1804 - Boat of Eclair at Guadaloupe


 
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Naval History of Great Britain - Vol III
1804 Commodore Dance and Admiral Linois 247

throughout a contest which, in spite of the inequality of force, terminated so creditably to the Eclair, merited all the praise called forth upon the occasion.

On the 5th of March, at 2 P.M., the Eclair, still commanded by Lieutenant Carr, while passing Englishman's Head, Guadaloupe, discovered a schooner, which shortly afterwards hoisted a red pendant, stood into the Hayes, and anchored close under some batteries on the shore. Upon a nearer approach, Lieutenant Carr ascertained that the vessel was a French privateer, filled with men: and he would then have sent in the cutter to attack her, had not the wind from the westward blown fresh on the shore. At 7 p.m. it fell calm ; and the cutter commanded by Mr. John Salmon, the master, having under him Mr. John B. Douglas, the surgeon (also a volunteer), and 10 seamen, quitted the Eclair, and proceeded towards the harbour in which the privateer lay.

Notwithstanding a smart fire from the battery at the entrance of the harbour, and from the vessel herself, the master persevered, and after a stout resistance of 10 minutes, boarded and carried the French privateer-schooner Rose, of one long brass 8-pounder on a pivot, and 49 men, well armed and fully prepared. Of these the privateer had five men killed, and 10, including the captain and four that jumped overboard, wounded. Of the 12 officers and men, who had in so gallant a manner effected this capture not one was hurt. The master's next difficulty was, in a dead calm, to carry off his prize. This he and his men at length did, by dint of towing and sweeping; and, although exposed to a fire of great guns and musketry from the shore, reached their vessel without the slightest accident. The Rose was well found, and victualled complete for a three months' cruise, upon which she was just going to sail, when the Eclair's boat so gallantly intercepted her.

On the 31st of January, Commodore Nathaniel Dance, of the honourable East-India company's service, sailed from Canton for Europe with the following 16 regular Indiamen, all of which are denominated " 1200-ton ships, " the registered tonnage of most however, exceeds 1300, and in some cases amounts to 1500 tons:

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