away in prizes two master's mates and 12 seamen, she had on board no more than 198 men and boys. Of these, the Blanche lost her commander, one midshipman (William Bolton) five seamen, and one private marine killed, one midshipman (Charles Herbert), two quartermasters, the armourer, one sergeant of marines, 12 seamen, and four private marines wounded ; total, eight killed and 21 wounded.

The Pique was armed with two carriage-guns, 6-pounders, less than her establishment, or 38 in all ; but she mounted along her gunwale on each side, several brass swivels. Respecting the number composing the crew of the Pique, the accounts are very contradictory. Lieutenant Watkins, in his official letter, states the number at 360 ; and Vice-admiral Caldwell, at Martinique, when enclosing that letter to the admiralty, says, "many more than 360." On the other hand, the three French officers, examined before the surrogate of the colonial vice-admiralty court, subsequently deposed, two of them to " between 260 and 270 men,'' and the third to " about 270 men," as the total number on board their ship when the action commenced. Upon these certificates, head-money was paid for 265 men ; but, according to the documents transmitted along with those certificates, the, actual number of men on board was 279. Among the documents is a letter, with admiral Caldwell's signature, stating that the number of killed, wounded, and prisoners, the amount of which, however, is not shown, accords exactly with the number, 279, alleged to be on board the Pique ; yet, in the admiral's letter in the Gazette, the total of killed, wounded, and prisoners, amounts to 360. Schomberg makes the number 460 ; * and another writer considers the Pique's men to have nearly doubled those of the Blanche. We are satisfied, however, that 279 is the full amount of the French crew. Of this number the Pique had, it appears, 76 officers and men killed, and 110 wounded ; a loss unparalleled in its proportion.

A difference there is, but scarcely sufficient, except perhaps in point of crew, to entitle the action to be considered otherwise than as an equal match. The French officers and crew fought the Pique in a most gallant manner ; surrendering only when their ship was a defenceless hulk, and themselves reduced to a third of their original number.

Nor must we omit to do a further act of justice to Captain Conseil, or to his memory rather, for, although not stated, he

* Schomberg, vol. ii., p. 403.

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