Moniteur, no damage or loss worth mentioning was 1799. sustained by either french ship, or rather by the Dec. Sirène, for no other french ship is allowed to have been present. The "sang-froid" of Victor Hugues is much praised, and so is the gallantry of the french, and the shyness of the british commodore; in which, however, is meant, not captain Duff of the Glenmore, but captain Raper of the Aimable, as appears by the following passage in the account: "Un combat s'engagea entre la Sirène et une frégate anglaise, qui, après quelques volées de canons et de mitraille, et quoique soutenue par plusieurs autres frégates qui étaient en vue, quitta la partie, &c." We need only to remind the reader, that it was a commodore Jean-Marie Renaud who, about five years before, when commanding the french 36-gun frigate Prudente, behaved in so discreditable a manner off the Isle of France.* There, too, the french account contained several mistatements, and bestowed very great praise upon monsieur the commodore.

On the 21st of December, in the evening, the british hired 10-gun cutter Lady-Nelson, while off Cabrita point, was surrounded and engaged by two or three french privateers and some gun-vessels, in sight of the 100-gun ship Queen-Charlotte and 36-gun frigate Emerald, lying in Gibraltar bay. Vice-admiral lord Keith, whose flag was flying on board the former ship, immediately ordered the boats of the two to row towards the combatants, in the hope that it might encourage the Lady-Nelson to resist, until she could approach near enough to be covered by the guns of the ships.

Before the boats could get up, however, the Lady-Nelson had been captured, and was in tow by two of the privateers. Notwithstanding this, lieutenant William Bainbridge, in the Queen-Charlotte's barge, with 16 men, ran alongside of, boarded with

*See vol. i. p. 306.

w

540 LIGHT SQUADRONS, &c.-VIPER AND FURET.

1799. the greatest impetuosity, and after a sharp conflict Dec. carried, the Lady-Nelson; taking as prisoners seven french officers and 27 men: six or seven others had been killed or knocked overboard in the scuffle.

In the mean time the two privateers, having cut the tow-ropes and made off towards Algesiras, were pursued by lord Cochrane in the Queen-Charlotte's cutter. The darkness of the night prevented the boats from acting in concert, otherwise both privateers would probably have been taken. Lieutenant Bainbridge was severely wounded in the head by the stroke of a sabre, and slightly in other places. Some of his men were also wounded. These boatattacks are desperate affairs, and few have exhibited more gallantry than that which ended in the recapture of the british cutter Lady-Nelson.

On the 26th of December, at 10 h. 15 m. A. M., the Dodman bearing north distant seven or eight leagues, the british cutter Viper, of fourteen 4-pounders and 48 men and boys, lieutenant John Pengelly, perceiving a suspicious-looking vessel to windward, tacked and stood after her. At 10 h. 45 m. A. M. the Viper brought the stranger to close action, which continued for three quarters of an hour, when the latter sheered off. The Viper immediately gave chase; and, after a running fight of an hour and a half, had the good fortune to lay her opponent on board. Two well-directed broadsides then compelled the french lugger-privateer Furet, of fourteen 4-pounders, and 57 out of a complement of 64 men, (seven having been sent away in a prize on that morning,) commanded by citizen Louis Bouvet, to strike her colours.

The Viper had her mainmast rendered unserviceable by the privateer's shot, and her rigging and sails very much cut; but the cutter escaped with only her commander (slightly) and one seaman wounded. The Furet's rigging and sails were in as bad a condition as the Viper's, and her loss much greater; amounting to four seamen killed, her first

and second captains, and six seamen wounded, four 1799. of them dangerously.

This was a very spirited little affair, and ranks with the Courier and Guerrier as to the near equality of the match. Moreover it was, as will be recollected, the second occasion where the Viper cutter, under the same commander, had captured a french privateer of equal force.*

COLONIAL EXPEDITIONS.-WEST INDIES.

On the 31st of July an expedition intended to act July. against the dutch island of Surinam, composed of the 98-gun ship Prince-of-Wales, captain Adrian Renou, bearing the flag of vice-admiral lord Hugh Seymour, 74-gun ship Invincible, captain William Cayley, four frigates, one 20-gun ship, and one gunbrig, having on board a body of troops commanded by lieutenant-general Trigge, sailed from Port-Royal bay, Martinique.

On the 11th of August the expedition made the Aug. coast of Surinam to-windward of the river of that name, and on the 16th, in the afternoon, stood in and came to an anchor off the mouth of the river. A summons was immediately sent in to the governor of the colony, who requested and received 48 hours to consider of the proposals. On the 18th the dutch governor consented to treat; and on the 19th, on account of the shallowness of the water, the troops were removed from the two line-of-battle ships to the frigates. This done, the latter, with the admiral and general on board of one of them, weighed and proceeded to a fresh anchorage about two miles up the river.

In this situation the british squadron continued until the night of the 20th, when the capitulation was returned finally ratified and confirmed by the governor; and on the following day, the 21st, Fort

* See p. 118.

war.

1799. New-Amsterdam was taken possession of, and the 5 Aug. garrison, numbering 750 men, of whom 250 only were regulars, marched out with the honours of On the 22d several other forts and posts, including the town of Paramaribo, the capital of the colony, were taken quiet possession of, and the whole of Surinam surrendered to the arms of Great Britain.

The only vessels of war, found lying in Surinam river, were the french ship-corvette Hussar, of 20 long 8-pounders,* and the dutch brig-corvette Camphaan, of 16 long 6-pounders. Both vessels were added to the british navy; the latter by her own name, and the former by the name of the colony in whose waters she had been captured.

EAST INDIES.

Although, from its situation, not a place at the reduction of which the british navy could cooperate, yet, as the capital of an immense territory, and the residence of a powerful and enterprising chief already named in these pages, the fortress of Seringapatam claims to have its surrender noticed.

The british and native troops assembled for the reduction of this important fortress were commanded by lieutenant-general Harris; and on the 30th of April the batteries of the former began to batter in May. breach. On the 3d of May a breach was reported practicable; and on the 4th the capital of Mysore was carried by assault, with a loss to the british and native troops of 83 killed, (13 only of the latter,) 297 wounded, and six missing. Among the killed in defending Seringapatam, was the sultan TippooSaib, whose body, after a long search, was found under a heap of slain in one of the gateways.

* So, with the usual substitution of 9 for 8 pounders, represented in lord Hugh's letter; but as the ship was only 413 tons, we consider that the guns were either fewer in number, or of a lighter caliber, probably 6-pounders.

Several of the gallant Tippoo's chiefs and head 1799. men fell on the same occasion.

Among the numerous prisoners taken in the fortress were a few french officers; and, among Tippoo's papers, was found the clearest evidence of the good understanding that had subsisted between the deceased sultan and the french government; and this even while Tippoo was negotiating, in seeming heartiness and good faith, with the earl of Mornington. Of the origin and ill success of a previous application on the part of the sultan for a supply of french troops, we have already given some account. By the documents found at Tippoo-Saib's death, it appears that the french government was also to supply him with naval officers, who were to receive a large pay; that Mangalore was to be Tippoo's principal seaport, and that Goa and even Bombay were to have been attacked; the first of which settlements, on their anticipated easy reduction, was to be retained by Tippoo, and the latter to be given up to the French.

* See p. 306.

May.