1810	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	288

The loss on board the only two remaining British ships that suffered any was of comparatively slight amount. The Iphigenia out of a crew on board of about 255 men and boys, had five seamen killed, and her first lieutenant (Robert Tom Blackler) and 12 seamen and marines wounded. The Magicienne, out of a complement the same as that established upon the Néréide, had eight seamen and marines killed and 20 wounded. A portion of the Magicienne's loss, as here enumerated, was, we believe, sustained on the 23d. The Sirius, having, as it would appear, grounded out of range of shot, did not have a man of her crew hurt, nor, we believe, a rope of her rigging cut. We speak doubtfully of the situation of this frigate, owing to the statement in Captain Pym's letter in the Gazette, that the Sirius lay " within shot of all the enemy's forts and ships," and was only able to " return their fire with two guns." With an excellent French chart of the harbour before us, we find the situation of the Sirius, as marked out by one of her officers, to have been at least a mile and a quarter from the French van-ship ; and, it will be recollected, the Minerve cut or slipped almost at the commencement of the action. With respect to the " forts,'' we know of none except the battery de la Reine, mounting three or four guns, and situated a little to the eastward of the town. We believe, however, that some works were afterwards thrown up, and a few guns mounted, to annoy the grounded British ships.

The loss on board the French ships, according to the official statement of Commodore Duperré, amounted to 37 killed, including two lieutenants of the Bellone and one of the Victor, and 112 wounded. Nearly the whole of this loss, we believe, was sustained by the Bellone; but we cannot help thinking it is underrated, chiefly because M. Duperré mentions the necessity he was under of receiving on board the Bellone fresh supplies of men from the Minerve, during the latter ship's state of inaction already adverted to. With the detachment acknowledged to have been received from the Manche and Entreprenant at Port-Louis, the complement of the Bellone could scarcely have been fewer than 400 or 420 men, and none were wanted to attend to the sails. However, the admitted loss, considering that it must nearly all have been inflicted by the Néréide was highly creditable to the skill and exertions of that ship's officers and crew.

At a few minutes past 4 a.m. Captain Lambert, having previously sent a boat to the Sirius for orders, was directed by Captain Pym, who had then considerable hopes of getting the Sirius afloat, to warp out of gun-shot. The Iphigenia immediately commenced warping by the stern with the stream and kedge anchors, and sent the end of her best bower cable on board the Magicienne, for her to endeavour to heave off by ; thereby leaving herself with only one bower anchor and cable. At daylight, when the Bellone, as already mentioned,

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