recaptured a brig which the Speedy had the day before taken from the Spaniards ; and on board of which the master, Mr. Marshall, with 12 seamen had been placed. No sooner, however, did these discover what fate was awaiting them, than first battening below the 12 Spaniards that were on board, Mr. Marshall and his men took to their boat, and fortunately reached their vessel although she was four leagues to windward.

On the 4th, at daylight, came a breeze of wind, that enabled the Speedy to fetch up to her antagonist. At 8 a.m. the latter, being within gun-shot, tacked and made sail, rowing at the same time with her sweeps. The chase was continued without effect until noon; when the Papillon, finding that she had the heels of the British vessel, shortened sail, wore, and stood towards her, with a red flag flying at the main topgallantmast head. At half an hour after noon, having again got within gun-shot, the Speedy recommenced the engagement with the wind upon the larboard quarter. At 2 p.m. just as the privateer's fire began to slacken, and the Speedy was about to lay her on board, the former wore, and came to the wind on the starboard tack ; but, finding the Speedy close upon her starboard quarter, the Papillon took the advantage of the Speedy's braces and bow-lines being shot away, and put before the wind under all sail. The Speedy immediately wore after her ; the two vessels firing musketry at each other for 20 minutes. The chase was continued, with every sail the Speedy could set, until 7 p.m.; by which time the Papillon had run herself completely out of sight. The Speedy then hauled to the wind, making short tacks all night, in the hope to fall in with her prize. Fortunately daylight on the 5th showed the latter to windward ; and, at 10 a.m. the brig was retaken with 10 Frenchmen on board, part of the crew of the Papillon.

The Speedy lost one lieutenant (Richard Dutton), her boatswain, and three seamen killed, and four badly wounded. The loss on board the Papillon, although from her discontinuing the engagement in all likelihood severe, could not of course be ascertained ; especially as the captured portion of her crew had quitted her on the previous night. From the decided disparity of force in this action, the result, although a trophiless one to the British brig, was highly creditable to the bravery and discipline of her officers and crew. The Speedy had received so much damage in her masts, bowsprit, main boom, and spars generally, as well as in her rigging, both standing and running, that she was compelled to put into Lisbon to refit.

On the 25th of February, at 7 a.m., Cromer, bearing west-south-west, distant 16 leagues, the British hired armed cutter Marquis-Cobourg, of twelve 4-pounders and 66 men and boys, Lieutenant Charles Webb, after a nine hours' chase and a run of 100 miles during half the time before a hard gale of wind at west-north-west, came up with the French lugger-privateer Revanche,

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