Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-07-18
CONTINUATION OF
LITE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
Receipea by The u. States shit Wasfa, a. ne q
office efthe Register.
LONDON, May 90.

LONDON, May %.
Paris Journals to the Oath inst. have arrived.
Not word respecting the fall OF BadaJoz has
vet been suffered TO transplRe. bonaParte
was exnectcd to arrive at Dresden on the 5tn
inst. The emperor Alexander mas asiiseu a
Wilma, the capital of Lithuanla
| The Lady Madison Is arrived at LlVerPooi
i'o''- - May 80.
.4dmiralty Office, May so-The following
letter was transmitted by rear admiral SIT mar
ry Neale, to Lord Keith; and by him enclosed
to ]. w. Croker, Esq. Both the above otil-
GERS bear grateful eslimony to the brlillancy
Of the exploit which it details.
Northumberland, off the Penmarks,
May "a, 1912.
Sir have the honor to inform you the o.
ject of the orders received from you on the
10th, to proceed off L Orient tor the purpose
ofinterceptins two French f:igates and brig
lately seen at sea, has been accomplished, oy
their total destruction, at the entrance OF that
port, by his maiesty's ship under my command
1.-THE Grower gun-brig being IN company') ah-
der the circumstances beg leave 10 relate 10
you.
On Friday the 22d inst. at quarter after
ten A. M. the N. w point OF the Isle Groa
bearing FROM the Northumberland north by
compass, ten miles distant, and the wind very
light from w. by N. they were discovered ID
the N. w. crowding all possible sail before it
for Torrent. MY first endeavors was to Gu
them off to windward Of the island, and Sig
nal was made to the Grower seven miles oil
in the S. w to chase, but finding could DOT
effect il, the Northumberland was pushed by
every exertion round the S. E. end OF Groa,
and by hauling to the wind as close as could
TO leeward of it, had the satisfaction of fetch
imp to windward ofthe harbor's mouth, before
the enemy's ships reached 1t. Their COM
mander seeing himself thus cut off, made -
signal to his coHsorts and hauled to the vino
on the larboard tack to windward OF Point La
leet, and they appeared to speak each other
continued beating to windwSrd between Gi GA
and the continent to close with them, exposed
to the batterie. on both sides, when stood
within their reach, which was unavoidable
The wind had by this time treshened Conslde
rably. and was about w. n. Wat 40 MI
nutes after 2, p. NJ. the enemy I'm force as a
bove described) bore up In close line ahead,
and under every sail that could be set, favored
bv the fresh wind, made bold and deternln-
ed attempt to run between me and the shore,
under cover Of the numerous batteries with
which it is lined in that part. l placed tie
Northumberland to meet them as close as |
could to the Pomte de Pierre Laye, with
her head to the shore, and the main-topsai
shivering, and made dispositions torlaymg one
of them along side but they hauled SO very
close round the point, following the direction
of the coast to the eastward OF 1t, that In my
Ignorance of the depth OF water so near The
shore, did not think it practicable, consistent
with the Safety of his malesty's ship drawing
near Is feet) to prosecute that plan. there
fore bore up and steered parallel to them at
the distance of about two cables length, and
opened the broad side on them, which was re.
turned by very animated and we'll directed
fire of round, grape, and other descriptions oil
shot. supported by three batteries, for the
space of 81 minutes, and was very destructive
to our sails and rigging. My object during
that time was to prevent their hauling outside
the dry rock named lie Graul, but in steering
sufficiently close TO it to leave them no room
to pass between me and 1t, and at the same
time to avoid running on it myself, the utmost
difficulty and anxiety was produced by the
cloud of smoke which drifted ahead of the
ship and totally obscured it. However, by the
care and attention Of Mr.. Hugh Stewart, the
master, the ship was carried within the dis
lance of her own length on the southwest SIDE
in quarter less Z, and the enemy were IN con-
sequence obliged, as their only alternatives to
attempt passing within it, where there was not
water enough, and they all grounded under e.
very Sail, on the rocks between 1t and the
shore.
The sails and rigging of the Northumber-
land were so much damaged, that | was
obliged to leave the enemy to the effects OF
the falling tide, it being only one quarter ebb,
while repaired the rigging and shifted the
fore tonsail that was rendered entirely USE