Résolue. A fifth, the Loire, had her career first partially, then conclusively, interrupted by the keen vigilance of British cruisers. On the 15th of October, at 8 a.m., the British 38-gun frigate Révolutionnaire, Captain Thomas Twysden, and 12-pounder 32-gun frigate Mermaid, Captain James Newman Newman (senior officer), accompanied by the 18-gun brig-sloop Kangaroo, Captain Edward Brace, being near Black-Sod bay on the north-west coast of Ireland, discovered two large sail bearing north. The latter were soon made out to be enemy's frigates, and the British frigates proceeded in chase. At its commencement the two strangers, which were, as may be conjectured, the Loire and Sémillante, kept their wind, but, shortly afterwards, edged away gradually ; so that, by evening, both the pursued and the pursuers were going right before the wind, with all sail set. The two French frigates then signalled and apparently spoke each other, and immediately afterwards steered separate courses. The Révolutionnaire now chased one ; and the Mermaid, followed by the Kangaroo, far astern, the other. At 7 p.m., owing to the thick and squally weather, the two British frigates lost sight of each other, and soon afterwards of their respective chases. Captain Twysden saw his game no more. Captain Newman, as we shall presently see, was more fortunate. The Mermaid, on her enemy disappearing, hauled to the wind, on the larboard tack (the wind north by east), and was soon rejoined by the Kangaroo.

On the following morning, the 16th at daylight, the French frigate was again seen and pursued by the Mermaid and Kangaroo. At 3 p.m. the Kangaroo, whose force was sixteen 32-pounder carronades and two long sixes, came up with and engaged the Loire, for such she was, in a most gallant manner ; until, indeed, the brig had her fore topmast shot away, and foremast wounded, by the frigate's stern-chasers. The Kangaroo was then compelled to drop astern.

The Mermaid continued the pursuit, and kept the enemy in view during the night. At daybreak on the 17th the Loire, observing the Mermaid to be alone, evinced, by shortening sail, an inclination to engage ; nor was the latter disposed to balk captain Segond's wishes. Accordingly, at about 6 h. 45 m. a.m., both ships steering north-east, which was nearly before the wind, the action commenced, and soon became very animated on both sides. An early attempt, on the part of the Loire, to board the Mermaid, was frustrated by Lieutenant Michael Halliday's judicious management of the latter's helm. Shortly afterwards the Mermaid, who had stationed herself on the Loire's starboard bow, taking advantage of a sudden shift of wind from west-south-west to south-south-west, was enabled to gall the latter considerably, without receiving much damage.

In a little while, from repeatedly bearing away and luffing up, the Mermaid closed with her opponent to within pistol-shot;

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