1808	Sir Samuel Hood and Admiral Hanickoff	15

Implacable commenced the action with the utmost vigour, and with such decided effect, that in less than half an hour the Sewolod, whose colours had been shot away early in the combat, ceased firing and hauled down her pendant. At this moment, observing that the Russian admiral, who with his fleet had bore up since the commencement of the close action, was within two miles of the Implacable, Sir Samuel threw out the signal of recall. The Implacable thereupon made sail to close the Centaur, then upwards of a mile and a half to leeward. This the Implacable effected at 8 a.m., and the two British 74s ran on in company, to join the Swedish fleet ; the van-ship of which was nearly 10 miles to leeward when the Implacable compelled the Russian 74 to make the signal of surrender.

The loss incurred by the Implacable in this short but smart engagement, consisted of six seamen and marines killed, one master's mate (Thomas Pickerwell), the captain's clerk (Nicholas Drew), and 24 seamen and marines wounded. The first lieutenant of the Implacable, and of whom Captain Martin speaks in the highest terms, was Augustus Baldwin. The loss which the Sewolod sustained, as admitted by her captain, amounted to 48 officers, seamen, and marines killed, and 80 wounded ; a sufficient proof that the guns of the Implacable had been both quickly fired and well directed.

Admiral Hanickoff sent a frigate to tow the Sewolod, whose rigging and sails were in a terribly shattered state, and then again hauled his wind. About this time, the Implacable having repaired the slight damage done to her rigging, the two British ships again made sail in chase, and soon obliged the Russian frigate to cast off her tow, and the Russian fleet a second time to bear up in support of their friend. It not, however, being the intention of the Russian admiral to bring on a general engagement, he, at about 9 a.m., availed himself of a favourable change of wind to the north-east, and stood for the port of Rogerswick; leaving the Sewolod, who had grounded on a shoal not far from the entrance of the harbour, to take care of herself, although the Swedish fleet, except the Tapperheten and frigates, was still nearly three leagues to leeward.

At about noon the Russian fleet came to an anchor in Rogerswick roads, and the Sewolod soon afterwards got afloat and rode at her anchors. The wind moderating in the afternoon, the Russian admiral sent out a division of boats to tow the disabled 74 into the road. The Centaur, followed by the Implacable, immediately bore up, to endeavour to cut off the ship before the boats could effect their object. By great activity and perseverance on the part of her officers and crew, the Centaur, at 8 p.m., just as the Sewolod, towed by the Russian boats, was about to enter the port, ran her on board. The starboard fore rigging of the Centaur was caught, and partly carried away, by the Sewolod's bowsprit ; and the latter's starboard bow gradually

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