pounders," as stated by mistake in the official account. The Dutch frigate had commenced the action with 270 men and boys ; of whom she lost, as represented by her officers, 50 in killed and wounded. Her foretopsail yard was shot in two, and her rigging, masts, and hull, more or less injured by the Caroline's heavy broadsides.

It is reasonable to suppose that, had the Maria-Riggersbergen's consorts, admitting them to have been in a situation to do so, co-operated more effectually, the Caroline would have found greater difficulty in capturing the Dutch frigate. This by no means detracts from the merit of Captain Rainier, his officers, and men ; who deserve every credit for having ventured to attack a force of such apparent superiority, as well as for bringing the combat, by the vigorous means they employed, to so speedy a termination.

The Maria-Riggersbergen was purchased-into the service by Rear-admiral Sir Edward Pellew, the British commander-in-chief on the East-India station, and named the Java, but, in a very few months afterwards, became the grave of her officers and crew.

On the 27th of November Rear-admiral Pellew arrived off the; road of Batavia with the following squadron:

Directing the two frigates and brig to enter the road between then island of Onroost and Java, Sir Edward, with the line-of-battle ships, on account of the shoalness of the water, took a circuitous route. As soon as they observed the approach of the British squadron, the Dutch frigate Phoenix, the two brig-corvette : Aventurier and Zee-Ploeg, two armed ships and two armed brigs belonging to the Dutch India-company, and several merchant vessels ran themselves on shore. The William corvette would have done the same, but had hauled down her colours to the Terpsichore as the latter passed Onroost.

The shoal water preventing the British ships from anchoring near enough to fire with effect upon the batteries or ships lying on shore, the rear-admiral detached, for the purpose of destroying the latter, the boats of the squadron under the orders of Captain Fleetwood Pellew, assisted by Lieutenant William Fitzwilliam Owen, of the Sea-flower, and Lieutenant Thomas Groule, first of the Culloden. The Sir-Francis-Drake and Terpsichore, meanwhile, had stationed themselves in the best manner to support the boats in their advance. On seeing the boats approach, the crew of the Phoenix scuttled and abandoned their ship ; and all the British could do on boarding her was to turn

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