at Spithead on the following day, and with her
prize was ordered into harbour; the former to have her damages
repaired, and the latter to be surveyed and purchased for his
Majesty's service.

Before we submit the interesting official and private letters which
Captain Saumarez received on his arrival, and which may be considered
as the best proof of the sensation which this gallant action created,
it becomes our duty to state the comparative force of the two
frigates.
Weight
of
_Crescent._ No. Size. No. Size. No. Size. Total. metal.
Broadside guns 13 18pr. 4 18pr. car. 1 9pr. 36 315lbs.
_Reunion._
Broadside guns 13 14pr. 3 40pr. car. 4 7pr. 40 330lbs.
Difference of guns, and of weight of shot in favour
of La Reunion 4 15lbs.
_Crescent._ Men 257 Tons 888
_Reunion._ Men 320 Tons 951
Difference in favour of La
Reunion 63 63
N.B. The weight has been reduced to English pounds.

The Crescent lost her fore-top-mast; her sails and rigging were much
damaged, but very few shot struck her hull; and the only man hurt was
at the first broadside, when his leg was fractured by the recoil of a
gun.

La Reunion, on the contrary, had many shot in her hull, and her stern
was very much shattered. After she was in dock, we saw where a shot
had entered the starboard quarter, and made its way out of the
larboard bow. It was said to have killed and wounded twenty-one men!
The head of her rudder and wheel were shot away, and the fore-yard and
main-topsail-yard came down early in the action: she was, in short, a
complete wreck, as represented in the plate. The hopes that the ship
seen to the eastward under the land was a friend, induced the French
captain to delay surrendering after defence could no longer be
effectual.

The head-money was only paid for three hundred men; but there was no
doubt that three hundred and twenty-one were on board at the
commencement of the action, as many of the slain were thrown
overboard, and the French officers, for obvious reasons, wished to
make their force less than it was. According to Captains Tancock and
Mansell, forty men were killed, and eighty wounded. The cutter which
was in compa