Star.
London, England, 1805-08-06 00:00:00

OP THE BATAVIAN ALPUBLIC.

RICH AND NOBLE 111,

Dunkirk, July 26.

In my lezter of the 18th July, I had the honour to
fend you a fhort account of my arrival at Amble-
Letife, la i:h a part of the Batavian flotilla ; but the
circurntiances of my voyage, in which the Batavian
cola:its have been crowned with fo much bravery,
deferve to be more fully known by your Lordship,
24.1 I have, in confequence, the honour to give you
toort detailed account of it. For theft two months
I have kept a confitierable part of the flotilla
ar anchor at Dunkirk, ready to fail at a moment's
ii r ce for Ambleteufe. On Wednefday, the 7th
July, the wind being N.N.E. I went thrally with
the officers of my Ralf, on board the yacht Bantam,
and made, at half pall four, the fignal for failing.
I a f:w moments after, I gave the fignal to four
French praams and thirty-two Batavian gun boats
to weigh Airenor and fet fail, they being at that time
the only veffeis ready to put to fea. The 'irony
incl. had previenfly compelled me to fend
into ha' hour the tranfpert fliipr, and the fame Rate
oi the weather Rill prevented them from coming
out At lix o'clock in the afternoon the (hips being
drawn lip in a line of battle, in two divifions, we
failed in the following order s The Colonel and Cap-
tain oldie Navy, Gebrands, leading the van ; the
C lonel and Captain of the Navy, Carpcntier, the
rear; and myfelf on board the gun boat No. 39,
.I...oottenant of the Navy Bodel Commander, in the
centre. The four praams ranged themfelves in the
ou.er divifitm, one in the van, two in the centre, and
one in the rear. As loon as we got under fail we
defer ied an Englifh brig in the N.W. fleeting well-
wai d, and firing fignals to fhips in that quarter. As
loon as we got fight of Gravelines, we difcovered
nine of the enemy's (nips, five of them three malted,
frigates, and corvettes, and four brigs, laying to
within half a mile of the Chore. I made the fignal
lo prepare for battle, the enemy fill remaining at
anchor, until we came nearer, in order that they
might attack us with the more advantage. A quar-
ter after nine o'clock, having come athwart the
enemy, which we now found to conlift of fifteen
!hips, they tacked and engaged our van and centre
within gun flint. They then extended their line In
as to c‘.mprehend our rear. The zillion became
warm, and the enemy doled us, keeping up a
conaant fire until we came near to Calais, when
they Iheered off, and left us in pofreffion of the Eeld
of !retie. We arrived in the harbour of Calais
between eleven and twelve at night, where we can
al char, although we might have continued our voy-
age, as we waited to give an opportunity to the flips
in the rear to join us, and we then put the fleet again
in failing order. I was alfo particularly anzious to
tail w i,th day-light, that the enemy might fee and
f flow us, and thus leave the paffage clear fur the
lliips fill to come from Dunkirk, which were not fo
well equipped as thole tinder my command, and were
not, t f courfe, able to make as good a refillance.—
The tefult has proved that I fucceeded in my obje&.
The following morning, about five o'clock, we drew
up in line of battle, and law in different Rations 59
(hips of the enemy,confilling of two (hips of the line,
eleven frigates and coryettes. and fix brigs, who ap-
proached us, and, having rallied, attacked our line.,
The enemy came far within gumfbot, and made great
use of their mortars, which threw many bombs in
the middle of our (hips, but luckily not one of them
did any damage. The batteries on Chore had a great
Aare in the aaton, and affilied the heavy fire of our
Chips in forcing the enemy to Iheer off again. At de.
men o'clock in the morning five Batavian gun-boats
arrived at Calais, eleven treofporti, and three French
pinnaces, which had failed from Dunkirk after us,
withi.ut meeting an enemy. There (hips I ordered
out of the harbour, and made a fignal to give me a
return of the damage fullaintd by the gun-boats, an/
was id:armed that eleven gunboats were rendered
unferviceable, and unable to proceed further. I ac-
cordingly fent them into the harbour of Calais. I
went on Ihore to fettle with the French Commandant
of he Navy for the repair of the velfels. At Calais I
met Ma.thald'Avouft,General in Chief of the Army,
who had come on board the lag divifion from Dun-
kirk, and wilted to proceed with us, and in the after.
noon 1 returned with his Excellency and three other
Officers en board. Notwithllanding I was aware that
the nineteen Chips with which I had been engaged in
the morning, had failed to the weft, and were in our
entitle, I determined not to lofe the opportunity, ;s,
drum the courage and bravery evinced in the late en-
gagement, I bad the folk* confidence in our veffels.
—At three o'clock in the afternoon I made fignal to
weigh anchor, and got under fail, to twenty-one gun
boats and three praams, including the divifion tall
from D!tnkirk. I inflantly formed the line of battle,
myfelt in the van. When we arrived ( ff Cape Blanc-
Inez, we dikonted 22 Engtifh (hips, including two
ship's if the line, fix frigates, thirteen brigs, and one
cutter. TI ey kept at a certain dißance beyond gun-
ihot of our (hips until they had formed into line of
battle. The ataion c. mmencecl about five o'clock in
the afternoon, and ft on became extremely warm.—
Meanwhile the two (hips of the line came fo near,
that we fired our mulketry, by which the enemy tuna
have fuffered a great deal. We did not [offer lo ,
xnucfr,a,tnnll of their fhot paired over us. The coall,by t
the care of Marihal d'Avouft, was I.ned with artillery
nibs, by which we were much afEfted. Before
ived off Cane Grititea, the mars .tquadroa

was inereafed to forry.five fail, including a great
many frigates. All the& (hips being dole together,
our flotilla was covered, which were anfwered from
our fide with great fpidt. Some of the enemy came
within !sift! (hot of us, particularly twee Englins brigs
which attacked my veffel with great fury, perceiv-
ing us to be the fignal veffel. Notwithflanding this
we doubled the Cape in the moft regular order in
line of battle, very dole to each other, fighting our
way, although we had to pars a bank, over which
three yards could not fail abreafi, and that with
great difficulty. At (even o'clock we arrived off
Ambleteufe in good order, where I fuffered the (hips
to lie at anchor, in ender of battle. Some Englifh
fhirs that had been Rationed off Boulogne, perceived
their fquadron, and joined in the action ; but they
were all forced, at length, by our fire, and the heavy
fire of the b.-tunics, to put to tea again, and about
eight o'clock the feveral aUions of the day were at
an end. I feel great gratification in giving your
Lordfhip an account cf the buftnefs of the day, and
to affure you, that in the four actions, all very warm,
the Batavian flag has been defended With the great-
en be avery. We have had an opportunity to Phew
that the Batavian courage is no leis than it was in
former times, whets we were fo often victorious on
the feas. We have (hewn that when the French
Emperor, the great Napoleon, gives an order, the
fame can be executed ; as certainly many may think
the paffage which we effetted irnpoffible, as on that
day ninety-five fail of the enemy were to be teen off
Cape Grifnez, of which we fought forty-five. The
damage funained by our veffels is not confiderable,
and will to foon repaired. We have in all ten killed
and fixty wounded, French and Dutch. I feel the
greaten pleatiere in being able to fpeak to your Lord-
fhip in teems of the higheft praife of ail the officers.
They (hewed the greaten attention in the execution
of my orders, and (hewed the greaten ardour to at-
tack the enemy. As proof of this it may be fufficient
to Rate, that feveral veffels, carrying only two 24-
pounders, fired sso Riots. The French officers, the
crews, and of of the fchooners condated them-
(elves in the moil exemplary manner. In a word, a
Commander may ebnfider himfelf happy in having
fuch brave men under him. Both did the greaten
honour to their refpative nations. ['fete follows a
lilt of the officers whom he recommends to the no-
lice of his Lordfhip, and the names of the gun boats
damaged and left behind sc Calais for repair.] Af-
ter this enumeration, the letter thus concludes—
" Laßly, I have the honour to inform you, that since
my arrival, 4.6 gun boats, and t t tranfport fhipshave
arrived here, under convoy of four gun fchooners ;
and I have farther the pleafure to Rate, that all thole
gun vefels, by the indefatigable aaivity of the Cap-
tain cf the Navy, A.A. Buyikes, Chief of my Staff,
came fafe front Dunkirk. 1 had left that officer be-
hind, with orders not to omit any opportunity of
fending off the veffels, after I had brought off the ene•
my to the well. He has ably fupported me in the
different manoeuvres. I thought it proper to fend
Lieutenant Franken, an officer of my Staff, with this
repot t, who will he able to give your Lordfhip a fuller
account of the fame. I have the honour to be, with
the highelt elleens, (Signed) " VIIRH SUL."

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