Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political

PHILADELPHIA, July 3.

NAVAL ENGAGEMENT.

Arrived at this port yesterday afternoon, the brig Pallas, captain Cole, in 30 days from Loughswilly (Ireland) with passengers. On the 24th June, in lat. 40, N long 66, 30, W. at 4 P. M. fell in with the British frigate Belvidere, and was informed that the evening before she had been attacked by an American squadron of five sail, and succeeded in making her escape by throwing her boats overboard, cutting away her anchors, and staving her water casks, having received much damage, and several shot between wind and water. The following is an extract from the log-book of the Pallas, giving the particulars as related by the captain of the Belvidere "June 24. lat. 40, N. long 66, 30, W. the brig Pallas, Ed. Cole, master, from Loughswilly, Ireland, bound to Philadelphia, was at 4 P. M. boarded by the Belvidere frigate, who ordered captain Cole to lower down his boat and come on board with his papers. Captain Cole went on board the frigate, and was informed by the captain of the frigate, that there was war declared by the Americans against the British government, and that he had an engagement the day before with all the Yankee navy and commodore Rogers at their head, and that all the Yankee navy could not take the Belvidere. Captain Cole saw that the Belvidere was much shot to pieces, and her bulkheads in the cabin cut away by the shot The captain of the frigate informed capt Cole that he had one man killed and two wounded. and likewise - that he should send in all American vessels he came across with cargoes.-- He took in sight of the Pallas the brig. Malcolm, capt Jordan, of Portland, bound to Boston for Madeira, with wines and sent her for Halifax. He impressed four men passengers out of the brig Pallas, named Charles Agra, James McGinley, Thomas Orr and Owen Leonard. The captain of the Belvidere spoke with a great deal of disdain of the American navy, saying that they were so cowardly that they dare not come up along side, but kept yawing about across his stern, and firing. The Belvidere had started her water, and cut away her anchors to lighten the ship, having some shot holes between wind and water." The above rhodomontade from the captain of the Belvidere, must be received with the usual allowance of "errors excepted!" It is literally impossible that he could have beat off five sail of the American navy, and made his escape. We have been informed by an intelligent passenger in the Pallas, that captain Cole found the captain of the Belvidere lying on a settee in the Cabin, severely wounded and unable to rise. That on leaving the frigate one of the crew (one of the fifteen men lately impressed on board the Belvidere from the brig Retrieve, Hunt, off the Capes of Delaware) whispered to him that they had been engaged with a frigate and a brig, and had thirty men killed and fifty wounded. This last account we believe to be the truth. Captain Stevenson a passenger in the Pallas informed us that there was a newspaper on board of May 27. containing a repeal of the orders in council, signed by the Prince Regent, and that before he sailed orders had been received to liberate all American vessels and cargoes which had been carried in under those orders. We endeavored to procure this paper, but captain Cole would not part with it as he intended it for the editor of a morning democratic paper. He cannot however believe that the orders in council are repealed, and captain S must allude to the manifesto, or state paper lately issued by the Prince Regent in Council. The above engagement took place on Tuesday, June 23, evening, off George's Bank, about 250 miles from New York and 120 from Boston. Commodore Rodgers sailed from Sandy Hook on Sunday afternoon, June 21, with the frigates President, United States and Congress, the Hornet sloop of war, and Argus brig. It is possible that the Belvidere of 38 guns, may have been engaged with the sloop Hornet of 18, and brig Argus of 16 guns, while the others were in pursuit of the Jamaica fleet. We understand that the Belvidere at first intended to consider the Pallas -as a prize, but finding she had no cargo, and was, as well as the frigate, short of water, concluded to let her go. The day before the engagement, the Belvidere captured the ship Alexander, from Londonderry, bound to New-York, and sent her for Halifax.