her captain (slightly), two master's mates (James Spratt and Robert Browne), two midshipmen (John Hodge and Edmund Andrew Chapman), 39 seamen, and nine marines wounded. The Aigle, although her principal masts do not appear to have been shot away, had received several shot through them, and was otherwise much disabled. Her hull was pierced in every direction, and her starboard quarter nearly beaten in. The Aigle had been successively engaged by six or seven British ships, and had conducted herself to the most gallant manner. Her loss amounted to about 270 in killed and wounded, including several of her officers.

Of the 19 ships composing the combined rear, 11 have been captured, and seven have quitted the line and run to leeward ; thus leaving one ship only, the French Achille, whose fate remains to be shown. This ship, in her successive encounters with the English Achille, Belleisle, Swiftsure, and Polyphemus, had lost her mizenmast, main topmast, and fore yard, and having since, owing, in all probability, to her swivels or musketry there, caught fire in her fore top, was without the means of extinguishing the flames on account of the destruction of her engine by the enemy's shot. The only alternative left was to cut away the mast. At 4 h. 30 in. P.M., while the crew were preparing to do this, so that it might fall clear of the ship, a broadside from the Prince cut the mast in two at about its centre ; and the wreck, with its flaming top, fell directly upon the boats in the waist. These soon caught fire, and so in succession did the decks below.

After the discharge of one or two broadsides, the Prince discovered the accident that had befallen her antagonist, and, wearing, hove to, and in company with the Swiftsure, sent her boats to save as many as possible of the French Achille's crew : in which laudable attempt, soon afterwards, the Pickle schooner and Entreprenante cutter zealously employed themselves. This was a dangerous service on account of the French ship's guns, when heated discharging their contents. The Swiftsure's boats had two or three men killed and wounded in consequence. The Achille had already suffered a heavy loss in killed and wounded, including among the latter her captain and the principal part of her officers ; leaving not a doubt, that the ship had most gallantly conducted herself throughout the engagement.

It was at about 5 h. 45 m. P.M. that the Achille exploded, and with her perished her then commanding-officer, Enseigne de vaisseau Charles-Alexandre Cauchard, and a great portion her crew. It may be, as the French say, that the Achille at this time had her colours flying ; but the ship certainly had, two hours before, made signs of submission, and as, in consequence, spared by the British ship (Polyphemus) then in action with her. The damages of the Prince consisted of a shot in her bowsprit, three shots in her foremast, and the same in her mizen-mast

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