On the same evening, after a fort of eight 24-pounders had been silenced by the fire of the Impétueux 74, Brilliant 28-gun frigate, Cynthia sloop, and St.-Vincent gun-boat, the troops were disembarked on the shores of the bay, along with 16 field-pieces, without the loss of a man. They were attended by a detachment of seamen from the ships of war, to carry scaling-ladders and drag the guns up the heights ; a service which the seamen performed with their accustomed alacrity.

Scarcely had the British troops gained the summit of the first ridge,, when the rifle-corps under Lieutenant-colonel Stewart fell in with, and drove back, a detachment of the enemy, with some loss, including among the wounded the lieutenant-colonel. At daybreak on the 26th, a considerable body of the enemy was repulsed, chiefly by the brigade under Major-general the Earl of Cavan. This advantage, with the comparatively slight loss of 16 killed and 68 wounded, gave the British the complete and undisturbed possession of the heights of Brion and Balon, which overlook the town and harbour of Ferrol. The general says, in his despatch, that he had now an opportunity of observing minutely the situation of the place, and of forming, from the reports of prisoners, an idea of the strength of the enemy. He did so, and requested the British rear-admiral to embark the troops and their cannon. All of which was done the same evening, in the ablest manner; and, as at the disembarkation, without the loss of a man.

If General Pulteney's " prisoners," in their reports, were as wide of the truth as Don Francisco Melgarejo's " French sailor," the Spaniards would not want men or guns to frighten away an invader. The sailor insisted that the British had landed 15,000 men and that they had 1000 killed, including a lieutenant-general and a colonel, and 800 wounded. The Spaniards themselves declare, that they had, at no time, more than 4000 men under arms, including 500 sailors and some militia; whereas we find, by Lieutenant-general Pulteney's letter in the Gazette, that seven British regiments (one with both battalions) and a rifle corps shared in the loss. The probability then is, that there were at least 8000 British, to combat 4000 Spanish troops. 'That they did not do so, was matter of just triumph to the latter. At all events the navy performed its part ; and so would the army, or even two thirds of it, had " circumstances permitted it to act."

With his squadron and fleet of transports, Sir John afterwards proceeded to Gibraltar, and there formed a junction with a much larger force under the Mediterranean commander-in-chief. On the 2d of October Lord Keith sailed from Gibraltar with 22 ships of the line, 37 frigates and sloops, and 80 transports, having on board about 18,000 men, under the command of General Sir Ralph Abercromby. With this powerful force, the vice-admiral, on the 4th, came to an anchor in the bay of

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