nly do justice to my feelings, when I observe
that in no instance have I known superior bravery to that
displayed by him on this occasion.

I have the honour to be, sir,
Your most obedient servant,
JAS. SAUMAREZ.

To Evan Nepean, Esq. Admiralty.

Superb, off Cape Trafalgar, 13th July 1801.

SIR,

Pursuant to your directions to state the particulars of the
Superb's services last night, I have the honour to inform you
that, in consequence of your directions to make sail up to, and
engage, the sternmost of the enemy's ships, at half-past eleven
I found myself abreast of a Spanish three-deck ship, (the Real
Carlos, as appears by the report of some survivors,) which,
having been brought with two other ships, in nearly line
abreast, I opened my fire upon them at not more than three
cables' lengths. This evidently produced a good effect, as well
in this ship as the others abreast of her, which soon began
firing at each other, and, at times, on the Superb. In about a
quarter of an hour, I perceived the ship I was engaging, and
which had lost her fore-top-mast, to be on fire; upon which we
ceased to molest her; and I proceeded on to the ship next at
hand, which proved to be the San Antonio, of seventy-four guns
and seven hundred and thirty men, commanded by Chef-de-division
Le Ray, under French colours, wearing a broad pendant, and
manned, nearly equally, with seven hundred and thirty French and
Spanish seamen, and which, after some action, (the chef being
wounded,) struck her colours.

I learn, from the very few survivors of the ships that caught
fire and blew up, who, in an open boat, reached the Superb at
the time she was taking possession of the San Antonio, that, in
the confusion of the action, the Hermenegildo, (a first-rate
ship,) mistaking the Real Carlos for an enemy, ran on board of
her, and shared her melancholy fate. Services of this nature
cannot well be expected to be performed without some loss; but
though we have to lament that Lieutenant Edward Waller, and
fourteen seamen and marines, have been mostly severely wounded,
still there is reason to rejoice that that is the extent of our
loss. I received able and active assistance from Mr. Samuel
Jackson, the first lieutenant; and it is my duty to represent to
you that the officers of all descriptions, seamen and marines,
conducted