| On the 4th February,
1793, an embargo was laid on all French ships and vessels in the
ports of Great Britain; and on the 11th, Mr. Dundas presented a
message to the House of Commons from his Majesty, informing
them, that the French had declared war against Great Britain and
the United Provinces. Reprisals were immediately granted against
the vessels and property of the enemy, and every preparation was
made to increase the number of ships and men in the British
navy.
The Nymph frigate of 32 guns and
250 men, Captain E. Pellew, and the Venus, Captain Faulkner,
sailed from Spithead the 19th May, on a cruise to the southward,
but separated on the 25th. On the 18th June, Captain Pellew
descried a French frigate, and immediately bore up to engage. The
first shot was fired half-past six in the morning; they were
engaged throughout yard-arm and yard-arm. The sails and rigging
were so much intermixed during the engagement, that the crew of
the Nymph passed from their own yards to these of La Cleopatre,
and cut down several men at their quarters. At length a shot
from the Nymph carried away the mizen-mast of La Cleopatre, and another
disabled the wheel of her tiller, so that she became quite
ungovernable, and fell aboard the Nymph.
Captain Pellew, from the cloud of
smoke in which both ships were involved, not knowing the real
cause, concluded his adversary intended to board, and prepared
to receive them; finding they did not advance, he immediately
gave orders for boarding La Cleopatre. The first party was led
by Mr. Amherst Morris, and the second by the Second Lieutenant,
Mr. George Lake, who himself struck the French colours and
hoisted the British flag. |
