Star.
London, England, 1801-08-07 00:00:00

RATTLE OF ALGEZIRAS.

EXTRACT OP A LITTER TROPE GIBRALTAR, DATED

JULY 9, 11301,
Home been a (praetor to a molt dreadful salon, which
took place In the Rend of Algairas on the 6th init. between a
fquadron,yoder the command of Sir James Saurnaures.
and a French fqoadroet—the particulars relative thereto I here-
with fend you, which may be acceptable. Our fquadron while
cruising off Cadiz, having received information of the enemy's
(hips being in theft leas, appeared ftrusding in from the welt-
ward about (men in the morning of the 6th, under a meth of
fill, and Immediately bore down towards the French (hips,
width were judicioufly moored, and with fpritqrs to their et-
hics, and under the immediate proceed= of leveret ftrong bat-
teries at Algeciras. At half pet eight o'eloek,A.M. our Ihips
bavtng approached' near the enemy, the adios commenced—
dm French opened their fire firft on our Mips, and before It was
noceffary; but the Venerable, which led the fqoadron into ac•
tion, and our other Mips refereed their fire until they got quite
alongfide of the enemy, when it had confequendy a mot power-
ful died. Out fquadron then proceeded a (hart &Rance to-
wards the Orange Grove, and tacked with an intention of get-
ting between the Shore and the enemy, bat to this it was pre-
vented by the Hannibal having unfortunately truck upon a
Chad or rock near the enemy ; however, the reit of oar *bp
having been enabled to return to the fcene of 'adios, idistre
being but very little wind, which was failing fait). ems to m
anchor, and re-commenced the attack in a maenad and we.,
meadow manner, which continued for the flaseraf cline bears,
at the expiration of which period, the Preach Mips having been
reduced to wrecks, our (hips atfo mach injured, the impoii-
Wiry of getting off the Hannibal, which had fultained a colt-
fiderable Id. In killed and wounded, her malts and rigging cut
greatly, within lacy yards of a heavy battery, and in a perfed
calm ; Sir James confidered k aspadient to retire to this place
with his (hips, the Hannibal excepted, which from her Atm-
don was under the unavoidable warillity d furrendering to the
enemy, with the stridence cilltsumber of boats lent front haute
for that purport. With refpea to the conduct of our femme.,
ou this occafion, fuffite it to fay, that they fought with dile
innepidity, which they have ever been dirlinguilhed for; and In
oamasanjuftice to the French, I mult here obfenre they merit
Med puck far their bravery. Ail the bacteria which can-
Mind the road of Algeziru, were manned with Frenchmen
Airing the alien, and proved highly deitradtive to our (hips
The lofs on board the French fquadron. is reported to have
keen about sa.or ,100 In killed and wounded—on board of One
of the enemy's (Cps Aix hundred men were killed on one deck.
The enemy were reveal times (applied with numbers of Ines
from this flare during the adios, which accounts its a great
mature for their having experienced fo great a carnage--the

French hid been two days at Altair's, previous et the arrival
of Sir James, and the day before the *Mon, they had landed
28C0 Emmett, which they had on board for the fleet at Cadiz.
EXTRACT OF A.LETTRi FROM AN OFFICER. ON BOARD
SIR JAMES SALIMARRE'S SQUADRON, DATED GIB-
RALTAR, JULY 9.

" I embrace the first moment to give you an account of the
tremendous action of the 6tb.—At half part two on Sunday
morning, the sth, we were Joined off. Cadiz by a boat from
Tangier, that gave us the information of three French Call of
the line and a frigate, being at anchor in Algeziras Bay ; im-
mediately all hands were called, and we prepared for idiots
The whole of Sunday night we were at quarters; at about
fevea in the morning we opened Caberata Point, and dikover-
ed the enemy at anchor, Come diftance from the batteries. The
VIN zzzzzz according to the order of attack, led in, and an-
chored abreaft of one of the Mips : fie was followed by the
POtirat, CZSAI, and AUDACIOUS, and indeed a mod tre-
mendous fire was kept up.—Owing to the light airs, the HAN-
NIBAL and Stexcea could not for fome time come into :talon;
at length, the HANNIBAL got a breeze, and Captain FiaRIS,
In the molt gallant manner, bore up, intending to lay himfeif
athwart the bowl of the French Admiral; unfortunately, the
Rack, and left him for near three hours expofed to a molt
dreadful fire indeed, from two flips, affifted by the gun-boats
and batteries on more. We, now and then, got a gun to bear,
and destroyed about Isto men in one of their batteries. Dur-
ing this time we were endeavouring, with the AUDACIOUS, to
refcue her; but a total failure of wind counteraEted all our
[ endeavours, and we had the mortification of leaving her in the
poffeffion of the enany.--The Captain and Officers of the
HANNIBAL are now coming here on parole IL and, from Lord
COCIMANI, who was lately taken in the SPEEDY, and was
aboard one of the Mips, we learn that upwards of moo men
were killed and wounded in the French Mips, bade* thole In
the batteries. Indeed, -from one of our Officers, who was in
the. hofffital, at Algeziras, we hear their loft mutt have been
dreadful as he Caw upwards of 700 wounded French and
Spaniards; and, to do the enemy jultice, they took every pa.
fible are of our wounded, who will all be brought to this
hofpital. The action lasted five hours and an half, and the
lots we have fuftained, in killed and wounded, amounts to
more than 350, though the killed are only rat ; and the greater [
pant of thole wounded are not dangeroufly : the loft, on both
fides, confidering the Mips engaged, Is very great 1 am happy
to ba able to tell you, that, in general, the Officers efcaped
• wonderfully well—Poor Mr. GRAYS, our Matter, was the
only one we loft ;--pcor fellow !—be was Rending on the poop,
between the Admiral and myfelf, taking and giving diredlions
for trimming the fails, Intending to bring the °sip as cloth as
poffible to the enemy, and fettle them with a Tingle broadfide
a (pent ball from a battery, which I Caw coming, ftruck him
in the neck, and almoft carried his head off: we yefterday paid
him the fast fad duties, and buried him in the garrifon with
military honours. The Mader of the Poural likevrife
There was not a finglc Lieutenant killed, and only two wound-
ed, and thole not badly.—The brave Captain Fauns and ad
his Officers (except one wounded), cfcaped; the kla:mxiissi.
had nearly to men killed and wounded.
" Our great left was owing to the batteries, as the French in
the midst of the attloa warped their Mips under them, and
manned them with troops they had on board, after kicking the
Spaniards cut of the batteries (who annoyed us very little).
We foon found the change ;---tbe French (erred their guns ex-
tremely well, and as we were Come time within three cables
length of oue.of than, we experienced it; indeed the blot came
flying about& thick and heavy, that I am aftonithed how we
draped fo well, having only flue killed, twenty-five wounded,
and eight miffing; but we have fuffercd much in our malts and
rigging; our mainmaft is this morning taken out, unfervicea-
ble ; we are draining every nerve to get the fquadron refitted ,
as we onderftand they mean to fend &fps from Cadiz to tow
the difabled Mips round. Had we Paved the HANNIBAL. it
would have been a vielory ; as it is, we have (mended in to-
tally difabling four Mips ; the three line of battle Mips were dri-
ven anion, and about twenty (mailer edicts funk by oar °inl-
and, whatever their objedt might be, h is, for the Ferenc quaffi-
ed, as they never can re& at Algefiras.-i-They had near gthtio
nova, *Soo at which were cavalry, difmounted, einuaaanded
by General Dan N.
' " The French Admiral is called Luton, and behaved with
great pontenefs and kind:lds to Captain Faxen, and all the
wounded and, prifoners (as did the General). lie returned.
Captaill FERRI, his fword, obfenring, that ft could not be in
the bands of 2 braver man, and remarked that the Inglith and
French were only fit to fight together ; as for the rat:ally Spa-
' Wards, he bad kicked them out of the batteries, and manned
them with his own people. They acknowledge theinfelves very
Much indebted to the failure of she wind; if We had bad a
breeze for ten minutes, they mail have ftruck, as it would
bare carried die CAsAR and AUDACIOUS tide to them;,
bat we mutt have left the thips, as they were on Mote. Five
hundred and forty-three fell in the Formidable, the flag fh:p ;
they had goo men in her, the greater part of them were be-
low, and as their decks were cleared, they were forced up to
(apply their places.
" We have just turned out the guard to receive his Excellency
the Governor, and the difpatehes arc male up-.-fo adieu!
' P. S. Captain Feasts, his Officus, and wounded, are all
come over."