1809	British and French Fleets	136

the navigation made it the 6th of August before the sea-blockade of Flushing, by means of the flotilla, could be effectually established. On the 9th a strong division, under the orders of Captain Sir Home Popham, was detached up the western Scheldt, with directions to sound and buoy the Baerlandt channel to enable the larger ships to advance ; and the following 10 frigates, under the command of Captain Lord William Stuart, were waiting only till the weather permitted, also to proceed up the western Scheldt:

On the 11th, in the afternoon, a light air from the westward springing up, Lord William, with his squadron, in the following order of battle in line ahead, Lavinia, Heroine, Amethyst, Rota, Nymphen, Aigle, Euryalus, Statira, Dryad, and Perlen, forced the passage between the batteries of Flushing and Cadzand ; and, although from the lightness of the wind and an adverse tide the ships were exposed to the enemy's fire during two hours, no greater loss was sustained than two men killed and nine wounded, namely, the Amethyst, one seaman killed and one wounded ; Heroine two wounded, and Perlen the same ; and Aigle one marine killed, and one lieutenant of marines (Henry Loveday Vine), one schoolmaster (Thomas Donovan), one seaman, and one boy wounded. The Aigle was the only ship of the 10 that sustained any material damage : a shell fell through her decks into the bread-room, and, exploding there, shattered her stern-frame greatly, and occasioned the whole of her loss.

At the upper part of the Scheldt, a fruitless attack had been made by Rear-admiral Missiessy's flotilla upon the fort of Balthz (sic) ; and the increased strength of the British flotilla, commanded by Sir Richard Keats, had obliged the French admiral to retire beyond the boom at Lillo. Five of the French 74s subsequently proceeded a short distance above Antwerp, and the whole 10 lay, as plainly seen from the more advanced vessels of the British flotilla, with topgallant yards across.

It had been arranged that the squadron of seven effective or full-armed line-of-battle ships, under the command of Rear-Admiral Lord Gardner, lying at anchor in the Deurloo passage, off Dykeshook, should co-operate with the army in cannonading Flushing. Accordingly, on the 12th, Rear-admiral Sir Richard

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