Star.
London, England, 1814-04-04 00:00:00

FILOM SATURDAY IslG4 l''S GAZErfE.

ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, APRII, 2.

Estract of a Letter from Captain Hayes, of his Majesty's ship
Majestic, addressed to Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, and
a Duplicate transmitted to 1. W. Crain-, Esq.
Majestic, at Sea, February 5, 1814
have thehonour to acquaint you, that in my way
frona St. Michael's to Madeira, in the execution of
your orders, at day-light in the morning of the 3d
instant, in lat. 37. and long. '2O. being then in chase.
,of a ship in the N.E. supposed to be one ot the enemy's
cruizers, three ships and a brig were discovered about •
three leagges off in the S.S.E. ot very suspicious ap-
peal-4mm, and not answering the private signal, I
gee over the pursuit of the ship to the northward
,a eastward, hoisted my colours, and proceeded to
aTc:innoitre the southern squadron, when two co the
ships immediately gave chase to me ; on closing
.within four miles, I discovered them to be two 44-
ertm frigates, a ship mounting 20 guns, and a brig,
which I coOd not perceive to be armed.
I determined on forcing them to shew their col ntrs
(which they appeared to wish to avoid), and for that
purpose stood directly for the headmost frirrate. when
she shortened sail, and brought to, for the other to
close. I now made all sail, in the hope of being ahle
to get alongside of her before it could be effected, but
in this I was foiled, by her wearing, making c il,and
joining the other, and taking a station a-head and
a-stern, with the (29-glin ship and a brig on their
weather how; they stood to the S.S.E. with larboard
studding and ad the sad that t-'old b^ czr:i
the sterumost hoisting French colours, at a quarter
of an hour pas: two o'clock, she opened a fire front
her aftermost guns upon us ; at three o'clock,
being in a good position (going ten knots an hour), I
commenced firing with considerable effect, the shot
.going either through, or just over the starboard guar-
;ter to the forecastle, over the larboard bow ; when
at forty-nine minutes past four, she struck her colours
to his Majesty's ship MAjestic, under my command.
The wind increasing, the price in a state of great
confusion, and eight fast approaching, obliged me
to stay by her, and to suffer the other frigate, with
the ship and brig, to escape ; the sea got up very fast
so that only one hundred of the prisoners could be ex-
xhanged, and even in. effecting that, one boat was lost
and two prisoners drowned—this I hope, Sir, will
plead my'apology for not bringing you the whole of
them.

The captured ship is the Terpsichore, of 44 guns,
18 and .24-pounders, and 320 men, Breton Francois
de Sire, Capitaine de frigate • the other was the Ata-
lante, sister ship, exactly Of the same force ; they
sailed from the Scheldt on the 20th October, and
went to L'Orien!, from whence they sailed again on
the Sth January, in: company with la Yade, a simi-
lar ship, which parted from them in latitude 45. and
long. 16. 40. The enemy had only three men killed,
siX wounded, and two drowned ; the Majestic none.
The officers and men I have the honour to corn-
;nand conducted themselves on this occasion as I ex-
pected they would do.
ropy of a Letter from Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton, But. to
John Wilson Croker, Esq. elated at
Portsmouth, the 81st March, 1814.
Sits-4 feel peculiar satisfaction in transmitting, to
be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admi-
ralty, a letter I have received from Captain Sir Mi-
OW Seymour, of the Hannibal, enclosing one ad-
dressed to him by Captain Palmer, of his Majesty's
ship the Hebrus, detailing the capture of the French
frigate l'Ett)ile, on the morning of the 27th instant,
after an arduous chase of 120 miles, and a well fought
ction of two hours and a quarter, in eight fathoms
water, under Cape La Hogue.
I entirely concur with Sir Michael Seymour in the
opinion he has expressed, and very heartily con.:2:7atu-
late their Lordships on an event which wili st-:irl
;Inonggt the most brilliant of the frigate actions in
the records of our country, and does the highest ho-
sour to Captain Palmer, the officers and ship's com-
pany of the 1-lebrus.—l am, Sir, &c.
(Signed) It. BtcxErrrox.
His Majesty's ship Hannibal, Fpithead, March 31.
SlR—Enclosed I transmit with the utmost gratifi-

ration, the letter of the Captain of the Hebrus, giving
a full and clear detail of the capture of l'Etoile
French frigate, consort of la &thane ; and I am
quite at a loss how to express, in adequate terms, my
admiration of Captain Palmer's skill and decision on
so interesting an occasion, and his new ship's ctri-
pany, his officers and his own able and intrepid con-
,duct.-4 have the-honour to be, &c.
(Signet) MICHAEI, SEYMOUR.
Six Richard Bickettou. Bart: Admiral of the Blue, &c.
Cununander in Chief at Portsmouth.
Hie Majesty's stip Hebrus, Plymouth,
March 29,1814.
SlR—When the Hannibal and his Majesty's ship
=der nay command separated on the morning of the
2Gth, in chase of the two French frigates we had
fallen in with, we continned in pursuit of the one
you were pleased to detach us after, the whole day,
vith all cur canvaS• spread. About midnight be
reached the Race of Alderney, and the wind scant-
ly, we-began to gain upon him fast ; by the time
he had ran the length of Point Jobourzr, leading into
the Bay of La Hogue, he was obliged to attempt
rounding it almost within the wash of the breakers;
and here, after an anxious chase of fifteen hours, and
riintiiiis him upwards of one hundred and twenty
piles, we were fortunate enough, between one an,i
two in the morning, to bring him to battle ; we
crossed his stern, our jib-Viom passibt: over his top-
sail, and shot irrbetvvixt hirii and the shore, in eight
Itthoms water, and it falling nearly calm about this
time, the ships continued nearly 111 the same spot
wiaii the conclusion of the Action. At its commence-
ment we suffered considerably in our rising ; the
enemy firing high, he shot away our foretopmast
attd f ard, crippled our mainmast and bowsprit,
and cut away almost every shroud, stay, and brace
we had. Our fire from the first, and -throughout,
7A as directed at our Opponent's hull, and the ships
being as close together its they could be without
torching, tic suffered most severely, every shot which
struck passing through him. About four o'clock his
snizertniast fell by Cr! bo ird, and his fire ceased,
after an .0b1i.111,)18 contest of two hoots ',owl a
quarter, he hailed us, to say that he had struck his
F4*"*. The moment we could get possession, it
detain necessary to put the heads of tv)th ships off
shore, as well fromthe apprelansion af grounding,
ab4°S" them clear tram a battery whit had been

~.