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placed. Branches for this pipe may be provided with cocks (C C) as represented in the figure, and opened and shut as occasion may repuire.

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As the simple method of spreading Signal Flags in light airs, or calm wea ther, may not be generally known in the Navy, we are much obliged to the friend who bas communicated to us the explanation that accompanied a Code of Signals presented to the Admiralty by Mr. McArthur before the commencement of this war; and which mode we understand, by repeated trials on board the Victory, during the Russian armament (Summer 1791), was found to answer fully the purpose intended.

METHOD OF DISPLAYING SIGNAL FLAGS IN LIGHT AIRS,
OR CALM WEATHER.

IT is proposed to have, as necessary appendages to the signal flags, two light sticks of about eight feet in length; and when a signal with two flags is to be made in light airs or calm weather, one of these sticks is to be fixed to the upper edge of each flag, by means of straps or points.-The flags are to be bent to the haulyards on deck as usual, and will be hoisted with the same facility as if no sticks were attached to their upper edges, from being kept in a

vertical direction, while running up to the mast head, mizen peek,' or other conspicuous part of a ship making the signal. A small block is to be fixed on the signal haulyards, under which, at the distance of four feet, the upper signal flag should be bent, and a line fixed to the centre of the sticks attached to the upper edges of the flags, and made to pass through the block above-mentioned, would immediately, on being hauled upon after the flags were hoisted, cause them to spread out, and bring them in a horizontal view, whereby the form and colour of each flag would be even better distinguished, than if expanded by a brisk gale.

In order to convey a clearer idea of this method, the following explanations and references to the annexed figure are made :

2

b

The superior flag No. 1, quartered white and red, and inferior flag No. 2, white and blue, diagonally, are displayed at the mast head, after being spread out, by means of the topping line (c, c, c), in the manner indicated. These flags, with the sticks attached to their upper edges, are in the first instance run up by the haulyard from deck in a vertical manner to the mast head; and when the small block (6) (fixed to the haulyards) is chock up to the truck, or as high as it is intended to be hoisted, then by hauling on the topping or spreading line (c, c, c), the flags are instantly expanded, thereby bringing the sticks (s,s), as well as the flags, in a horizontal view, or, which is the same thing, directly perpendi. cular to the mast,

The topping line (c, c, c) having been fixed to (a, a), the centre parts of the signal sticks, and as the distance between the block (b), and where the upper flag is bent to the haulyard, is four feet, equal to half the length of its stick, it is obvious, that when the topping line is hauled

for the purpose of spreading the flags, it will form the hypothenuse of a right-angled triangle with the mast and upper edge of the flag (1), whereby both flags are instantly displayed in the same direction, and in full view for discerning colours at a distance.

M.

Gazette Letters.

ADMIRALTY OFFICE, MARCH 30.

Copy of a Letter from Vice Admiral Harvey, Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels at the Leeward Islands, to Evan Nepean, Esq. dated at Martinique, the 6th of Feb. 1799.

SIR,

I HAVE to acquaint y u, for the information of their Lordships, that Captain Westbeech, in his Majesty's sloop Favourite, on the 8th of December last, captured a Genoese ship from Rio de Plate bound to the Havannah, laden with jerked beef, tallow, and hides, and carried her into Tobago; and that on the 20th ultimo, Captain Warren, of the Scourge, captured a Spanish brig from Cadiz bound to La Guira, laden with wine, brandy, and merchandize, which he carried into Trinidad. I have the honour to be, &c.

HENRY HARVEY.

ADMIRALTY OFFICE, MARCH 30.

Extract of a Letter from the Earl of St. Vincent, K. B. Commander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels in the Mediterranean, to Evan Nepean, Esq. dated at Gibraltar, the 26th of February, 1799.

I enclose letters from Capt. Bowen, of his Majesty's ship Argo, and Capt. Sanders, of his Majesty's sloop L'Espoir, giving an account of the capture of the Santa Teresa Spanish frigate, and Africa xebec; also a letter from Capt. Markham, of his Majesty's ship Centaur, relating the events of his cruize on the coast of Catalonia.

SIR,

Arge off Port Mabon, Feb. 8.

I have great pleasure in acquainting you, that in carrying your orders into execution, in company with the eviathan, on the 6th inst. at four P. M. draw. ing round the east end of Majorca, under storm stay sails, with a violent gale westerly, I discovered two large Spanish frigates at anchor, near a fortified tower on the south point of the Bahia de Alcude, who, immediately on seeing us, cut their cables, and made sail to the N. N E. We instantly gave chace with all the canvass the ships could bear; unfortunately the Leviathan's maintop sail gave way, which caused her to drop a stern; the enemy seeing this, took the advantage of it, and after the close of the day spoke each other and separated; one hauling her wind to the northward, and the other set top-gallant sails and kept away before it, which latter I followed. The darkness of the night precluded the Leviathan from seeing their manœuvre, as also my signal to her to alter her course to port: however, the Leviathan kept sight of the Argo, and was near up with us at midnight, when I got alongside of the enemy, who still persevered in his endeavours to get off, (although his smail sails were either shot or carried away in the chace) and did not surrender until he had received our whole broadside, which wounded two men, and did much damage to his rigging. She proved to be the Santa Teresa, commanded by Don Pablo Perez, mounting in all 42 guns, besides swivels and cohorns, and manned with 280 seamen and marines, besides 250 soldiers; in all 530 persons on board.

My first lieutenant, Mr. Thomas Lyne, has much merit in keeping sight and observing the different shifts of the enemy, by which great advantage was gained by the Argo during the chace. Much commendation is due to his professional skill and great exertions after taking possession of the prize, in saving her tottering mast from tumbling overboard, which he could not have done had not Captain Buchanan sent him speedy assistance of officers and men from the Leviathan, to whom I feel myself much indebted.

Great praise is due to all my officers and seamen for their vigilance and exertions in shortening and making sail in squalls during the chace; and had the enemy given them an opportunity of shewing further proofs of their zeal and loyalty, I am convinced they would have behaved as British seamen always do upon these occasions. I have the honour to be, &c.

JAMES BOWEN. P.S. The Santa Teresa is just out of dock, rebuilt, new coppered, and is in every respect almost as good as a new ship; she was completely stored and

victualled for four months, and is esteemed one of the fastest sailing frigates out of pain, of large dimensions, upwards of nine hundred and fifty tons, and fit for immediate service. Her consort, the Proserpine, that made her escape, is of the same force, but not so large.

Extrait of a Letter from Capt. Cuthbert, of his Majesty's Ship Majestic, to the Earl of St. Vincent, dated at Sea, the 23 February 1799.

I have the honor of enclosing a letter to your Lordship, received from Capt. Sanders, commander of his Majesty's brig l'Espoir, giving an account of his having engaged and captured the Africa, a Spanish xebec, mounting fourteen guns, long four-pounders, and four brass four pound swivels, in the service of the King of Spain, and commanded by Josepho Subjado.

Having been an eye-witness to the action, it is not in the power of my pen sufficiently to extol the meritorious conduct of Capt. Sanders and his ship's com pany on the occasion.

SIR,

L'Espoir, at Sea, Feb. 22, 1799.

At a quarter past noon, town of Marbello bearing N. N. W. three leagues, a brig and two xebecs in the S. E. quarter, appearing suspicious, I hoisted my colours to them, when the brig and one of the xebecs hoisted Spanish, upon which a Moorish brig in tow was cast off, and L'Espoir hauled to the wind in chace; it was soon perceived they were armed vessels, but not being so fortunate as to weather them, we exchanged broadsides with both in passing :-L'Espoir being tacked soon brought the xebec to close action, which continued for an hour and an half, when a favourable opportunity of boarding her was em braced, and after a sharp contest of about twenty minutes she surrendered, and proved to be the Africa, commanded by Josepho Subjado, in the service of the King of Spain, mounting fourteen long four pounders, and four brass four pound swivels, having on board seventy-five seamen and thirty-eight soldiers, from Algosamus bound to Malaga.-Lieut. Richardson (in whom I have much confidence) and all the officers and scamen of his Majesty's sloop have the honour to command, behaved with the same courage they have done on former occasions. During the action the brig (which, I have since learned, mounted eighteen guns) stood in shore and anchored.

I enclose a list of the killed and wounded, and am, with respect, Sir, &c. &c. JAMES SANDERS,

LIST OF THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.

L'Espoir-2 seamen killed, 2 ditto wounded. Africa-1 officer, 8 seamen killed, i captain, 2 officers, and 25 seamen wounded,

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I have the honour to inform you, that in obedience to your orders I proceeded to Sallo Bay in his Majesty's ship under my command, after the Spanish frigates, and having been joined by the Cormorant alone, of the squadron under Capt. Bowen, I at length, after beating against heavy gales of wind from the 28th January till the 9th February, reached Sallo Bay, in which I found twenty-one Swedish and Danish merchantmen, but no men of war had been in sight of Sallo since the 2d of February. Having looked into Fangel Bay and Tarragona, also where Lord M. Kerr, in the Cormorant, took a Tartan, and drove another on shore, I proceeded towards Majorca, and at daylight the Cormorant took a settee laden with oil, and I chased two large xebecs and a settee, all privateers in the Royal Spanish service; one of which, La Vierga de Rosario, I captured at two o'clock, mounting fourteen brass twelve pounders and ninety men, the other two escaped by the wind shifting at dark when within shot. The same night the Aurora joined and proceeded for Tarragona, in consequence of intelgence I received of two Spanish frigates being bound there with Swiss troops from Palma, On the 15th I fell in with the Argo and Leviathan, and the next morning stood in for sallo Bay. Finding the frigates were not in the neigh bourhood, I attacked the town of Cambretles, and the Spaniards having quitted their guns on a tower, sent the boats in under Licut, Grosset, of the Centaur, Wol. 11.

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who, after dismounting the guns, burnt and captured as per margin; La Velon Maria was taken in the Offing, from Aguilas bound to Barcelona.The Proserpine frigate, consort to the Santa Teresa, taken by the Argo, after having escaped to Palamor, has since, I am informed by Capt. Bowen, hauled close into the Bar of Barcelona. I have, &c. &c.

JOHN MARKHAM.

ADMIRALTY OFFICE, APRIL 2.

Copy of a Letter from the Right Hon Lord Bridport, Admiral of the White, &c. to Evan Nepean, Esq. dated at Spithead, the 1st inst.

SIR,

HEREWITH you will receive a copy of a letter from Captain Keats, of his Majesty's ship Boadicea, which is transmitted for their Lordships' information; and I am very much concerned for the misfortune which happened to the prize brig La Requin, by which so many valuable lives have been lost to the service of their king and country. I have the honour to be, &c.

MY LORD,

BRIDPORT,

Boadicea, at Sea, March 24. I have the honour to inform your Lordship, that on the 7th inst. I retook an American, from Charlestown bound to Hamburgh; on the 8th fell in with and liberated a neutral ship, from Charlestown bound to Embden, and took the privateer La Requin, a brig, pierced for 18, mounting 14 guns, with 75 men, which, when I first discovered her, was in the act of taking possession of the neutral. It is with extreme concern I add, that on the day following, in a violent gale of wind, the Requin overset, although at the time she had no canvass spread; by which misfortune Mr. W. Clay, master's mate of the Boadicea, a young man of much merit, nine valuable seamen, and one prisoner, lost their lives. I have the honour to be, &c.

ADMIRALTY OFFICE, APRIL 6.

R. G. KEATS.

Copy of a Letter from the Right Hon. Lord Bridport, Admiral of the White, Sc. tą Evan Nepean, Esq. dated at Spithead, the 30th ult.

SIR,

HEREWITH you will receive the copy of a letter from Captain Newman, of his Majesty's ship Mermaid, dated the 24th inst. also one from Captain White, of his Majesty's sloop Sylph, dated the 21st, which I transmit for their Lordships' information. I have the honour to be, &c.

MY LORD,

BRIDPORT.

Mermaid, at Sea, March 24. I have the honour to inform your Lordship, I this day, after a chace of 15 hours (Sylph in company, captured the Spanish packet Golondrina, Don Juan El Busto, captain, from the Havannah bound to Corunna, out 39 days, piercedfor 20 guns, but has only four on board, coppered, 200 tons burthen, and a remarkable fast sailer: she has a cargo of sugar, cocoa, and indigo. I have the honour to be, &c.

MY LORD,

J. N. NEWMAN. Sylpb, at Sea, March 21.

I have the honour to inform your Lordship, that Le Debut French brig (Letter of Marque) of eight guns, pierced for 16, from Bourdeaux to Cayenne, laden with different sorts of merchandize, was this day captured by the sloop under my command, 15 leagues N. W. of Cape Ortegal. I am, &c.

*Five settees-- burnt.

Tartan, name unknown, laden with wine-taken.

J. C. WHITE.

Settee, name unknown, laden with hoops and staves-taken.

Settee, name unknown, laden with wine-taken.

Settee. name unknown, lading unknown-taken.

Le Velon Maria Tartan, armed, as a letter of marque, with one brass and two iron twelve pounders, and two three ditto, fourteen men, laden with wheattaken,

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