about three miles astern, crowding sail to get up. The brig-corvette, in the mean while, effected her escape.

Having previously, out of her complement of 217, sent away in a prize one lieutenant, two midshipmen, and 20 seamen, the Orpheus commenced action with only 194 men and boys ; of whom she had one midshipman (Mr. Singleton) killed, and one master's mate (Mr. Staines, badly) and eight seamen wounded. The Duguay-Trouin had on board, in all, as many as 403 persons ; many of them sickly. It would be unfair to consider the whole number as her complement, when the absence of the idle passengers and the sick would have increased, rather than diminished her effective strength. The Duguay-Trouin's loss in the action amounted to 21 officers, seamen, and marines killed, and 60 wounded. The ship is represented to have mounted 26 long 18-pounders on the main deck, and two 9 and six 4 pounders on the quarterdeck and forecastle; but it is more likely that the former were 12-pounders, the ship having mounted guns of that caliber when in the company's servince, and her ports not being adapted for 18-pounders.

The usual figure-statement of comparative force would, in this case, afford but a poor criterion of the relative strength of the parties, the British vessel being a regular ship of war, while the French vessel had recently been a merchant-ship, and was fitted out with such stores only as a foreign station, and that a very distant one, could supply. Her crew, also, were sickly, and, it is believed, short of water and provisions. Moreover, the action was fought in sight, and did not terminate till the near approach, of a greatly superior force.

On the morning of the 5th of May, as the British 74-gun ship Swiftsure, Captain Charles Boyles, and 64-gun ship St.-Albans, Captain James Vashon, were a few days out from Cork, with a convoy in charge, two strange sail, apparently frigates, hove in sight to the westward. Both British ships immediately went in chase. At 5 h. 45 m, p.m., the Swiftsure hoisted her colours, and fired three shot at the larger and rearmost of the two frigates ; who thereupon fired a stern-chaser in return, and hoisted the republican ensign, as did also her consort. The latter presently afterwards bore up, and was pursued by the St.Albans ; while the Swiftsure continued in close chase of the former, which was the French 36-gun frigate Atalante, Captain (de vais.) Charles-Alexandre-Leon Durand-Linois.

After dark, the St.-Albans and her frigate, which ultimately escaped, were seen no more ; but the Swiftsure kept sight of the Atalante during the night. At 4 a.m. on the 6th the Atalante bore from the Swiftsure west by north two or three miles, the wind at this time being about north-north-east. The pursuit was continued during the day; and at 5 h. 30 m. p.m. the Swiftsure commenced firing her bow-chasers. At 7 p.m. the latter ceased firing, the Atalante having increased her distance to about two

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