ur leagues from us. I
anxiously waited the dawn of day; when, being on the starboard
tack, Cape St. Vincent bearing east by north seven leagues, I had
the satisfaction of seeing a number of ships, extending from
south-west to south, the wind then at west by south. At forty
minutes past ten, the weather being extremely hazy, La Bonne
Citoyenne made the signal that the ships were of the line,
twenty-five in number: his majesty's squadron, consisting of the
fifteen ships of the line named in the margin, were happily formed,
in the most complete 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 o'clock, before it had time to connect 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 enterprize, 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 were captured, and the action ceased
about five o'clock in the evening. I inclose the most correct list
I have been able to obtain of the Spanish fleet opposed to me,
amounting to twenty-seven sail of the line; and an account of the
killed and wounded in his majesty's ships, as well as in those
taken from the enemy. The moment the latter, almost totally
dismasted, and his majesty's ships the Captain and Culloden, are in
a state to put to sea, I shall avail myself of the first favourable
winds to proceed off Cape St. Vincent, in my way to Lisbon. Captain
Calder, whose able assistance has greatly contributed to the public
service during my command, is the bearer of this; and will more
particularly describe, to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
the movements of the squadron on the 14th, and the prese