k, Cape St. Vincent bearing E.N.E. eight leagues, I had the
satisfaction of seeing a number of ships extended from S.W. to
S., the wind then W. by S. At forty-nine minutes past ten, the
weather being extremely hazy, La Bonne Citoyenne made the signal
that the ships seen were of the line, twenty-five in number.

His Majesty's squadron under my command, consisting of fifteen
ships of the line, happily formed in the most compact order of
sailing in two lines. By carrying a press of sail, I was
fortunate in getting in with the enemy's fleet at half-past
eleven, before it had time to collect and form a regular order
of battle. Such a moment was not to be lost; and, confident in
the skill, valour, and discipline of the officers and men I had
the happiness to command, and judging that the honour of his
Majesty's arms, and the circumstances of the war in these seas,
required a considerable degree of enterprise, I felt myself
justified in departing from the regular system; and, passing
through their fleet in a line formed with the utmost celerity,
tacked, and thereby separated one-third from the main body.
After a partial cannonade, which prevented their rejunction till
the evening, and by the very great exertions of the ships which
had the good fortune to arrive up with the enemy on the larboard
tack, the ships named in the margin[11] were captured, and the
action ceased about five o'clock.

[11] The San Josef, Salvador del Mundo, San Nicolas, and San
Ysidro.

That the Orion was one of those ships which distinguished themselves
will best appear from the private letter of her brave commander to his
brother, written only the day after the action; a circumstance which
cannot but give such a communication a value far superior to a more
elaborate composition. The log also of his ship, written at the time
by the master, to which we have had access, completely accords with
the facts so clearly stated in the letter.

Orion, Lagos Bay, 15th February 1797.

MY DEAR RICHARD,

You will be happy to receive an account from me of the important
victory obtained by our squadron over the Spanish fleet,
consisting of nearly double our force. The Admiral having
received previous information of their sailing from Carthagena,
and of their cruising off the entrance of the Straits, gave us
timely notice of the intelligence by the signal to prepare f