of which both the object and the success appear to have been overrated ; but of which the final result was, beyond all doubt, disastrous to one party, and proportionably triumphant to the other.

A week or two after the occurrence of this unlucky event, an exploit of a very different character was performed by some British cruisers off the French coast, and in sight of a part of the army destined, as was then supposed, for the invasion of England. On the 30th of May, at daybreak, the British 38-gun frigate Hydra, Captain Sir Francis Laforey, bomb-vessel Vesuvius (eight long 6-pounders, one 10 and one 13 inch mortar, with 67 men and boys), Captain Robert Lewis Fitzgerald, and 12-gun cutter Trial (eight long 3-pounders and four 12-pounder carronades, with 45 men and boys), Lieutenant Henry Garrett, standing in towards the port of Hâvre, close hauled on the larboard tack, with the wind at east-north-east, discovered about a point upon the weather bow, standing on the contrary tack, three sail, which eventually proved to be the French 36-gun frigate Confiante, Captain (de vais.) Etienne Pevrieux, 20-gun ship-corvette Vésuve, Lieutenant Jean-Baptiste-Louis Lecolier, and an armed cutter or gun-vessel ; all of which, on the preceding night, had quitted Hâvre, bound to Cherbourg.

On approaching near enough to ascertain the character of the Hydra and her companions, the French vessels wore round on the larboard tack, and stood towards the shore, under a press of sail, chased by the former : especially by the Hydra, who was far ahead and to windward of her two consorts. When close in-shore, the Confiante and Vésuve tacked and hoisted their colours ; and the latter, being at some distance on the lee beam of her consort, fired at the Hydra in passing.

Having fired in return, the Hydra quickly put about ; as, shortly afterwards did the French frigate and corvette. At 6 a.m., just as the Hydra, while stretching on upon the starboard tack, had arrived abreast of and between the Confiante and Vésuve, then on the opposite or in-shore tack, the French frigate opened a passing but ineffectual fire ; and, in a minute or two afterwards, the corvette from to-leeward also discharged her guns at the Hydra. The latter now opened upon the Vésuve so well-directed a fire, that the latter, crowding all sail, bore up before the wind towards the shore.

At 6 h. 30 m., leaving the Vesuvius and Trial to pursue the Vésuve, the Hydra tacked after the Confiante ; who thereupon bore up, with the apparent intention of reaching the road of Hâvre. Bearing up in pursuit, the Hydra soon commenced pouring her broadsides into the French frigate ; and the two continued a running fight until 7 h. 15 m., about the time of high-water ; when the Confiante, then under a press of sail, ran on shore upon the sand opposite to Beuzeval, a village a little to

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