her colours, and who had now the good fortune to effect his escape. Although intended for the attack, the French guns were presently landed for the defence of Acre ; and the prizes themselves were manned, and sent to co-operate with the boats in harassing the enemy's posts, impeding his approaches, and cutting off his supplies of provisions by the coasters.

For five days and nights in succession, the gun-vessels and boats were occupied in this laborious duty, to the annoyance of the French and the encouragement of the Turks, but, on one occasion in particular, not without a serious loss to the British. That occasion was an unsuccessful attempt on the 21st, to cut out of the port of Caïffa four djerms, or sailing lighters, which had got in there on the 18th from Alexandria, with supplies for the French army. The attack was made at 10 a.m. by the boats of the two 74s (the Theseus having rejoined the preceding day), covered by some of the gun-vessels, in one of which was Colonel Phelipeaux.

In Sir Sidney's letter, the account of loss includes that incurred in capturing the gun-boats on the 18th, but which, we believe, was comparatively trifling. The total stands thus : four midshipmen (Arthur Lambert, John Goodman, John Gell, and John Carra), and eight seamen killed, one midshipman (John Waters) and 26 seamen wounded; eight of whom, along with 12 others, had been taken prisoners. The officers, other than those just mentioned, that are named by Sir Sidney as having distinguished themselves in this, as it appears to us, scarcely-adequate service even had it been successful, are Lieutenants John Bushby, Samuel Hood Inglefield, William Knight, and James Stokes, and Lieutenant of marines Charles F. Burton.

Owing to a violent gale of wind and the unsheltered state of the anchorage, the Tigre and Theseus were compelled to weigh and stand off ; until the weather moderated, which was not until the 6th of April. In the mean time the French had pushed their approaches to the counterscarp, and even into the ditch of the north-east angle of the town ; and were employed in mining the tower, so as to increase the breach which, by their fieldpieces, they had already made in it. Although the fire from the prize-guns, which had been admirably mounted under the direction of Colonel Phelipeaux and Captain Wilmot of the Alliance, appeared to slacken that of the French, yet much danger was to be apprehended from the mine. A sortie was therefore determined upon, in which a detachment of seamen and marines from the three British ships were to force their way into the mine, while the Turkish troops attacked the enemy's trenches on the right and left.

Just before daybreak on the 7th the sally took place. The impetuosity and noise of the Turks rendered abortive the attempt to surprise the besiegers, but, in other respects, the Turks

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