Star.
London, England, 1808-11-17 00:00:00

NAUTICAL INTELLIGENCE.

PLYMOUTH, NOVEMBER Is.
I wrote you yesterday of the taking the French
frigate Thetis, of 44. guns : she was towed up into
Hamoaze this morning, without a mast standing.—
She appears to be a most beautiful ship.
The following particulars of the gallant action
which has put us in possession of this fine frigate, are
communicated by one of the Officersof the Aurrutsz :
On the night of the 10th instant, the AMETHYST, of 36 guns,
and 238 men, Captain SITIIIIOUR then cutting on her station
off L'Orient, at seven o'clock perceived a large frigate, and sup-
posing her an enemy, she bore down and hailed her ; and, find-
ing her a French frigate of the highest class, and being close
aboard her, a most gallant action commenced between the two
frigates, which was well maintained on both aides for three hours
and twenty-five minutes, when the Frer.chman, after an ineffetitual
attempt to board, was silenced, and a couple of well laid in broad-
sides taking place from the AMIZTUTST, she struck her mimes.
For an hour and a half the Asa are r ST wasgrappled with lined..
—On boarding her, the enemy was found to have her deck co-
vered with dead bodies ; her loss being Captain Mons. Tiusort,
killed, and all his Officers (but one) killed or wounded; and out
of her compliment of 456 men, including 106 soldiers, there weir
296 killed and wounded, so well-directed was the fire of the
AIIZTAITST. The Thetis bad sailed from L'Orient but two
hours before she fell in with the AM2TEITST; and considering
the desperate nature of a battle by night, and it blowing fresh, it
is peshaps as gallant an action on record as any fought during this
or any war.

La Thad, was bound from L'Orient to Martinique and Goa-
&loupe, with battering cannon, and i.OO barrels of flour; and
had on board Mons. T Lieutenant-Governor of Mar.
Unique, who is unhurt.

Captain Szymou a, we are glad to state, is unhurt, as also his
Lieutenants; but Lieut. KIMMEL Royal Marines, and 19
seamen and Royal Marines, are killed. Lieut. PATRIC, Royal
Marines, Mr. GIBBONS, and Mr. STILES Master's Mates, and
51 seamen and Royal Marines, are wounded. After the action
was finished, and the Thetis had struck, the Tamara 74,
NARCISSUS, 36, and SHANNON 38, having heard the hiring,
hove in sight, and the Thetis was put in charge of the SHANNON
frigate, and is hourly expected into this port. The AMETHYST
is much cut up in her masts and rigging, and has her misen-mast
carried away. Lieut. HILL, Second Lieut. of the AMETHYST,
killed two French Officers with his own hand, when the French.
HUH attempted to board her.—The Thetis is 12 feet longer than
the AMETHYST.

It is an honourable trait of the coolness and discipline of Cap-
tain SEYMOUR and his ship's company, that after the Thetis
struck, and was taken possession of, a large ship, afterwards
found to be the TRIOUPU, 74, Capt. Sir T. HARDY, hove in
sight, when the AMZTRYST'S ship's company, supposing her to
be the consort of the Thetis, gave three cheers, and cleared ship
for a second battle.

ANOTHER. LETTER, SAME DATE.
The SHANNON frigate, with the Thetis in tow, did
not get into the Sound until noon of this day, and the
latter went up Hamoaze immediately. The Thetis
is a very fine frigate, mounts 15 guns of a side on her
main deck, and is much larger than Ole AMETHYST :
she had not been at sea three hours when first seen.
The action lasted three hours and twenty-five mi-
nites. The crew of la Thetis consisted of 350 sea-
men, and 106 troops—Total 456.—The cargo flour,
&c. and artillery. The Thetis had 135 killed, and
102 wounded : three of the principal officers only re-
main. The AMETHYST had 19 killed, and 51 wounded.
—Lieutenant KENDALL, of the Marines, killed, and
Lieutenant PAINE, of ditto, wounded..—Came in
The French schooner, Cornelia, from Bourdeaux to Marti-
nique, wits provisions, captured by his Majesty's skip Amazon,
of 36 guns—

The French schooner Arcadia, from Belleisle to L'Orient,
with brandy, soldiers clothing, and baggage, cut out of a bay
near L'Orieut, by the Emerald frigate, which has destroyed Aye
others during her cruise—

The French lugger Diligence, with wine and brandy, captured
by the Saturn of 74 guns—and

•
The French sloop, John and Harry, from Guadeloupe to Bour•
deauz, with coffee and sugar, captured by the Surinam, of 18
SUM.

Came in also the ARROW, of 18 guns, from the coast
of France ; PEACOCK, of 18 guns, from a croize ;
, PARTHIAN, of 18 guns, with dispatches from Lord
COLLINOWOOD and Admiral PURVIS ; BRILLIANT, Of
18 guns, from Portsmouth • SCORPION, of 18 guns,
from the coast of Spain ' • iIARLEQUIN and MORRIS-
Tows armed ships, from Wales, with a convoy :
Cuckoo, of 12 guns, from the coast of France ;
ImPgruzvz, of 74 guns, from the Channel fleet ;
EticouNrsa, of 18 guns, from a cruize - ORESTES,
of 18 guns, from the coast of Spain ; a Fleet of light
transports, from the Westward ; Nosta Seniora de la
Piedad, Captain Penton, from Malaga for London,
with fruit, in distress; PLOVER, of-18 guns, from
Corunna, in five days.
LIVERPOOL, NOVEMBER 15.
Arrived the Susannah, Capt. BUTCHER, from St.
Lucie, from whence she sailed on the 17th September.
The Captain states that the French West India Islands
are plentifully supplied with provisions by the Ame.
ricans.
FALMOUTH, NOVEMBER 14.
Arrived the Eliza packet, Captain SAMPSON' with
mails, from Corunna, in tour days ; and the Mary
packet, Captain POCOCK, with mails, from the Lee.
ward Islands, in 89 days from Tortola. His Ma.
jesty's ship SYBILLE, with a convoy of transports from
Plymouth, arrived at Corunna. The Eliza packet
was only 54 hours on her passage to Corunna. The
Peacock which sailed three days before with a Mes.
senger, only arrived this evening. Sailed the Rzatrzz
gun-brig, for Plymouth.
PORTSMOUTH, NOVEMBER If.
Came in about 60 sail of transports, from Corunna
and Qaiberon Bay, under convoy of his Majesty's '
ships ACOON and SPARROW-HAW/L—Arrived his
Majesty's ships DEXTEROUS, from a cruize ; Rare:-
Dove, from the Downs • PELT= and ALBICORE, from
Guernsey : also the General Paris, French lugger
privateer, captured by his Majesty's ship PORTMAHON.
DEAL, NOVEMBER 16.
Arrived and sailed for the River, the Fame, Capt.
COURTNEY, from Cadiz. Arrived his Majesty's ships
SPECULATOR and PANDORA, from a cm the latter
vessel has detained a Swedish galliot, • with gin,
and sent her into Dover.—Wind Soutt
YARMOUTH, NOV. 16.
Yesterday, P. M. Mr. MERRY embarked on board
his Majesty's ship ALEXANDRIA, and sailed on his
Embassy for Stockholm. The wind blowing a strong
breeze, it is expected, by nautical men, that Mr.
MERRY will snake his passage by Friday.—Sailed the
ROSAMOND and SAP/EWA tinter Heligoland. The Hon.
Admiral GARDNER hoisted his flag this morning on
board the Azotarra ; and to-morrow, with the A.
JRSTIC, and PRINCESS CAROLINE, Will sail for the
Texel.—Wind S.S.W.

ROCHESTER MEE! ING.

Tuesday a Meeting of the Freemen and Inhabitants
( f the City of Rochester was held, within the Guild-
hall of the City, at five o'clock in the evening, on the
subject of the Convention in Portuttal.
ieic tee Ito Timm PSON, Esq. the Mayor of the City,
having taken the Chair, read the• Requisition in eon
seqeence of which the Mcetieg had been called ; the
object of uldch was to consijer of the propriety of
addrestlng his Mejesty, praying that he would be
graciously pleased to give direcoons for forthwith
' assembling Periasent, for the purpose of instituting
an effectual inquiry into the whole ceuses and circum-
stances connected with the disgraceful Convention of
Cintra. Having now dietharged his duty, by stating
the object of the meetiag, he should retire, and leave
them to dispose cf the question as they should we
rrorr.
Mr. Si erne moved that the worthy chief ma is.
trate be called on to continue in the chair. This
being the vaice of the meeting, the Mayor stated,
that his wish was to continue neutral, and not to take
any share in a btAiness in which it might be his mis-
fortune to differ from them. If he was forced to
dt liver his opinion on the subject, they must forgive
him if he delivered his sentiments with that freedom
and independence which became their chief magis-
trate.
Mr. SIMMONS (the late Mayor) then addressed the
Chair. He had felt it incumbent on him some time
ago to object to any Address on this subject, with
respect to Ministers, being of opinion that their own
conduct would be sufficient to point out the injury
the country was likely to sustain by their services.—
But when he saw them doing every thing in their
power to induce his Majesty to crush the investiga.
gation, so respectfully but strenuously and legally de-
manded by the City of London, he could not per-
suade himself, that it was their intention ever to al-
low the mist which enveloped the Convention of
Cintra to be dispelled. It appeared to tim, there-
fore, that to he longer silent would be criminal ; the
more particularly when we saw Ministers skulking
behind the Throne, for the purpose of crushing that
only guardian of our liberties, the right of petition.
ing his Majesty, and stating our grievances. He
might be told, however, that an inquiry having al-
ready actually taken place, made it nugatory, it not
impertinent in them, to inteifere farther in the busi-
ness. He was of opinion, however, that a concur-
rence of addresses could alone produce any effectual
good, as tending to shew that the Convention was
not partially abhorred ; that it was not alone dis-
claimed by a few of the Ministers, who had felt them-
selves compelled to acknowledge its insufficiency to
meet 'Ole expectations of the country • but that it was
held in universal reprobation and detestation by all
Tanks and descriptions of men throughout the king-
dom.—We ought to shew ourselves alive to - every
circumstance which went to affect our character in
the eyes of other nations ; and was there a time in
which we were more imperiously called on to evi-
dence these feelings, that when every nation in the
world had witnessed us covered with ignominy and
disgrace? lie therefore moved that an humble Ad-'
dress be presented to his Majesty, assuring. his Ma-'
jesty, that the Freemen and Inhabitants of that City,
humbly and dutifully regret the terms of the late
disgraceful Convention at Cintra ; and beseech his
Majesty to convene his Parliament without delay,
that a full and careful inquiry may be made into, all
the causes, remote and immediate, which produced
so deplorable an event.
Mr. HULKES seconded the motion, which was put,
and carried by a great majority.
Mr. LA n KIN s said, in his opinion the Resolution now
carried, though he heartily agreed in every word of it,'
did not go a sufficient length on a subject in which the
dearest rights of the subjects of this country were so
nearly interested. He should therefore propose an ad-
ditional resolution for the approbation of the meeting,
which if it should meet their wishes, might be incorpo-
. rated into the Address. No man he was convinced, would
lac the hardihood to deny the right of the subjects of
this country to address his Majesty, as the only consti-
tutional means they had of stating their grievances.
What, then, short of utter detestation did any minister
deserve, who could advise his Majesty to rebuke the
City of London for presenting to his Majesty a petition
and Address, which breathed nothing but loyalty—,
nothing but patriotism !—(effifilanser, mixed with par-
tial disapprobation.) Some Gentlemen seemed dis-
pleased with the expression; but he assured them the
hisses of a few insignificant and solitary individuals
should have no effect upon him. If any Gentlemen
chose to answer him, he should be happy to hear
what they could say, and he assured them, that he,
and he was convinced the Meeting in general, should
listen attentively, and should not be guilty of the de-
testable meanness of hissing. The Resolution he should
propose, went to declare it to be the right of the peo.,
ple of this country, asserted by our ancestors, and se-
cured to us at the Revolution, to approach the Throne
at all times to state their grievances; and to/assure
his Majesty, that the Minister, or person who advised
him to rebuke the Citizens of London, when they
presented their late loyal and dutiful Address, acted
in violation of those rights secured to the People of
this Country at the Revolution, and in direct con-
tradiction to the principles which placed his Majesty's
family on the Throne of these Kingd 'ms ; and that
for such advice the person or Minister who gave it
is entitled to the execrations of the people of this
country. Having read his Resolution, the Speaker
proceeded to deliver his sentiments on ,the terms of
the Convention, which though extremely just and
forcible, we must forbear from entering into, the sub-
ject having already been so often discussed. Having
shewn the disgraceful nature of the Convention, he
proceeded to shew that a Court of Inquiry—a tribu-
nal unkiic ro our civil or criminal code—was not
the spec investigation suited to such an offence.
A Coo (wiry, he shoved, was the only tribu-
nal where evil which gentlemen professed to be so,
:anxious to avoid—namely the "persons accused—was
certain o attach. There, though the evidence was,
not conducted on oath,. the prisoner was present, and
was put on his defence ;which he was not before a
Grand Jury, to which ehis Court of Inquiry was ets-
deavoured to be assimilated. There, nothing was
more probable, than that a single object of compa-
ratively little wealth or power, might be singled out
as a victim, instead of the more powerful and more
suilty delinquent.

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