Star.
London, England, 1805-08-02 00:00:00

7" H E 13 4111 E.

'ct farther difpatches had been received from Sir
g,.BIRT CALDER when this paper Wall put to prefs.—
The accounts from the ports that have been publifh-
ed are very contradiaory. The following inforina
tion from an eye witnefs of the battle will, therefore,
be the more acceptable to our Readers :
Lieutenant NICHOLSON, the bearer of the Official
Difpatches, was yeßerday at the Jamaica Coffee-
Houle, where he replied with the utmoft franknefs
and affability to the great number of queltions with
'Which he was affailed from all quarters. The follow-
ing is the fubßanee of the anfwers he gave :
Lieutenant NICHOLSON defctibed the engagement
as having been fought on both fides with uncommon

•
vigour and gallantry for four hours. The enemy at
4rllendeavoured, as much as poffible. to avoid corn-
; •; to a(tion, bat when they found themfelves under
the inevitable neceffity of giving battle. they condua•
ed themfelves with determined refolution. liad it not
been for a fuccefbful manoeuvre of the Honourable
Captain GARDNEM, who led the van in the HERO with
confunrnate judgment and intrepidity, it would have
been i.npoflible to have brought them to dote alien
on the 22(1. A (hong Noah Eaft wind prevailed
dining the whole of the battle, and the fog was fo
thick, that even Come of our vellels could not avoid
firing into each other.
Our faperiority in tadics was of no avail, for it was
not poffibk to perceive a fignal, and every Chip, in a
great meaftut, had to rely upon her individual gall
Why. It was owing to this unfortunate Rate of the
weather that the WINDSOR CASTLE had to &Rain
much more than her due proportion of the conteit.
There were no means of afcertaining where affiflance
was moll wanted ; and that fhip at one time bore
nearly the whole brunt of the adion. She had the
fire of fix of the enemy direeled againft her at the
ftme time, and notwithftanding the maintained her
nation with great firmnefs and refolution, not the
leaft confufion was dilcoverable among her gallant
crew, but they kept firing her broadfides with the
utmoll coolnefs and precifion, in that direftion where
they fuppofed they would tell molt effedually.
Much furprife, we underhand, has been expreffed
that the engagement terminated at the period it did,
when our (hips foffered compahatively fo
and the enemy was Rill fo near. The eau& of this
::ffation has been thus fatisfadorily explained by
L::utenant nowt-son : —The two Spanifh !hips'
w:iich had (truck were dropping fah to leeward; and
enemy, by a fuccefsful manoeuvre, might eafily
have recovered poffellion of them, if our fquadron
li“d not brought to for the purpofe of covering them.
But this mancauvre would not have been reforted to,
if Sir ROBERT CALDER were not convinced that it
'was his power to renew the aims when is timid.—
He would have relinquifhed the two (hips of the ene.
my fooner than have allowed them to efcape withotit
a further conteit ; but he was anxious to preferve, at
the fame time, both the advantagei of the potation,
and be tatimonies of his triumph. He knew from
the relative fituatlon of the two fleets, that when be
had lint off his prizes and the WINDSOR Carrzs
(crippled in the engagement), he could force the
enemy to give battle again. Betides the gallant Ad-
miral was not without the expettation of teeing Lord
NELSON arrive, and he itis aware that the longer be
kept the enemy in fight and prevented him from get-
ting into port, the chances, in favour of that fortu-
nate circumhance, would be intreafed. Another Rate
of the atmofphe re too would allow him to profit of
thole advantages of (kill and dexterity of tnaneeuvre,
the impoffibility of employing whkh rendered the'
pleading anion lefs decifive than it otherwife might
have been.

Circuit)(lanced, however, as our fleet wat, Sir
ROBERT Cs EDER was determined at all events to meet
the enemy, and he expreffed the moll perfea confi-
dence as to its rclult. Notwithflanding, he thought
it prudent to employ every degree of juftifiable cau-
tion in tic face of a fleet fuperior in number to
him, and therefore Tic determined to fend off the cap-
tured 'Lips previous to a renewal of the atlion. Thus
unircumbered with the confequences of his vieory,
his rp:rations would be left free and unfettered, and
he was left at liberty to follow up the advantages he
Lad already acquired.

As long as day-light continued, after the conclu•
lion of the aslion, the repeating frigates announced
that the enemy were formed in line of battle a few
miles off, and in appearance lying-to, in expeltation
being. attacked. The wind (Lill continued at North
Eafl, which pi evented them from attempting a Spa-
milli port ; and it would have been in vain for them
have endeavoured to turn to windward without
snaking a facritice of all their &It failing veffels,which
muff have bean captured by cur fall failing Mips.—
The cr.emy, therefore, having no alternative,feerned
difpi fed to another affirm rather than abandon a
corificierable part of their force to our fquadron.

Sir ROBEO.I CALDER WAS ALL THE TIME BETWEEN
IHE ANd) TILL LAND, ar.d had the wind (which
was North E.ta, and agaiV their getting into Perrol) come
round to the WeAward or South Weft, Gill it would
be in his power to intercept them. While he pre-
ferred the pontion the refpative fleets were in when
Lieutenant Nienot.sou came away, there would be
•Jo pollibility of the Combined Squadron getting into
Ferrol without opening itkif a rage through the
2titith fleet.

• On the morning after the battle, (the •23d) ,Sri
Rozsßr CaLost wrote his difpatches, and gave them
to the WINDSOR CasrLs to bring home. The fog
continued with little intermit on till he zsth, and
the wind continuing in the fame quarter, N. E. the
WINDSOR CASTLE and the Prizes could not be fent
off—and this is the reafon why the battle was not
renewed at that period. The Admiral was convinced
be could compel them to aelion when he thought pro-
per, but he thought it his duty to put his captures
and the ditabled !hip out of the reach of all danger,
before he engaged a fecond time.
On the evening of the 25th, Sir ROSERT CALDER)
not witting to wait any longer for a fair wind for the
Wransoa CASTLE to take home his difpatches, or-
dered off Lieutenant NicHOLsow, in the FRISK cutter,
with duplicates to Admiral CORNwALLts, off I.llbant.
When he failed, he left the WINDSOR CASTLE and
the prizes at the head of the fleet, and the FRISK
was obliged to turn to windward for the fiat thirty-
& hours. Previous to his leaving the PRANCE OF
WALE,, the fog bad cleared away a little, and the re
peating frigates reported the enemy to be abontfive
&ague: of. Sir Roataz was till perfuaded that he
could force them to anion when he thought proper ;
for his fart failing !hips could loon fetch the enemy's
heavy failors, and the reft of their fleet would la
either obliged to flay and protect them, or determine
upon finally abandoning them.
The laft words the Admiral addreffed to Lieut.
NicuoLsom, on delivering him the dill:latches, were
thefe :—" 1 haix ;written to the Lord: ComMirsoners
the Admiralty, that / flail bring the enemy to atfion agiki;
tut you may allure them 44, that I have it in ttr:(poever
to do fo, and that I am determined upon it ; this yos way
alto fay to Admiral CORNMALLIS."

So far we give on the authority of Lieut. Nicrtor.7
sox ; and rejoiced we ire to find he was convinced of
She impoffiblity of the enemy's efcape. None but
the WINDSOR Cavite has received any fuch material
damage as to unfit them for taking their Ration in the
line. The French to all appearance were determined
to abide the event of another battle, rather than rific
the lofs of feveral of their !hips in endeavouring to get
into a friendly port by dint of running. From the
countenance they put on, not the kali doubt, we un.
derftand, was entertained but that they would fight
both gallantly and perfeveringly. Bravely as the ac_
tion may be contefted, we feel tranquil as to its ulti-
mate refult. Sir Roatii Cecelia has aceoMpliffi-
ed a great deal under heavy difadvantages. Whit
May not be expeeed from his &ill and refclution,
and the undaunted bravery of thofe he commands,
fhould the fog have desired away and the weather
caned more favourable ? It Teems now afcertained
that the wind was at N. E. but it got to the S. W.
while the Wiansoa Cas-rt s was on her voyage home.
We have heen informed that an Officer on board
thi Rafael gives a very Mind account of what the
object of the CoMbined Fleets wai. He pofitivelk
Rates, that with the Rochefort Squadron, and 1
greater force, which they exPeeed to join them from
Spain, among which was the Carthagena fquadroits
they Calculated upon collating a force of iipwatds of
thirty fail of the line, betides frigates. With this it
was their intention to proceed, as they did, to the
Weft Indies, in,order to alarm us for our Weft India
poffellions, and to induce us to fend an equal force
after them, whilft they fhould return home and con-
voy a number of troops to Ireland. This Officer lays,
that they only took out with them ,sOOO troops from
Toulon, Soo of which they left at Martinique, and
Soo at Guadaloupe ; the remainder they brought
home. Before they left Martinique they began to be
fhort of provifions, and are now greatly in want of
them.

This laft is the only part of his intelligence we are
difpofed to credit, for is to the ftherne of invading
Ireland through the Weft Indies, we believe it never
was included in any of the naval projects of the ene-
my, even wild, extravagant, and ill-concerted, as they
feem to have been.

The lill of the fleets which we gave yellerday, was
we find, inaccurate.—The following is a correct Rate-
ment of the force of both :
st.ANtsa.

lIRITIII/L

Terrible - 74 Hero
Argonauts • • 74 Ajax
Efpano 64 Triumph -
America 64 Barfieur
San Rafael (taken) 8.1 Agamemnon
Firm (taken) 74 Wlndfor Cattle
Magdalena and Torchc frigates. Defiance -
r at uc u. Prince of Wales
Repulfe
Raifonnable
Dragon -
Glory •
Warrior -
Thundercr •
Malta

Pluton -
Neptune
Mond)lane
Atalanta
Berwick
Bucentsur
Fermidsbk
Intrepide -
Swiftrure -
Indomptabl•
Seipion
Aguila
Acqu Iles
Alguerons
Herntione
'Fermiers
Sirene
}Midis
Rhine
Furche
Horteufe
Cornelia
Argus

- • 74
- 74
74
98
64
98
- 74
' 98
. . •

74
- • 6.4

• 74
- 8o

' .74
98
* 74

- 98
74
' 74
- 70
- 74
74
74
74

EgYPtiatfle 1 Frigates.
Sirius
Nile Lugger,
Fri& Cutter.

foripta.

Brigs.

" PLYMOUTH, JAY 3!.

" We have received no further accounts of the re-
mainder of the Combined Squadrons : when the
WINDSOR CAVILS parted from Sir ROBEP.T CALDIR'S
fquisdrwai the enemy were then in fight about eight
kerns W windward, under a prcfs of fail."

. . .
EXTRACT OF LETTAR hr.:4 AD OFFICER ON 30ARD
ONE OF TI FRIGATES IN SIR ROBERT CALDER'S
FLEET. .
On the lad Julyrabotlt I r A. M. the Dr FIANCE,
ntie.of the look-out. Mips, made a fignal for a fleet
N. W. direalt to windward of our fleet ; &only af-
ter the fignal for their being the enemy's fleet, and
that they conlifted of Mips of the line, and frigates,
to the nuthber of 30. At this time we were to wind-
ward of the DO taacs, and four or five leagues to
windward of our fleet. About half pal la P. M. we
could plainly count from our deck from 25 to 30 fail,
apparently lying to. The DEFIANCE getting nearly
within gun.fhot, returned to our fleet, who were then
forming in line of battle. About two we were cor.-
fiderably within gun.fhot of the enemy's advanced
fquadron, which then tacked and flood to windward
of their fleet, then formed in line. We bore up to
leeward of their advanced (hip, and pallid within
half gun-[hot of their whole, line, which was formed
in a mafterly (Lyle, and scon fled of 17 fail of the line,
and three line.of battle Ships to windward. for the
protation of their rear. They had likewife !even
large frigates, two brigs, and A :very valuable gal-
leon, which one of their frigates hid it tow; the fri-
gates were likewife to windward (with the three !hips
of the line) of their fternmoll Ship. Our fleet was at
this time about fix miles to leeward, on the (larboard
tack, under a prefs of fail, the enemy at the fame
time under eafy fails thick fog intervening, pre-
vented the two fleets from teeing each other. Seeing
the galleon in tow by the frigate, and obferving they
were the fternmoll (hip of the enemy's line, we tacked
with the intent of attempting to cut her off. This
fudden manoeuvre threw the enemy's frigate. into
alarm, and the immediately commenced firing fignal
gnus in quick fucce(on, which canted the three line
of battle [hips, Qationed to cover their fear, to edge
dawn for her proteaion. Our attempt being thus fruf-
trated, we were compelled to edge down to our fleet.
The fog at this time cleared a little, and we perceiv-
ed that our fleet had tacked for the enemy, and the
Admiral had gilfen the fignal to attack their centre.
As we were edging away, we hbferved the van of the
cncmy had wore for the proteaion of the galleon like-
Wife, and when we obferved their leading Ship (three
quarters paft four), were in a eery critical fituation.
On paftng, they !Jollied Spanish colours, and we
received the whole fire of their three leading 'hips,
upwards of 120 pieces of heavy artillery; difcharged
in one moment on our frigate, whilft we could only
return 20. Thus the aaion commenced : our lead
ing Ship, the Haim, of 74 guns, tacked immediately
the enemy opened their fire on us, and commenced a
heavy cannonading on them in return. It continued
with unremitting limy for three bouts and a half,
when we faw (on the clearing of the fog at intervals)
the French line to windward, and two Ships dif
abled, although we could not at the time ditlinguith
whether they belonged to the enemy or us. At half
pall eight the firing ceafed on both fides ; the Ad-
miral twitted his diftinguifhing lights; as did the Tett
9f the fquidron, when we could plainly obferve our
fleet to be in tolerable order, confidering the extreme
fogginefs of the weather, and had apparently fuller.
ed hut little, although the firing on both fides was
extremely heavy. We being kill to leeward of the
AdMiral, were ordered into rear to take poffef-
lion of the two prizes, attending on which duty has
teen our conaant employment ever fince. About
nine, the Admiral made fignal to bring to on the
Starboard tack, which was complied with by the whole
line. The two Spanifh Ships that have furrendered
had boo men killed and wounded ; their lower malls
[hot away by the board, fo that they were rendered
totally unmanageable, and gave us immenfe trouble
in towing them. Had the weather been clear, I have
no hefitation in faking, they would have been com-
pletely defcated—lbut the fog prevented our [hips get-
ting near enough (they not being difcernible, but at
intervals), and the French being to windward, were
too wife to come nearer to us. On the 24th, the wind
Shifted to the Eaftward, which brohght our fleet to
windward of the enemy. At this time, we were fo
far to leetvard with our prizes, that we could not fee
the enemy, though our fleet could. Sir Rosaar
CALDER attacked 20 fail of the line, with 14 only—
one being fent in Chace in the morning, and did not
retain till the firing teafed."