your favour of this day's date, to present my congratulations on
the very distinguished success which has attended your late
undertaking. The superiority of the _Pomone_ adds much to the
credit of it; although the event has not surpassed the confidence I
should have entertained of it, if I could have been apprized of
the opportunity before the action commenced.

"I am much obliged by the communications which have accompanied
your letter; and remain, with sentiments of particular esteem and
regard,

"Sir,
"Your most obedient, humble servant,
"HOWE."

On the 23rd of August following, the squadron, now consisting of six
frigates, which had sailed from Falmouth on the 7th, chased the French
frigate _Volontaire_, and the corvettes _Alerte_ and _Espion_, into the
Bay of Audierne, a large bay immediately to the southward of Brest,
having the promontory at the south entrance of that harbour, the Bec du
Raz, for its northern, and Penmarck Point for its southern extremity.
Four of the squadron chased the frigate on shore near the Penmarcks,
where she was totally wrecked. The corvettes took shelter under the
batteries, where they were driven on shore and cannonaded by the _Flora_
and _Arethusa_, until their masts fell, and great part of their crews
escaped to the land. The boats of the _Arethusa_ were now ordered to set
them on fire; but when it was found, on boarding them, that many of
their wounded could not be removed with safety, Sir Edward contented
himself with taking out the rest of the prisoners, leaving the wounded
to the care of their friends on shore, and the stranded corvettes, which
were already bilged, to their fate. _L'Espion_ was afterwards got off by
the enemy.

The state of the Channel was at this time very different from what it
had been a few months before. The enemy's cruisers, which then were
almost in possession of it, could now scarcely leave their ports without
being taken. While the frigates swept the Channel, spreading themselves
to command a very extensive range of view, it was difficult for an enemy
to elude their vigilance. Chasing in different directions, to take
advantage of every change of wind, and to circumvent him in every
manoeuvre, it was impossible for him, once seen, to escape their
pursuit.

The services of the western squadron led the Admiralty