ripped up, besides other damage. Her loss consisted of her captain, master (Edward Overton), one midshipman (John Simmons), 20 seamen, and four marines killed, one captain of marines (James Wemyss), her boatswain (Thomas Robinson), one master's mate (Edward Hartley), four midshipmen (William N. Jewell, James Stone, Thomas Bant, and George Pearson), 96 seamen, and 20 marines wounded. A great proportion of this heavy loss unfortunately arose from the explosion of a quantity of loose powder spilt about the decks from the cartridges ; and which, but for the water that lay around the entrance of the magazine, must have destroyed the ship and all on board of her.

Although no particular account can be given of the damage or loss sustained by the Aigle, it may with certainty be stated, that she suffered greatly in masts, rigging, and hull, and lost in killed and wounded, from the successive fire of the Bellerophon, Revenge, and Defiance, nearly two thirds of her crew, including among the killed, her captain and first lieutenant, and among the wounded several of her officers. The loss on board the Monarca does not appear to have been recorded ; but it must have been severe, from her first action with the Tonnant, and from the length of time she was exposed to the close and uninterrupted fire of the Bellerophon, one of the best manned, although one of the smallest, 74s in the British fleet.

At 1 P.M., or thereabouts, after having, during 10 minutes or so, in her efforts to close, received the fire of two or three enemy's ships, the Colossus ran past the starboard side of the French Swiftsure ; * who had just before bore up, as well to avoid being raked by the Colossus, as to bring her larboard guns to bear upon the Bellerophon. The density of the smoke on the starboard side hid from view all the enemy's ships in that direction, until, having run a short distance to leeward, the Colossus found herself close alongside of the Argonaute, whose larboard yard-arms locked into her starboard ones. A spirited cannonade now ensued between the two ships, and lasted for about 10 minutes, when the Argonaute's fire became nearly silenced except from a few of her aftermost guns ; a shot from one of which, just as the ships, driven apart by the concussion of the guns, began to settle broadside off, struck Captain Morris a little above the knee. As soon as, by this lateral movement, she had cleared her yards, the Argonaute paid off, and went away, receiving into her stern the parting fire of the Colossus. The latter, in the mean while, was warmly engaged on her, larboard quarter with the French Swiftsure, and also with the Bahama, who lay close on that ship's larboard bow, and fired at the Colossus across the Swiftsure's fore-foot.

At a few minutes before 3 P.M., having forged ahead, the Swiftsure get between the Bahama and Colossus, and being thus

*  See diagram at P 52

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