all fifteen fhips of above 50 guns, and feventeen ships of force, befides a few fmaller frigates. The British fleet confifted of seven fhips of 74 guns; seven of 64; and two of 50: in all fixteen, befides frigates. The fuperiority both of men and guns was evidently on the fide of the British; though, had it been otherwife, fuch is the fkill and alertnefs of the English feamen, that there is little doubt but that they ftill would have proved victorious.

As the British admiral approached near, he made the fignal for the fleet to fhorten fail in order to connect them; foon after he faw the land between Canıperdown and Egmont, about nine miles to the leeward of the enemy, and finding there was no time to be lott in making the attack, at half paft eleven he made the fignal to bear up, break the enemy's line, and engage them to leeward, each fhip her opponent; and by these means he got between them and the land whither they were faft approaching. The Dutch admiral, perceiving the defign of his opponent, made at the fame time the fignal to clofe; he was in this inftance alertly obeyed by the Vice-admiral Reventjies; but Rear-admiral Story, with three other fhips of the centre divifion, rau off in the very commencement of the action, and entered the Texel the following day.

The fignals of the British admiral, on the contrary, were obeyed with great promptitude by the whole fleet. Vice-admiral Onflow, in the Monarch, bore down on the enemy's rear in a moft gallant manner, and was followed by his whole divifion. The action commenced at about forty minutes after twelve o'clock, at which time every fhip of the British had broken the enemy's line, and cut them off from getting into the Texel, the land being then difiant about feven miles. While the rear was attacked by the larboard divifion under Vice-admiral Onflow, the commander in chief directed all his attention to the enemy's van; and his own fhip, the Venerable, was in clofe action for near two hours and a half, when he obferved ail

the

the mafts of the Dutch admiral's fhip go by the board ; fhe was, however, defended for fome time after in a moft gallant manner, but being overpowered by numbers, her colours were ftruck to the Venerable; Admiral de Winter himfelf being, it is faid, the only man. left on the quarter-deck who was not either killed or wounded.

About the fame time the Vice admiral's fhip appeared difmafted, and furrendered to Admiral Onflow. Several others of the Dutch (according to fome reports, not less than thirteen in all) had ftruck before half paft three o'clock; but the British admiral finding himfelf in only nine fathoms water, and but five miles from the land, had his attention fo much occupied in getting the heads of the difabled fhips off the shore, that he was not able to distinguish the number which were captured; and the wind blowing conftantly on the land, the Britifh fhips were unavoidably difperfed. Some of the veffels therefore which had ftruck took advantage of the night to escape, and two or three of them were seen going into the Texel the following morning. prizes, however, which were fecured, were eight fhips of the line, two of 56 guns, one of 44, and a frigate. One of these, however, the Delft of 56 guns, foundered within fight of the British coaft, and the frigate alfo was loft.

The

Such was the memorable battle of Camperdown; and a more bloody conflict than this is not to be found in the naval history of this country. The lofs in killed and wounded on board nine fhips only of Admiral Duncan's fleet was upwards of 700. The lofs of the Dutch must have been immenfe. The carnage on board the two fhips that bore the Admirals' flags was (in the words of Lord Duncan) "beyond all defcription ;" there were not leis than 250 men killed and wounded on board each of them; and none of the Dutch fhips that furrendered, it is faid, loft fewer than 100 men! The British loft in this terrible conflict, Captain Burgels of the Ardent, and feveral other officers were kil

led

led and wounded. The Dutch Vice-admiral Reventjies, died foon after his arrival in England. The battle was fought fo near the fhore that every manœuvre might be diftinctly feen, and the whole coaft, for many miles, was crowded with thousands of spectators, who had the mortification of obferving the entire deftruction of their own fleet, the pride and strength of their country, without the poffibility of affording the fmaileft af fistance.

In this action, Admiral Duncan difplayed great nautical skill in running his fleet between the enemy and a lee-fhore; a step which no naval officer had ever dared to take in fimilar circumftances; and which even thebrave and skilful Admiral Keppel did not think adviseable, as too hazardous to be attempted.

To this bold and masterly manoeuvre, the decifive and glorious victory which the British fleet obtained, was almost entirely owing. To this it may be added, that he discovered alfo a high degree of judgment in clofing the conteft in proper time; and in extricating his fleet and prizes from fo difficult a. fituation, which equalled his boldnefs in fuch a decifive measure.

The gallant Admiral, immediately on his return, was created Baron Duncan, of Lundie, in the fhire of Perth, (the place of his nativity) and Viscount Duncan, of Camperdown, in allufion to that part of the coaft of Holland where this fignal victory. was obtained. The official account of this brilliant atchievement we fhall give our readers in a note below *.

A ge

London Gazette Extraordinary of Friday, October 12th 1797. ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, Odober 13th. Lieutenant Brodie, of the Rofe Cutter, arrived early this morning with a letter from Admiral Duncan, commander in chief of his Majefty's fhips, &c. in the North-fea, to Evan Nepean, efq. of which the following is a copy.

Venerable, off the coaft of Holland, the 12th of October by log (11th) three P. M. Camperdown E. S. E. eight miles, wind N. by E.

Sir, I have the pleasure to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, that at nine o'clock this

morning,