He received a stroke on the head from a splinter, and had his hat carried off by the wind of a cannon ball. A letter from on board the Superb says-"Capt. Keats, before we began, suspended to the mizen stay a portrait of our beloved Hero (Nelson.) There it remained unhurt, but was completely covered (so was Capt. K. himself) with the blood and brains of poor Brookbank, one of our boatswain's mates. Two or three minutes before the work of death began, officers hats off, on the quarter deck, our band played, "God save the King;" then came "Off she goes ;" and next "Nelson of the Nile." Never was enthusiasm greater than ours, and to it we went with heart and hand." It is remarkable, that upwards of 100 of the crew of his Majesty's ship Northumberland, were raised in Greenock. Lieut. Seymour (son of the late Admiral Lord Hugh Seymour) received a most severe wound by a grapeshot, which carried away part of his under jaw. He is come home in the Kingsfisher, and is in a fair way of recovery. The French paper the Moniteur contains a long account of the late action in St Domingo Bay. It is written by M. Cocault, Captain of the corvette La Di. ligente, which escaped out of the action, and arrived at Port Louis on the 26th of March-(Both the French frigates likewise sailed for Europe, but the Diligente parted with them in the English channel in a storm, and knows nothing of them.) With the usual accuracy of French statements, Adm. Duckworth's squadron is increased to nine sail of the line and several frigates, and the French squadron is reduced to four. L'Imperial, of 120 guns, is not mentioned in the account; but, notwithstanding the great disparity of force, Capt. Cocault asserts, that it was with the utmost difficulty the English obtained a victory, and he is quite sure that if the force had been equal, the English would have been crushed!-The Moniteur, in a note upon this account, throws out a censure upon the conduct of the French Admiral, for remaining so long in St Domingo, as he was ordered to continue his cruise. Capt. Cocault states, that he sailed from Brest with 15 ships of the line, six frigates, and four corvettes, on 13th December, and that on the 24th they separated into several squadrons. Ten sail of the line therefore remain unaccounted for. The well-earned rewards of their King and Country have been already bestowed on the victors of St Domingo. A pension of 1000l. a-year has been settled on Admiral Duckworth; the dignity of a Baronet of the United Kingdom has been conferred upon Admiral Louis, and Admiral Cochrane has been made a Knight of the Bath. The City of London have voted thanks and swords to Admirals Duckworth, Cochrane, and Louis.-The patriotic Fund have also voted the following donations : To Admiral Duckworth, a vase, value 400l. to Admirals Cochrane and Louis, a vase each, value 300 1.-to each of the Captains and Commanders in the squadron, a sword, value 100l. and a vase of the same value-to officers of the second class severely wounded, 1ool: slightly wounded 50 1.—to officers of the third class severely wounded, 501.; slightly wounded, 301-to officers of the fourth class severely wounded, 40l. ¿ slightly wounded, 25 1.-to every sea man or marine, whose wounds may be attended with disability or loss of limb, 401.-to every seaman or marine dangerously wounded, 20 1. slightly wounded 10 l.-Relief to be afforded to the widows, orphans, parents, and relatives depending for support on the officers or men who fell in the action. After all the vigilance and activity displayed by our fleets in watching the enemy's ports, it has been found impossible to keep up the blockade so effectually, as that they shall not find opportunities of getting out partial squadrons to sea. Besides the divisions from Rochefort and l'Orient, it is now certain that no less than 15 of the Brest fleet, with several frigates, got out of that port about the middle of December, of the destination of which we have yet no certain intelligence. They separated into three divisions a few days after they left Brest. One of these under Adm. Lesseigues, made its way to St Domingo, when it was fortunately met with, and defeated by Sir John Duckworth. The other squadron, which separated, commanded by Rear-Admiral Guillemay, consisted of the Foudroyant, of 84; Veteran, of 80, Jerome Bonaparte; L'Eole, L'Impetuex, Caffar, Aquillon, 74 each; and the Valeureux of 44. This squadron was was chaced by Admiral Duckworth off the Cape de Verds; and it appears from the information of the prisoners taken at St Domingo, that they were destined for Martinique, there to take on board Adm. Villaret Joyeuse, as Commander in Chief, and then to proceed to St Domingo, to join with those happily destroyed by us. It is supposed the ultimate object of the united squadron, was to proceed to the Havannah, to escort a quantity of treasure to France. The third division of the Brest fleet is supposed to be destined for the East Indies. One of the French divisions took off the Spanish coast a transport, with some officers and 150 men of the 2d regt. of foot, bound for Gibraltar. They took out the troops and most of the provisions, and burnt the transport. The same or another division took three ships, part of a large convoy which sailed from Corke in December. On board one of these, the Robert, were Generals Balfour and Montresor, and Major Maxwell, all of whom the French landed at Port Praya, one of the Cape de Verds, and left them there. These officers fortunately met with an American schooner, on board of which they took their passage for Barbadoes, where they ar rived safe on the 18th of February. The Trio of Liverpool, the Lord Nelson, and the Favourite sloop of war, were captured on the coast of Africa, in January, by a French squadron of one ship of the line and three frigates, supposed to be the Regulus, President, Sybille, and Surveillante, under M. L'Hermite, from L'Orient, which are stated to have arrived at Martinique. Whatever may be the object or destination of these hostile squadrons, a sufficient British force has been sent in pursuit of them. Besides Sir John Duckworth's, detached from Lord Collingwood's fleet, and which has effected the destruction of one French division, Sir J. Borlase Warren, and Sir Richard Strachan, sailed in January from Ports mouth, with a force of seven ships of the line each, with orders to cruize off Madeira and to the southward. And Admiral Harvey has sailed to the westward with eight sail of the line, to scour the track homeward from the West Indies. Sir J. B. Warren, with seven sail of the line, two frigates, two brigs, and a cutter, arrived off Madeira the 15th February, and continued cruising there on the 8th of March. It is said he has since gone to the Cape of Good Hope, from whence he is to proceed to the East Indies. Sir Richard Strachan's squadron, consisting of seven sail of the line and two frigates, arrived off Madeira on the 10th of March, and remained off that island on the 14th. The Gazette of the 5th April announces the following captures: Lord Collingwood's fleet having been driven by a strong east wind as far to the westward as Cape St Mary's, four French frigates and a brig escaped from Cadiz, on the evening of the 26th Feb. The one most astern was cut off and captured by the Hydra frigate; she proved to be Le Furet, French man of war brig, of 18 (pierced for 20) nine pounders and 130 men, only four years old, of the largest dimensions, and stored and victualled for five months.-Capt. Loring, of the Niobe, on the 28th March, gave chace to three French frigates, and a brig, standing out of L'Orient, and succeeded in cutting off and capturing the sternmost, Le Nearque, national corvette, of 16 guns and 97 men, stored and victualled for five months. The Glory and a frigate were left in chace of the hostile frigates, which are believed to be destined for the West Indies. The Gazette contains a letter from Capt. Paget of the Egyptienne frigate, announcing a gallant action performed by the boats of that ship, in cutting out of the Bay of Muros, L'Alcide of Bourdeaux, a frigate-built ship, pierced for 34 guns, only two years old, and had, when last at sea, a complement of 240 men. Although she was moored close to the beach, and under the protection of two batteries, which kept up an incessant fire, we had not a man hurt. The Gazette also announces the capture, by the King's Fisher sloop in the West Indies, of the Elizabeth, French privateer, of 14 guns and 102 men. She is a fine vessel, well armed and equipped, a very fast sailer, and had been a great annoyance to our trade. The Gazette also contains a list of 26 vessels taken by Admiral Cochrane's squadron, many of them armed; but most of them have been already separately announ-* ced. The The boats of the Colpoys schooner have cut out of a small port on the Spamish coast, three gun-luggers, having troops on board, with valuable cargoes of flax and steel, under a heavy fire of grape, from a battery of six 24 pounders, The boats had only two men wounded. The Spanish soldiers jumped overboard early in the action. The Colpoys brig has had a most galLant action with a ship of superior force off Ferrol almost under the batteries. She peppered the enemy so well, that she forced her to run ashore where she bilged and sunk; the crew were saved by boats from the shore. Letters received from an officer of the Eagle, 74, Capt. Cayley, dated March $th off Cadiz, state, that during the Late gales our blockading squadron was blown off that port, when three Spanish frigates escaped, and a corvette; but the latter was taken by one of our cruisers. The Eagle was to sail on the 9th April to Messina, to convoy down to Malta and Gibraltar the British troops under Sir James H. Craig, which had arrived there from Naples. Our squadron at Messina has been reinforced by two ships of the line; and they ride at anchor in perfect security, at a distance of nine miles from the opposite Calabrian shore, which is so low and open, that any collection of the enemy's boats there might be easily destroyed. As to the passage between Scylla and Charybdis, the current is strong, the shore rocky, and difficult of access, and the landing almost impracti. cable. The Bloodhound gun brig was a few days since nearly carried by a coup-demain by a French privateer, full of men, while in the act of handing her sails, off the South Foreland, previous to coming to an anchor. About 40 of the privateer's crew got on board the gun brig; but as soon as our tars recovered from their first surprise, they were driven back to their own vessel, with the loss of more than one third of their number. The enemy, crowding all sail, made her escape, before the brig was in a situation to pursue her. During the last days of February, a hurricane of unexampled violence raged on the coast of Holland and North of Germany. We have already given some details of the damage sustained on the Dutch coast. At Cuxhaven the tide rose 19 feet higher than at a common spring tide; the sea dikes were much damaged; several vessels were lost with their whole crews, and some, on the receding of the tide, were left a long way up the country, and cannot be got off. The vessels that suffered were mostly Danes and Swedes. On the 10th March, during a violent gale, the Prosperous, Bens, of Whitha ven, was lost off the isle of Anglesea, and all on board perished. Low indeed has the high spirit of the Spaniards sunk, if the following statement, which appears in all the London papers, be correct: 66 Among the more important con tents of dispatches lately received from Lord Collingwood, is the correspondence between his Lordship and the Spanish Admiral D'Oliva, who it will be recol. lected was taken in the battle of Trafalgar, but afterwards escaped in his ship to Cadiz. D'Oliva, we understand, denies his being a prisoner, upon this unworthy pretence, that it was not his sword, but that of his Captain, which was carried to Admiral Collingwood. The fact is, that when his ship, after having struck, was boarded by a British officer, D'Oliva was lying on the quarter-deck, dreadfully wounded, great part of his face having been shot away, and apparently in the agonies of death. The British Lieutenant ordered him not to be disturbed, but desired to have his sword, as a token of his surrender. A sword was accordingly delivered to him as that of the Admiral, and it is because this is now said to have been his Captain's, that this degenerate Spaniard, who rather indeed should be considered as an adopted Frenchman, now refuses to deliver himself up as a pri soner." DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE. Several communications have been lately made by the French government to the British Ministers. On the 17th of March, a flag of truce came into Dover from Boulogne, with a packet addressed to Mr Secretary Fox, which the bearer (a naval officer) desired might be forwarded without delay. Lord Keith immediately transmitted it to the Foreign Secretary's office. The subject underwent the consideration of three Cabinet Cabinet Councils, and on Friday evening the 21st, a Note, written by Mr Fox,himself, addressed to M. Talley. rand, was sent off to Lord Keith, to be forwarded without delay to France. Other two communications of the same kind have been received by Ministers; but so strict is the secrecy observed regarding their contents, that nothing certain has transpired. It was at first supposed that they contained some proposals for an exchange of prisoners; a circumstance extremely probable; but the general conjecture is, that they relate to matters of still higher impor. tance. Some approximation towards an exchange of prisoners of war has however taken place between our Government and France. Admiral Villeneuve, who commanded the combined fleets in the memorable battle of Trafalgar, with several other French officers, have obtain ed permission to return to France on their parole, and have accordingly been landed at Morlaix. Hopes are also entertained, that the difficulties respecting the liberation of such of our country men as were detained in France, previous to the commencement of hostilities, may be removed. The Earl of Elgin, the Earl of Yarmouth, and Col. Abercrombie, have been permitted to return home, it is said, on their parole. A Privy Council was held on Wednesday March 19. to investigate a charge against Lieut. Stevens, of the Trident, accused of having, in conjunction with the first Lieutenant Rutherford, and without a court-martial, caused three seamen to be punished in the East In. dies, with such severity as to occasion their death in a few hours after. Lieut. Stevens, the surgeon, and other witnesses, have been discharged, but bound over to give evidence against Lieut. Rutherford, who has absconded, and for whose apprehension a reward of L. 300 is offered by a proclamation in the Gazette. He has been since apprehended at Scarborough. A General Court was held at the Bank of England on Wednesday March 19. when the usual dividend of 34 per cent. was ordered to be paid. The Governor informed the proprietors, that it was the wish of Government that they should retain at an interest of 3 per cent. until six months after a peace, the sum of three millions lent to Govern ment for six years without interest, as a consideration for the renewal of the Bank Charter for 21 years. The proposal was assented to without oppos tion. The Anniversary of the Benevolent Society of St Patrick's was celebrated on Monday March 17. The Duke of Sussex in the Chair. The Earl of Moira, and many distinguished characters, (up wards of 600) were present. The sub scription amounted to the unprecedented sum of L. 1200. At last Lancaster assizes, Edward Barlow, aged 69, (who has been the executioner for that county for 20 years, during which time he has officiated upon 84 criminals) was tried for horse-stealing, and found guilty,-Death. NEW MINISTRY. The death of that able and virtuous Minister, Mr Pitt, occasioned such a blank in the executive government of the country, that it was generally looked to as a sign of the dissolution of his Administration. In the present crisis of affairs, it was absolutely requisite that no interruption should be allowed to the public business; and accordingly his Majesty, immediately after the above event, desired a consultation with Lord Grenville. His Lordship, in a long conference with his Majesty on the 27th of January, was instructed to draw up a plan of such arrangements as should be agreeable to his Lordship and his political friends, comprehending as far as was eligible, men of all parties. His Lordship, after several consultations with the Prince of Wales, Mr Fox, Mr Windham and others, presented a list of a new administration to his Majesty, to which, after a few days deliberation, and some slight alteration in offices of inferoir importance, he was pleased to give his royal approbation. We understand the only measure on which a difference of opinion arose in the new arrangement, was a proposition earnestly pressed by Lord Grenville, for the annexation of a Military Council to the office of Commander in Chief, to which his Majesty, after some hesitation, gave his consent. The change, by the new arrangement, is so very extensive through all the ministerial offices, that we deem a comprehensive view of the whole will be acceptable to our Readers. t Secretary Home Department Admiralty Secretary at War Treasurer of the Navy Paymaster of the Navy Comptroller of ditto Board of Controul for India affairs S Lord Erskine Sir H. B. Neale Lord Grenville Lord H. Petty Mr H. Addington Joint Postmasters General Earl of Carysfort Earl of Buckinghamshire President of Board of Trade Lord Auckland Earl Temple Earl Temple Joint Paymasters of Army { Lord J. Townshend Master General of Ordnance Storekeeper of ditto Clerk of deliveries ditto Earl of Moira Lord R. Spencer Capt. Band Gent. Pensioners Lord St John Chancellor duchy of Cornwall Sir Arthur Pigott Old Administration: Mr Pitt Lord Lovaine Lord Fitzharris Marquis Blandford Earl Westmoreland Lord Hawkesbury Lord Barham Lord Glenbervie Lord C. Somerset Lord Erskine Right Hon. William Pitt |