1811	Sir Edward Pellew and M. Emeriau	329

Early on the morning of the 19th of July the two French 40-gun frigates Amélie and Adrienne, on their return from Genoa with conscripts for the fleet, were endeavouring to enter Toulon by the Petite-Passe. Since daylight the semiphoric signals along the coast had apprized Vice-admiral Emeriau of the presence of these frigates : and, just as the British admiral, who was cruising off Cape Sicie with the above-named 16 sail of the line and three frigates, had made the signal for chase to the Conqueror and Sultan, the two in-shore line-of-battle ships, M. Emeriau weighed and sailed out of the road, with 13 sail of the line and the Incorruptible frigate, to cover the Amélie and Adrienne. At 11 h. 30 m. a.m. the Conqueror got near enough to open her fire upon the two frigates ; and presently afterwards both the Conqueror and the Sultan exchanged a few distant broadsides with the French advanced division, consisting of the Ulm, Danube, Magnanime, and Breslau 74s. The two frigates very soon got completely under the protection of their fleet, which then bore up and returned to Toulon road.

Neither of the two British ships appears to have been struck by a shot ; but, according to M. Emeriau, the Ulm had some of her ridging cut by the fire of the British. As of course the Conqueror, who was the nearest in-shore, on finding herself getting within gun-shot of four French 74s, with a fleet of nine more line-of-battle ships close in their wake (M. Emeriau admits he sailed out with 13), shortened sail and tacked off to rejoin her fleet, the French admiral in his despatch, was enabled to say, " L'ennemi," meaning the British fleet, not the advanced 74, " ayant pris la bordée du large, j'ai fait retourner les vaisseaux au mouillage."

On the 7th of August the British fleet came to anchor in the bay of Hyères, out of gun-shot of the batteries, leaving a line-of-battle ship and two or three frigates, as a squadron of observation off Cape Sicie. This afforded to Vice-admiral Emeriau several opportunities to sail out with his fleet, and chase " the enemy " from off the port ; but he invariably returned to his anchorage after effecting this important service : important, indeed for the admiral wrote a despatch every time he weighed,

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