Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1805-09-16

Tulv u, off Rochefort, arrived two brigs,
with difpatcheS to our Admiral, 10 order
him TO quit his ftation, and join the Meet
under the command of Sir Robert Calder,
off Ferrol, with all poGble exPedition.--
We accordingly crowded fail, and reached
our deaination on the 18th, when we muf-
tered, in all, fifteen fail Of the line, two
frigates, luggcr, and cutter. On the
2zd infant, in lat. A, 10, n. and long.
II q, w. Cape Finiiter bearing f. BY ;.
diitant ninety miles.--At noon moderate
breezes, and very foggY weather one OF
our lookout frigates difcovered itran8e
feet in the w. S. w. quarter made all
fail in line Of battle and cloIc order in chaie,
and found them TO b. the French and Hpan
i(h Combined Fleet, conGlting Of thirty fail
Of fhips Of war, twenty Of which were OF
the line, feven frigates. two b.igs, and one
regifer-fhip, laden with two hundred thou
fend pounds in dollars at five o'cloc! gave
three hearty cheers in honour OF the day,
and commenced the action with the van
lhips, four Spanilh and three Preach. We
received the FIRE from nine OF the enemy
as We pah3d along their line, only aided Dy
the Barheur. During the firft half hour
the a4ion became generil, and veFy warm,
and we fhoulG nave fuccfeded in cutting of
four Spaniih fhips, had n bt fix of the French
come to their alIittancd jult in time, by
which means they fru I ated our dehgn,
You may Judge of our activity, when |
inform you, that we fl led away fosr tons
of powder, feventeen tons of ihot, and three
tons of wadding, in all q baoadfldes.
about nine O'Clock the action Ccafed,
in confequcnce of the darkne(s of the night
and | am happy to fay, at daylight we had
in our pofcflion two Spaniih lhips, one Of
them an "a gun fhip, and the other "a !;
beGdes this, we funk one of the French
fhips called the Scipion, new leventy four,
and all hands perilhed.--Both fleets, dur
ing the following day, were employed
in repairing damages received IN the action,
the enemy to windward, within fix miles
Of US, in line Of battle, BUT ihewed ne in
tention of renewing the action We have
fultained much damage, having received
feventy-three ihot on board, which diiabed
our main matt, bowlprit, feveral thot be-
tween wind and water, b=fldes cutting the
fails and rigging. I am extremely iorry 10
fate the Iois of three valuable fcaman, and
one marine killed, eleven men wounded,
three Of them dangerously. The two fleets
kept in fight OF each other for two DAYS az
forwards.
+" After the unfortunate Spaniards were
difnafted, the Frenchmcn fred ieveraI
broad-fideS into them, which exafPerated
them 70 much that when they got on board
the Englith ihips they gave US all their fig
nails, as well as thofc Of the French, and
Informed US of all their proceedings, which
i fhall now communicate for your further
Information. On their return home, i was
their intention TO raile the blockade of Fe-
rol, from thence to proceed to Rochefort,
and next 70 Ireland, fuppoGng the Brett
feet fhould have been able to fit out to
join them but am happy to FAY We have
rendered all their plans abortite."
AVG. 5.-The arrival 81 the Malta, Of SO
guns, ar Plymouth, on Saturday, with diff
patches from Sir r bert Calder, has put
an end 20 the lAngulnc hopes 10 gener-
ally entertained that our iquadron would
have fucceeded in bringing the combined
feet into action. Itnow appears that from
the evening Of the 25th ult. none Of the
enemy's vet!cIs were 70 IL leen- We have
been favored with letter from an officer
on board the Malta, which the following
IS an extTa6t:
(" 1Iahs, dt Phm5lf5, Aag. 3.
"I am lafs and well, after iInart bruIh
with the enemy, the particulars Of winch
you mutt hav. before this. 10 oar lurprife
and modification, after loiing glorious
opportunity Of eonpeteiy deitrOyine the
combined iaIalr3n, All adding additional
honor 10 ,h- Eritiih alE, W. have let thea
completely eicaPc from u.s. and oar ih.p is
arrived Al Plym,nth. From the hour OF
the battl: on the 22d, till the 25th, We had