scene of their defeat. The French government, however, have good reason, from experience, to doubt the success of the measure, renounced the attempt ; and Rear-admiral La Crosse, selecting an opportunity, conveyed back the principal part of his flotilla to Cherbourg, between which port, Granville, and Saint-Malo, the vessels were divided ; while Captain Muskein, with his division, was ordered to Hâvre.

Intelligence having reached the British government, that a great number of transport-schuyts were fitting at Flushing, or Flessingue, preparatory to their being convoyed by the Bruges canal to Dunkerque and Ostende, in order to be employed in the long-threatened invasion of England, a squadron, consisting of one 44-gun ship flute (mounting 26 guns), two 28-gun frigates, two 20-gun ships, three frigate flûtes (mounting about 14 guns each), and 17 sloops, bombs, and gun-vessels, under the orders of Captain Home Riggs Popham, in the Expedition flûte-44, assembled at Margate, and there received on board a body of troops, commanded by Major-general Eyre Coote.

On the 14th of May the squadron set sail for the opposite coast, but, owing to an unfavourable change in the weather, did not, until the 19th, at 1 a.m., reach their intended anchorage in front of the town of Ostende. Soon afterwards the wind, shifting to west and blowing hard, raised a heavy surf on the shore. Still, as information had just been received, by a captured vessel, that the force in Ostende, Nieuport, and Bruges, was very small, it was resolved to land the troops immediately, and trust to the weather's moderating for their safe re-embarkation. One of the transports, the frigate-flute Minerva, Captain John Mackellar ; having on board the four light-infantry companies or the first regiment of guards, under Lieutenant-colonel Ward had recently parted company. The remainder of the troops, with Major-general Coote at their head, consisting of two light infantry companies of the Coldstream guards, two similar companies belonging to the third guards, the 11th regiment of foot, and the flank companies of the 23d and 49th regiments, numbering, including a small party of miners, about 1140 officers and men, with six pieces of ordnance, also wooden petards, tools, and the necessary quantity of gunpowder for effecting the intended explosion, disembarked, and at about 3 a.m., without opposition or even discovery, effected their landing at a short distance to the eastward of the town.

At about 4 h. 15 m. a.m. the batteries at Ostende opened their fire upon the three nearest British vessels, which were the brig-sloop Wolverine, Captain Lewis Mortlock, and gun-brigs Asp and Biter, Lieutenants Joseph Edmonds and John Dennis De Vitré ; and, for upwards of four hours, a mutual cannonade was maintained. At the end of that time, however, the Wolverine and Asp had sustained considerable damage in their hulls and rigging ; with, to the latter the loss of one seaman killed,

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