officers giving orders to the men ; but the darkness was so great that none of the boats were visible. The attacking force consisted of 52 gun brigs and flat-bottomed boats, having on board as was reported, about 6000 men (a number, we think, somewhat overrated), composed chiefly of a detachment from the Boulogne marine-battalion. At daybreak on the 7th the flotilla was seen drawn up in a line opposite to the south-west front of the western redoubt ; and instantly was opened, upon the brigs and flats composing it, a fire from 17 pieces of cannon consisting of four 4, two 6, and six 24 pounder long guns, and three 24, and two 32 pounder carronades, being all the guns that would bear. The brigs remained at a distance of from 300 to 400 yards, in order to batter the redoubt with their heavy long guns while the boats, with great resolution rowed up until within musket-shot of the battery. But the guns of the latter, loaded with round, grape, and canister, soon poured destruction amongst these, cutting several of the boats "into chips," and compelling all that could keep afloat to seek their safety in flight. Six or seven boats were seen to go down, and one small flat, No. 13, was afterwards towed in, bottom upwards. She appeared, by some pieces of paper found in her, to have had 144 persons on board, including 129 of the second company of the Boulogne battalion.

The loss sustained by the British garrison in this highly creditable affair amounted to one private-marine killed, and two private-marines and two seamen wounded ; a loss much less in amount than was to be expected from upwards of 80 bow-guns, many of which were long 36, and none of them, it is believed below long 18 pounders. Lieutenant Richard Bourne, of the Sandfly gun-vessel, who commanded the fort on the eastern island, was unable, at the commencement of the attack, to effect much ; but when, towards the close of it, several of the French boats got within shell-range, two 68-pounder carronades, which were part of his guns, must, from their heavy and destructive discharges, have been of great service in repelling the assailants. Fortunately, no one of Lieutenant Bourne's party was hurt. According to one French account, the invaders lost about 900 in killed or drowned, and between 300 and 400 wounded. According to another, their loss was very trifling. The three British ships got up just as the remnant of the flotilla was retreating ; but, owing to the calm state of the weather, were unable to intercept any of the boats in their way back to La Hougue. As a reward for their conduct on this occasion, Lieutenants Price and Bourne were each promoted to the rank of commander.

Shortly after this unsuccessful début of the famous flotilla, Rear-admiral Bruix succeeding M. Pléville as minister of marine, directed Rear-admiral La Crosse to take the command, and to make a second attack upon the islands which had been the

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