Lieutenant John Pengelly, being about seven leagues north-west from Alboran, on her return to Gibraltar from Algiers, descried in the north-west quarter, and gave chase to, a Spanish 10-gun brig-privateer, named "Piteous Virgin Maria." At 1 p.m. the Viper fired a gun at the chase ; who then hoisted Spanish colours, fired a shotted gun, and hove to. In half an hour the cutter got close alongside the brig, and a smart action ensued, which continued until 3 h. 10 m. p.m., when the latter hauled down her colours.

During the action, the Virgin-Maria attempted several times to set fire to her heretic opponent, by throwing on board flasks filled with powder and sulphur ; but the Viper's people were too active to suffer the scheme to succeed. The cutter received 40 shots in her hull, and a 4-pound shot in her lower mast. Her rigging also was very much cut ; but she fortunately sustained no loss. The brig was a good deal damaged, and lost one man killed, one mortally, and six dangerously wounded. The Viper's guns were 4-pounders, and her complement was about 48 men and boys. Of the brig's guns, six were Spanish 4, and four 6 pounders : she also mounted eight swivels, and had a complement of 42 men. Upon the whole, this little victory on the part of the cutter did great credit to her officers and crew.

On the 1st of April the 18-gun ship-sloop Hazard (eighteen 6-pounders and six 12 or 18 pounder carronades, with 121 men and boys), Captain Alexander Ruddach, while cruising close off the Skellocks on the coast of Ireland, fell in with the French brig-privateer Hardi, of 18 long 8-pounders and 130 men and boys, and after a seven hours' chase, at the end of which the Hardi lost both her topmasts, captured the privateer without resistance. On the 2d of the preceding December the Hazard, under the same commander, captured, after the discharge of one or two broadsides, the French ship-privateer Musette, of 22 guns and 150 men and boys. Shortly after his capture of the second privateer, Captain Ruddach was, very deservedly, promoted to post-rank.

On the 26th of April, at 6 a.m., the British 74-gun ship Irresistible, Captain George Martin, and 36-gun frigate Emerald, Captain Velterers Cornewall Berkeley, being on a cruise off the coast of Spain, fell in with and chased two Spanish frigates, the Ninfa and Santa-Elena, of 34 guns, 12 and 6 pounders, and 320 men each, from Havana, bound to Cadiz. On discovering by what superior force they were pursued, the two frigates ran for and anchored in Conil bay, near Trafalgar. Thither, at 2 h. 30 m. p.m., the Irresistible and Emerald, skilfully rounding the Laja de Cape Rocha, a dangerous ledge of rocks, a little to the northward of Conil, followed them, and a smart action ensued; which, at 4 p.m., terminated in the capture of the two frigates. The Santa-Elena, after she had struck, cut her cable and drove on shore ; her crew effecting their escape.

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