Rhode Island Republican

February 1.

On Monday afternoon the Hydra and Tribune frigates cruising off the French coast, descried a detachment of gun-boats stealing along shore, and attempting to effect a passage from La Hogue to Boulogne. They took four; three of which arrived at Portsmouth yesterday. They are of the first class, extremely well built, and had each fifty sailors and soldiers on board; they mount three 32 pounders, are 80 feet long and 18 wide; draw six feet of water forward, and four feet abaft; and are fitted in the completest manner, with every necessary article of stores. They will row upwards of forty sweeps and are so constructed, that if run ashore they remain perfectly upright, and thus present a most formidable battery. They sailed with ten others, and were captured six leagues from St. Helen's having been blown off the French coast. They are in every respect so capable of continuing at sea as one of our gun-boats, but more adapted for fighting in smooth water. There are 150 more of the same class lying at La Hogue, waiting an opportunity to proceed to Boulogne.