Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

LONDON GAZETTE, Sept. 10, 1797.

ADMIRALTY-OFFICE, Sept. 16.

Extract of a letter from the right hon. lord Bridport, K. B. commander in chief of the channel fleet, to Evan Nepean, esq. secretary of the admiralty, dated on board his majesty's Ship Royal George, at Torbay, the 13th Sept. 1797.

SIR,

Herewith you will receive copies of letters, with the papers therein referred to, from Commodore Sir John Borlase Warren, which I transmit for their lordships information. I am, &c.

BRIDPORT.

La Pomone, at Sea, August 12, 1797.

MY LORD,

I beg leave to inform your Lordship, that on the morning of the 11th instant, a convoy of the enemy, with a ship Corvette, a brig and schooner gun boats, two armed luggers, several Chase Marces and brigs, were discovered standing to sea, out of the Pertuis de Breton, from Rochfort: I attempted to cut them off or destroy them with La Pomone and Jason, who attacked a fort, in order to cover the Sylph, who was anchored near the two corvettes, having left the Triton in chase to windward; the enemy, perceiving our intention, anchored at the entrance of the river of Sable d'Olonne, close under the fort, the ship corvette and gun boat with springs upon their cables.

At eleven, being near enough, the firing commenced and continued for an hour, when the gun-boat slipped her cables to run on shore, but sunk before she got into the river, near the small vessels, and the corvette remained fast aground, but deserted by her people and much damaged. As I did not think it possible to set her on fire with the boats of the squadron, there being little wind, and the tide of flood setting us upon the coast, we hauled our wind to the southward.

I have the satisfaction of acquainting your lordship, that it has occasioned a delay for some time of the enemy's supplies arriving at Brest, as one of the vessels is destroyed, and it is doubtful if the other can be repaired so as to be of any use in future.

The ships of the squadron have sustained very trifling damages. A return of the killed and wounded in each ship is enclosed.

I have only to lament, that a more favorable moment did not present itself to afford the officers and men an opportunity, of distinguishing themselves: but the enemy must have suffered considerably on board the vessels and in the fort, from the number of shot that struck them.

Some hot shot were fired from a battery of five guns, which set fire to the Sylph, but any ill effects were prevented by the exertions of the officers and men of that vessel, who cut them out, and behaved otherwise with much spirit and zeal.

I have the honour to remain,

MY LORD,

Your lordship's most obedient humble serv.

Signed, JOHN WARREN.

P. S. Since I began this letter, not having an opportunity of sending it to your lordship, I have received information from three vessels who had left Sable d'Olonne subsequent to the above affair, and the following is the result of these reports:

The ship Corvette is in the harbor, but so damaged as to be unfit for service.

The gun boat remains sunk and destroyed.

The enemy lost several killed and wounded in the two vessels.

In the fort five soldiers were killed and two guns dismounted, and one wounded; two or three houses much shattered.

We were off Sables d'Olonne on the 6th, and saw the ship in the harbor.

An account of the killed and wounded on board the ships of his majesty's squadron under the orders of commodore Sir John Borlase Warren, K. B. on the 11th of Aug. 1797.

La Pomone, 1 seaman killed, 2 seamen, 1 marine wounded. Jason, none killed or wounded. Sylph, 1 petty officer, 1 Seaman killed, 4 seamen wounded.

(Signed) JOHN WARREN.

Right hon. Lord Bridport, K. B.