Norfolk Gazette And Publick Ledger

London, January 26.

Extract of a letter from an officer lately taken prisoner.

"All the line of battle ships and frigates lying in Brest are thus victualled, stored, manned, and fitted up for the conveyance of troops, without preventing them the advantage of being equally prepared for battle. Their holds are thus disposed: in lieu of stowing three tier of water, they have but one which is their upper tier; the ground tier is stowed with dry provisions; and in place of the third tier, six feet from the lower gun deck is built a temporary deck, fore and aft the ship, which is occupied by troops; hammocks are slung two deep, so that a line of battle ship on this temporary deck will alone stow 1000 troops; in all other parts of the ship hammocks are slung two deep; therefore, a 74 gun ship may be said to carry 1500 troops, independent of her complement of men. A proportion of their guns are calculated both for the land and sea services. The crew is made up of as many sailors as they can get, who are well exercised in military evolutions; and soldiers who have been accustomed to sea expeditions are chosen to do the ship's duty, but not out of the 1500."

The following is a correct list of the French fleet in the Outer Road at Brest, commanded by Admiral Gantheaume, fully armed and manned.

Ships. Guns.
Le Vengeur, 130
Le Republicain, now called l'Empereur. 130
Le Veteran 80
Le Jean Bart 80
Foudroyant 80
L'Impetueux 80
L'Alliance 80
Menandre 74
Le Cassard 74
Le Jupiter 74
Le Wattignies 74
Alexander 74
Le Brave 74
L'Ulisse 74
L'Eole 74
Le Patriote 74
Le Trouville 74
Le Diomede. 74
Le Valdecieux 74
Le Batave 74

FRIGATES.
La Josephine 44
Le Comete 40
La Felicite 40
L'Indienne 40
Le Volontaire. 40
L'Unique 40
La Mignonne 32

With five cutters, and fifteen transports; of the latter, ten are said to contain nothing but arms and ammunition.

In the Inner Road at Brest are nine ships of the line, and four frigates; of the former, two or three deckers. They are all armed, but not manned. It was, however, reported, that sailors had been ordered from the National Flotilla to complete their crews. The troops encamped in the vicinity of Brest were said to amount to 16,000; and the garrison at Brest, its forts and batteries, were besides composed of 8,000 men, of whom 1,200 were of the artillery.