, another French
Privateer, bore down upon them, when Cap►ain W.
and his men, thinking, that in case of their being
captured again, they would be put to death, got in-
to the boat and made for Oporto, where, we arc
happy to learn, they arrived safe.
The London, Captain HA LT, VI'S, from Falmouth,
arrived at Oporto, was chased on the z4th Nov.
off Vigo, by two Row-boat Privateers, full of men,
when falling calm, each of the Privateers put out
24 sweeps, with two men to each sweep, and rowed
up, one on each quarter, and engaged her for two
hours, when finding it impossible to board her, they
run frOm her. The Captain adds, that his Ship's
company, consisting of sixteen men and boys, be.
hayed very gallantly during the adion, and that he
had received no material damage, but a few shots
about the sails and rigging. One of the Privateers
had captured a Brig off Oporto, on the same day,
and was the same Privateer that had captured one
of the Lisbon Packets.

The Liverpool Packet, Capt. M'CONNELL, from
Liverpool, bound to Belfast, put into Killough, on
the roth inst„in a heavy gale of wind; on the night
of the 9th inst. the Mate and one Seaman were
washed over-board ; she had all her sails split ; she
was expetted round to Belfast the first fair wind.
We are happy to learn, by letters from Embden,
that the crew of the schuyt belonging to the Ante-
lope, which was lately lost on the Dutch coast are
all safe.,--This vessel, which mounted three carro-
nades, was fitted out as a point of rendezvous
to the squadron's boats on the enemy's coast, sailed
from Yarmouth on the 22d of November, under the
command of Lieutenant HANCHETT, with two mid-
shipmen, and eight men, from the Antelope; on the
morning following, she fell in with the notorious
privateer Blackman, and gave him chace, but the
enemy declined an engagement although possessing
so infinitely superior force ; being driven to lee- •
ward by the succeeding gales, Lieut. HANCHETT,
on the 25th, found himself close in with Goree, and
that the only means of saving the lives of his peo.
ple, was by running the schuyt on shore through a
terrible surf. He did so,• and while in this state,
about two hundred troops colleted on the beach,•
and brought down some field-pieces ; but Mr.
HANCHETT conceiving it possible to get the vessel
off when the wind subsided, deknded her with the
utmost spirit for two days and nights : finding,
however, the projelt imprafficable, and that the
number of his assailants was rapidly increasing, he
spiked the guns of the Schuyr, and taking to his
boat, went over to Schoeven with a view of cut.-
ing out some Dutch vessel in which to escape ; this
very gallant party was, however, here surrounded
and obliged to surrender. Our people were con-
fined for eight days at Gierickzee, when the three
Officers effeaed their escape to the Continent, and
proceeded to Embden, frottlwhence we believe they
have returned, or are on their passage to this coun.
try.