The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

From the Paris Gazette, of the 8th of October, we have the following extract from a Madrid Gazette, of September 24.

The 12th inst. at even in the morning, the ten floating batteries took their respective positions, in four and an half fathom water, and at the distance of 140 toises; they began their fire at the enemy's works, and seemingly with good effect, which was seconded by the batteries on Shore; in order to divide the attention of the enemy as much as possible, the gun-boats and bomb-boats were ordered to place themselves in the most convenient manner, to annoy the enemy; but the extreme violence of the wind, and the great swell, prevented them executing their orders, which allowed the enemy time to direct their whole fire of bombs, grenades, grape-shot, and above all, red hot balls (24-pounders) on the ten floating batteries; the constant firing of those balls, in spite of all necessary precautions, set the batteries on fire in the day time, which were extinguished by the pumps, &c. but in the latter part of the night, the Prince of Nassau's battery caught fire, and afterwards Don B. Moreno's, which were quitted, after throwing over the powder, to prevent their damaging the other batteries; the other eight were soon in a similar situation, owing to the enemy's firing on a fixed and visible object, without danger to themselves.

The Duc de Crillon and Don Cordova, informed of this event, sent off boats, &c. to the midst of the most terrible fire of grape shot from the enemy's batteries; but in spite of all their activity some of the batteries were sunk, and the crews were obliged to save themselves by swimming, and were mostly taken up by the boats. As soon as the English perceived that the batteries were silenced, they sent out their gun-boats, &c. and took several of our boats which were employed in the above service, and took the remainder of the sailors and soldiers which had not as yet been withdrawn from the batteries. All the floating batteries soon after blew up, except three which were entirely consumed.