Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

British Naval Gallantry.

Capt. Bickford informs us of the following affair which took place while he was at the Cape of Good Hope. The Rattlesnake sloop of war, and a store ship mounting 20 nine pounders, had been sent from the Cape to the Bay of Algoa, with a blockhouse to be erected there to keep the natives under restraint. Intelligence of it having been received at the Isle of France, a 44 gun frigate, carrying a weight of metal apparently sufficient to blow the two ships out of water, together with a smaller vessel, was sent to take them. The frigate appeared in the offing in the afternoon under Danish colours, and at night went in and dropped anchor between the two ships, whose commanders were then on shore. The Rattlesnake, suspicious of her character, dispatched an advice boat for the store ship, that it was stopped by the frigate; on which he saluted her with a broadside, which commenced a very warm action; the store ship was so bored through, that in about an hour she had six feet of water in her hold, and was obliged to cease her fire: the Rattlesnake then supported the action alone, for about two hours, till finally the Frenchman's main mast was obliged to cut his cables and run. The next day, however, the frigate was seen again standing in under very short sail, with her consort, with a view, probably, to wipe off the disgrace of her last night's defeat. This intelligence was received over land at the Cape; and the Elbe of 44 guns, and Reasonable of 50 were immediately dispatched to look after the Frenchmen.