1812 - Vice-admirals Emeriau and Sir Edward Pellew

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1812 British and French Fleets 44

weighed from Toulon road, sailed out, and sailed in. Once or twice also during the month of May, this manoeuvre was repeated, under Vice-admiral Emeriau himself ; but the French admiral took care to sail out only when the wind was quite in his favour, and Sir Edward Pellew, if in sight at all, at a great distance to leeward.

On one occasion, however, a few shot were exchanged, and a British frigate was rather critically circumstanced. On the 28th of May, at 7h. 30m. a.m., the 38-gun frigate Menelaus, Captain Sir Peter Parker, Bart., being on the look-out off Cape Sicie, discovered a French frigate and brig in Hyères bay, standing under all sail, with the wind at east-south-east, for the Petite-Passe. The Menelaus immediately made sail to cut off the two vessels from entering Toulon ; whereupon the latter, which were the 40-gun frigate Pauline and 16-gun brig Ecureuil, from the Adriatic, shortened sail to the topsails, and hauled upon a wind, to wait for the protection of their fleet, which had just then weighed from the road, to the number of 11 sail of the line and six frigates. As soon as they observed that the fleet was sufficiently advanced to cover them, the Pauline and Ecureuil bore up and steered for Toulon. The Menelaus, nevertheless, boldly stood on ; and at 9h. 30 m. A.M. ; when close under Pointe Ecampebarion, the batteries of which had already opened upon her, commenced firing at the French frigate and brig, within musket-shot distance. In less than half an hour a shot from one of the batteries cut the fore topmast of the Menelaus almost in two, and obliged her to wear and stand out. By this time the two advanced line-of-battle ships of the French fleet were nearly in the wake of the British frigate, and the British in-shore squadron of four sail of the line, consisting of the Repulse, Centaur, Malta, and Kent, under Rear-admiral Hallowell, was hull-down to leeward. But, by extraordinary good management, notwithstanding that her fore topmast was only held together by fishes of capstan bars, and that her rigging and sails were greatly damaged, the Menelaus got clear off without losing a man.

On the 15th of August the 74-gun ship Ville-de-Marseille, and on the 6th of December the 130-gun ship Montebello, were launched at Toulon ; thus making the French force in the port 18 sail of the line, including five three-deckers. At Genoa there was the new 74-gun ship Agamemnon; besides the 40-gun frigates Galatée, launched May 3, and Driade, launched October 7 ; and at Naples, the Capri 74. There were, also, at these two ports and at Spezzia, three or four sail of the line on the stocks.

Venice was now becoming an important naval depot. On the 6th of September, 1810, a fine 74-gun ship, the Rivoli, was launched at the arsenal at Malamacca, about five miles distant from the city, and was floated over the bar, that crosses the

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