the explosion. By alacrity, however, in cutting their cables, during which they were exposed to the fire, within pistol-shot of the Dart, and of the gun-brigs Biter and Boxer, the three remaining French frigates escaped before the wind, and ran out of the road to a short distance down the channel that passes within the Braak sand. One of them here got on shore, but at daylight on the 8th got off; and all three ships subsequently regained their anchorage.

During the attack the hired 14-gun cutter Kent, Lieutenant Robert Baron Cooban, found employment for some French gunboats that would otherwise have annoyed the attacking vessels. In this cannonade the Kent had one seaman wounded; and the 12-gun hired cutter Ann, Lieutenant Robert Young, and the gun-brig Biter, Lieutenant Samuel Norman, had each one seaman and the latter her commander, wounded, in the service which they, were respectively rendering. The better to direct the enterprise, Captain Inman, with 30 volunteers from the Andromeda, had embarked barked on board the hired lugger Vigilant, Mr. William Dean, master, and proceeded with the other vessels into Dunkerque roads. Captain Inman, very humanely, sent the prisoners, many of whom were dreadfully mangled, to Dunkerque on their parole. For this he received the thanks of Commodore Castagnier. If all the prisoners were thus sent away, the reason is explained why there were no head-money certificates.

For his skill and gallantry in laying on board and capturing the Désirée, Captain Campbell was advanced to post-rank, and appointed to the 20-gun ship Ariadne: in point of rank, certainly a step forward, but, from the Dart to the Ariadne nearly two steps backwards, as respected the relative force and effectiveness of the two vessels. As the least reward that could be bestowed upon an officer who had behaved so gallantly and suffered so severely, Lieutenant M'Dermeit was promoted to the rank of commander; and we should, we confess, have been gratified at seeing Lieutenant Pearce among the newly made commanders of the year.

We sincerely hope that those careful gentlemen, the established pilots, got their deserts, for having pusillanimously abandoned the charge of their ships when their services were most required. We wish we knew their names, in order to hand them down with becoming infamy. Fortunately the master of the Ann cutter, Mr. Henry Moor, was competent to take charge of the Dart; and Mr. James Wheatland, mate of the Ann, also volunteered his services. These, with some men obtained out of smugglers, enabled Captain Campbell to send a pilot to each gun-brig and fire-vessel.

The Désirée was afterwards added to the British navy as a 36-gun frigate, and Captain Inman, very deservedly, was appointed to commission her. One mistake we are bound to rectify: it is as to the French gun-force of the Désirée, as well

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