her. The following are the questions which we put to
Colonel Connolly, with his answers, given verbatim:

Did the enemy take possession of the Hannibal before the colours
were hoisted union down?

The colours were hauled down by Captain Ferris's orders, and
remained so; but, being so near the Formidable, the captain of
her was on board of us in two minutes after we had struck, and
the colours were hoisted _union downwards_ by the Frenchmen.[33]

[33] When the French happen to take one of our men-of-war,
they do not, as we would do, hoist their own colours over
their opponents', but hoist the English ensign union
downwards. It so seldom happened that an English man-of-war
was taken by the French, that this circumstance was known to
very few in the navy, and consequently, the ensign reversed
was known only as the signal of distress used by
merchant-ships.

Were the colours hoisted union down by the enemy; or, at any
time, by Captain Ferris's orders?

By the enemy.

Did the boats come _before_ or _after_ the colours were hoisted
union downwards, to render her assistance?

The boats from our ships did not get near us till after we were
in possession of the enemy; and I called to an old shipmate of
mine in the Venerable's barge, and told him so, as he came under
the starboard quarter; but he persisted in coming on board, and
was taken.

What boats were taken; and what boats escaped?

A good many were taken. The Venerable's barge and her first
lieutenant; and another lieutenant, in the Caesar's boat, of some
ship lying at Gibraltar; beside the mids. I am not aware indeed
that any escaped.

What French officer took possession of the Hannibal?

I am not quite certain whether it was the captain of the
Formidable or the Dessaix; they were both very close to us:
however, he was a very little fellow.

To what prison were you taken?

The ship's company were divided into two prisons, which appeared
to have been stables. There was no water in one of them, and the
distress of our poor fellows, on that account, was truly
shocking: often, when they would give money to the people
outside to bring them some to drink, they would walk off with
it, and never bring the water.

On this occasion Colonel Connolly recognised a French officer who had
been a short time previously a prisoner on bo