The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-20
THE EUR Fan w AR
The Privatecr Grapeshot."

RUSSIAN FRIGATE, OR AMERICAN PRIvATEER GRAPE-
SHOT, IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL-FRENCH BRIG
CAPTURED-BRITIsH SHIPS OF WAR IN CHASE
Some excitement occasioned on Monday the lst
by the statement of sailor, representing himself as
CASTOR Fouque, second mate of the French brig
Vile de Marseilles and who called on Loyd's agent
at St. Ives Cornwall with the report that he had swan
ashore from Russian rgate which captured his vessel
He stated that the capture took place t,oeny leagues
rom Cardiff; that the frgate first hosted English and
then French colors that the Captain and crew of the
brig tried to escape in the boat but fred into, and
the captain and three killed The frigate he
reported to have gone up the Channel The Admiralty
instantly sent two steamers in search of the alleged
frigate.
On the 5th the excitement materially increased
by the publication in the London Herald of the follow
ing article
News has reached the Admiralty that an Ameri.
clipper, the Grapeshot, has captured French
merchant ship off the Lands End The Grapeshot cleared
out Of New York the 22d March, for ST. Thomas with
1900 packages board professedy of hardware but
really containing muskets supposed to be bound to Fin
land ard ling dcoarkation then for the Mediterranean
This will explain the story of Russian frigate in the
Channel
The London Ncrs of May contains the following
paragraph supposed to refer to the aifar:-The
following letter received at Loyds yesterday from
their agent at St. Ives Cornwall dated the LIST Of May;
but there is to believe that the statement is
gross fabrication
CASTOR Fouque second mate of the French brig Vile
de Narsene Addison, MASTER has just been brought
here and reports his having escaped by swimming from
Russian frigae, which had taken their vessel about
twenty leagues from Cardiff having first hosted English,
and afterwards French colors The captain and part of
and the captain and three killed He reports the
fgate to have gone into the other channel have for
warded him to the French consul at renzance
(sgned) LLOYD'S AGENT
The London SHIPPING Gazette, under date st. Ives,
Cornwall May l, says
A Frenchman, about thirty years of age of short
stature, rudy complexion, and a wound across
the fingers and palm of his right hand wearing
a loose blue jacket, with the French naval but
ton, and blue cap with two red stripes, calling
himself CASTOR Fouque into this town this after
noon and represented to the mayor and also to your
correspondent that he belonged to the French brig La
Jeune Vile de Marsees, Of Aarseilles Captain Ardis
SON. from Havana to Cardiff, for orders, laden with
tobacco and sugar, with a of eleven He states
for two three days under English colors and the
fgate hosed Russian colors fred at them and sent two
boats with 80 armed men on board. The captain and
listed to their utmost but overpowered
by superior forces and that the captain was killed by
musket ball, and three Of the also lost their
lives. yiz:-Jean Rcou, of Nantes; Auguste Richard,
he had himself received n coup de sabre in his
right hand, which bound up, but the wound,
from all appearances, was not of such recent date;
that they were all taken prisoners on board the
frigate and consigned to the catte in irons, and he
supposcs the brig had col6 6as" To account for his
getting Shore he states that Of the eutenants
ne9hbor of his, belonging TO La Provence although
in the Russian service and nercedcd for his particular
release, and that boats despatched with him
towards coast and when about six miles off he
CURED strip and jump overheard that he tied up his
hes in his handkerchief which he fastened to his back
and with which he swan shore little to the west ward
Of this port during last night This of course speaks for
it,l He very decenty dressed, and stated that he
had dried his clothes in the sun whose have not
at all fervent day they marks Of having been
weted by salt water very recently He left here at six
O'Clock this evening for ayle and Penzance for the pur
po of applying to the French Consult The Admiralty
il is said sent steam, hips in search Of the al
legged frgae," but the authorities would hava 1888
MN
site of the 9Th of May adds -
There is no mention of this by any of agents ia
the locality referred to- and inquiry at the Admiralty
this morning, informed that there is not word
OF truth in the statement