enough to receive an honourable acquittal from the court martial to which I was brought, I trust, nothing transpired on that occasion that could cause any regret in this liberal mark of distinction having been voted me by the city of London. I believe, the honourable gentleman who made the motion against me, adopted the same cause, with respect to this sword, as was pursued by his Majesty's late ministers with respect to me. The sword, however, by being so ably defended, was most honourably acquitted, is now most handsomely presented; and I speak with sincerity when I say, is most gratefully received; and, I trust, if ever I shall be fortunate enough to be again employed, that it will not be disgraced in my hands."

Extract of an official Letter from Captain GEORGE BELL, commanding his Majesty's sloop Victor, to Rear-Admiral Sir EDWARD PELLEWS Bart. Commander-in-Chief of his Majesty's squadron, dated Fort Cornwallis, Prince of Wales Island, May 22, 1807.—(From the Madras Government Gazette of July 23, 1807.)—

YOUR Excellency has undoubtedly ere now received one of my letters, respecting the capture of four brigs out of Batavia roads. Off Cheribon (a little to the eastward of Batavia), on the 15th of April, we chased, and brought too, three prows, under Dutch colours, at five P. M. On its falling calm, we anchored our boats, and sent them armed to bring the prows alongside; two were brought to the larboard-side, the other hung on the quarter: got the prisoners out of the two alongside (amounting to near 120), and placed a strong guard over them, under the direction of Lieutenant Wemyss, as I intended sending them away, after overhauling their cargoes.

Lieutenant Parsons had been on board the prow, on the quarter, but returned with his people on finding it impracticable to get the crew from below: I instantly ordered her to be hauled close up under the quarter, fired a carronade into her and mus. ketry, which they returned by throwing spears and firing pistols, &c. got a gun out of the stern-ports and fired into her, the sparks of which most unfortunately reached some powder, which must have been carelessly handed out of some of the prows abaft, and blew the after part of the ship up at this alarming moment the guard over the prisoners dropped their arms, and ran to extinguish the fire. The prisoners instantly seized their arms, and picked up several spears and knives, which had heen thrown on board, and attacked the ship; by this time (eight P. M.) the fire, most providentially, by the great exertions of officers and men, was got under, prow cut adrift, and the attention of all hands directed to

the defence of the ship, which was admirably performed, for in little more than half an hour eighty of them lay dead in a most mangled state, the rest driven overboard; but sorry am I to add, not without a severe loss on our side, including those blown overboard and those who have since died of their wounds, a list of which I herewith enclose for your excellency's satisfaction: amongst the killed is Lieutenant Blaxton, who had a spear through him, accompanying me, in the waist; he died most gallantly.

A list of the killed and wounded on the 15th April, 1807. Killed.-Mr. H. Blaxton, lieutenant; and 5 seamen.

Wounded.-Captain G. Bell; Thomas Coultherd, gunner; 1 serjeant of marines; 1 private ditto; 22 seamen; serjeant of marines and 8 seamen since dead of their wounds.

IN

MR. EDITOR,

CORRESPONDENCE.

N my former letter, on the rights of the British flag,* I pledged myself to adduce proofs of the following assertions:-that the kings of England have proclaimed themselves lords of the sea, by the performance of overt acts; that they have exercised all the prerogatives enjoyed by the lawful possessors of the dominion of the sea; and that their right to exercise such prerogatives has been acknowledged, both tacitly and positively, by the different European powers. At the present moment, sir, when such formidable attempts are making, to deprive us of our rights, by the grand robber of Europe, and his vassal allies, these proofs are of no slight importance.

By the treaty between England and the United Netherlands, in 1654, it was covenanted, "that the ships of the United Provinces, as well those fitted for war, as others, which should meet in the British seas any of the ships of war of England, should strike their flag and lower their top-sail, in such manner as had been at any time practised before, under any former government." This duty of the flag, though it may be considered as but an indifferent honorary ceremony, is certainly an expressive acknowledgment that the absolute sovereignty of the seas, in which the colours are required to be struck, is vested in the prince to whom that duty is paid. By a subsequent treaty, in 1673, instead of the "British seas," there is an enlargement to the seas between Cape Finisterre, to the middle point of the land Van Staten in Norway.

* Vide Naval Chronicle, Vol. XVIII. p. 479.

The liberty of fishing in the English seas has been always requested by foreigners, particularly by the French. The admirals of Henry the Fourth of France, used to ask of Queen Elizabeth licenses for the French fishermen to fish in the neighbouring seas, for soles, for that prince's own table."

Queen Mary, the consort of Philip the Second, of Spain, granted, for a fine, and a yearly revenue of 1000l. to be paid into the treasury of Ireland, a general license for the Netherlanders to fish in the northern parts of that kingdom.-Camden also, in his Britannia, speaking of the northern sea which washes the coasts of Yorkshire, says the Hollanders and Zealanders, first obtaining leave, according to the ancient custom, of the Governor of Scarborough Castle, made a very plentiful and advantageous herring fishing."

Edward I. Edward II. Edward III. Richard II. Henry IV. Henry V. and Henry VI. were accustomed to grant licenses, or protections, to the subjects of certain states in amity with England, to fish in the British seas; and the last mentioned monarch frequently gave licenses, especially to the French, to fish in "his" seas, prescribing a certain time, as well as the size of the boats, which they or others were to fish in.

In the time of Edward I. it was always a peculiar injunction laid upon his sea commanders, that they should take special care to vindicate and maintain the sovereignty, which his predecessors, the kings of England, were wont to have in the sea, concerning the explication and amendment of the laws, which had been by them instituted for the government of all nations and people navi. galing in the English seas.

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That it was customary for the kings of England to grant passports, or safe conducts, to such foreigners as desired liberty to pass through their seas, may be sufliciently proved from the records of parliament. Henry IV. granted a passport to Ferando Urtis de Sarachione, a Spaniard, to sail freely from the port of London through his kingdoms, dominions, and jurisdictions, to the town of Rochelle." It is evident, that "dominions and jurisdictions" here apply to the seas flowing between London and Rochelle. What operates as an additional proof of this is, that the Hanse towns, about the same time, petitioned for a license to transport corn to Rochelle, but were positively refused; and were further told, that such as should presume to go beyond a former license, "should for that bold presumption suffer the loss of all their goods and effects, in case they fell into the hands of any of his Majesty's ships of war, or others."

Numerous other instances might be brought forward, correspondent to those which I have already adduced; but, as I conceive that I have already proved sufficient for my purpose, I shall not trespass longer on your room or patience. I am, &c. L. T. O.

MR. EDITOR,

TAM well aware of the difficulty you must labour under, in

publishing the biographical memoirs of officers during their lives; though, as you have already observed, that, in many respects, is the best time to bring them forward; as any errors may be corrected by themselves, or friends: I have therefore sent you some corrections of your late memoir of Sir Edward Pellew, and also some additions; and cannot but lament, you did not take more pains to examine the authenticated records of his services, before you sent his memoir to press.-Sir Edward Pellew was certainly born at Dover, and on the 19th of April, 1757. He received the first rudiments of his education at Dover, and afterwards went to Penzance, and was then placed for about a twelvemonth, under Mr. Conon, at Truro, in Cornwall, who was a schoolmaster of considerable repute. Sir Edward's grandfather commanded the Royal Anne, in Queen Anne's wars, and his father was captain of a packet, at Dover, until his death; when the family, consisting of four sons and two daughters, removed to Penzance. Sir Edward's earliest patron was Captain Stott, of his Majesty's ship Juno, under whom he made his first voyage, which was to the Falkland Islands, in 1770; he then went to the Mediterranean, and afterwards sailed with Captain Pownall, to America; and was employed on the Lakes in the Carleton, when he considerably distinguished himself. He served as acting lieutenant under Captain, now Admiral Dacres; was in the convention of Saratoga; and coming home by Quebec brought the first intelligence of it to England, but had no official despatches; on which he was confirmed lieutenant. His first appointment afterwards was to the Licorne, Captain Bellew, and after that he served as licutenant under Captain Pownall, in the Apollo; from which ship he was made commander, after an action off Ostend with a French letter of marque, a frigate, in which Captain Pownall was killed. The Apollo belonged to a squadron of frigates under the late Captain G. Murray, uncle to the Duke of Athol.-The following account is given of that gallant action, by Beatson, in his naval and military memoirs :

Vol. v. page 131.

*

The Apollo, being on a cruise in the North Sea, with some other frigates, at half-past seven in the morning of the 15th of June, gave chase to a cutter in the south-west quarter, in obedience to a signal from the Cleopatra, Captain Murray, the senior officer. Captain Pownall continued in chase of the cutter until half-past ten, when being nearly within gun-shot of her, a large sail was perceived, to all appearance a cruiser, standing towards the Apollo, whose captain made for her, and having fetched within three miles, she hauled her wind, and crossed his ship, standing to the northward, the steeple of Ostend then in sight. At eleven o'clock she tacked, and stood to the southward. The Apollo did the same, until she brought the chase abaft the weather quarter; and tacked at twelve o'clock. At half-past twelve, the Apollo passed her close to eeward, received and returned her fire, tacked immediately, in a few minutes got close alongside, and engaged her with all sail set, she standing in for Ostend, and continuing a running fight. When the action had lasted upwards of an hour, Captain Pownall was unfortunately killed by a ball which went through his body. The command devolved on Lieutenant Edward Pellew, who, following his brave captain's example, maintained a well-directed fire for more than an hour longer, when finding his ship in only three fathoms and a half water, and but between two or three miles from the shore, a little to the westward of Ostend, he judged it prudent, with the advice of the officers of the ship, to wear, and bring her to, with her head to the northward. He intended to renew the action, as soon as the sails could be taken in, which, from the situation of the ship in chase, and action, were all set, much torn, and only one brace left. In a few minutes after this, the enemy's foremast and main-top-mast fell by the board, with the main-top and main-yard; and the ship was to all appearance aground, as she heeled very much, did not bring up to the wind, and was in a very shattered condition. Ostend at this time bore S.S.E. distant from the shore about two miles. While the officers were perusing the strict orders they had against violating the coasts of neutral powers, the enemy's ship fired a gun to leeward, seemingly with a design to claim protection. This was answered by two or three guns from the garrison. On this, Mr. Pellew desisted from his intention of renewing the action, and drew off the Apollo's masts being much wounded in several places, her rigging greatly damaged, and three feet water in her hold, occasioned by several shot which she had received between wind and water. The officers and crew of the Apollo behaved with the greatest bravery and good conduct. Besides the gallant