bear down, formed in order of battle, to the number, including the crippled ships, of 21 sail of the line, besides the Santisima-Trinidad, at a great distance off, in tow by a frigate. No sooner, however, did the British fleet, with the Captain in tow, and the Colossus and Culloden scarcely in a state to keep the line, haul its wind, than the Spaniards, very complaisantly, did the same. Had the latter persevered in their advance, it was the intention of Sir John Jervis, as given out in orders, to destroy the captured ships. Fortunately for the credit of the victory, this alternative was not resorted to, and the four prizes were preserved.

On the 16th, at about 3 p.m., the British fleet and prizes anchored in Lagos bay, Portugal. Shortly afterwards Sir John detached Captain Velterers Cornewall Berkeley, with the 18-pounder frigates Emerald and Minerve, 12-pounder frigate Niger, and sloops Bonne-Citoyenne and Raven, to look after the Santisima-Trinidad, which, it was known, had separated from her fleet in tow of a frigate.

On the 20th, at 3 p.m., Cape St.-Vincent bearing about north-north-west distant 27 leagues, and the wind blowing strong from the east-south-east, these three frigates and two sloops were fortunate enough to descry the object of their pursuit in the east by north, under her mainsail, with a jury mizenmast, being towed by a frigate. A brig was also seen in company. The British squadron, by signal from the commodore, made sail in chase. Immediately on observing this, the Spanish frigate cast off the four decker, set all sail, and stood to the westward. At 5 h. 30 m., by the Emerald's log, the signal was made to prepare for battle; and at 6 p.m., by the log of the Minerve, the Spanish ship was distant from her three miles. At this time - but, let us take the words from the log of the commodore's ship. "Made the signal to keep sight of the enemy, or make known their motions by day or night; only being answered by the Minerve, wore ship to the northward."

Soon after this extraordinary step was taken, the British 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Terpsichore, Captain Richard Bowen, joined company. Still the heads of the British frigates were kept to the northward, and the Santisima-Trinidad was soon out of sight. Even the Spanish frigate effected her escape ; but not so the brig : the latter, at 6 a.m. on the 21st, was brought to by the Minerve, and proved to be a deep-laden Danish brig from Barcelona to Cadiz ; a prize of course, and, we believe, a valuable one.

Let us see how a contemporary handles this affair. "Captain Berkeley did not think it right to attack her (the four-decker), and recalled Cockburn in the Minerve and Foote of the Niger, just as the former of these officers was about to bring her to close action. Captain Berkeley was much censured for his apparent want of resolution, but Cockburn gave the commander-in-chief so fair and impartial an account of the whole transaction, as to

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