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herself was running before a strong wind, resolved to continue her course and endeavour to cross between the 74 and the shore. In this, however, the Bellone was foiled ; for at about 5 P.M. the Powerful got within gun-shot, and, hoisting her colours, opened a fire, which the former instantly returned. A running fight was maintained until 6 h. 45 m. P.M. ; when, finding there was no possibility of escape, the Bellone hauled down her colours and hove to. Extraordinary as it may appear, the Powerful had two seamen killed and 11 wounded by the fire of the Bellone; and, what is still more extraordinary in an hour and a half's running fight between two ships so disproportionate in point of force, the Bellone herself had only one man killed and six or seven wounded. This is the second instance that has occurred in these seas, within less than four months, of a marked deficiency in gunnery on the part of a British 74. If the Tremendous did more execution than the Powerful, it was because the former was enabled occasionally to bring her broadside, or a great part of it, to bear upon her antagonist ; * while the Powerful appears to have been confined to a head and stern cannonade. Still the Powerful had two long 32s, two long 18s, and two long 12s, to oppose to four long French 8s; and surely she might have made a better use of them. Had the well-directed fire of the Bellone done more injury to the 74's masts, rigging, and sails, and less to her crew, the former would probably have escaped ; for what could the Rattlesnake, with her 16 long 6-pounders and 120 men, have effected against the Bellone, with her 34 guns, composed of long 8-pounders and 36-pounder carronades, with a crew at this time on board of 194 men ? The Bellone was afterwards purchased for the use of the British navy, and under the name of Blanche, became classed as a 28-gun frigate. On the 14th of July the following British squadron of six sail of the line and one frigate, under Commodore Sir Samuel Hood in the Centaur, cruised off Rochefort, to watch the motions of a French squadron of five sail of the line and several frigates, at anchor in the road of the isle of Aix:
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