The principal cause of my present haste is my anxiety attending
the care of the San Josef, which we have in tow, and which has
delayed us more than I can express, these twenty-four hours.

N.B. I since have found it was the Santissima Trinidada, and not
the Concepcion, that struck, but afterwards got off. And the St.
Ysidro, 74 guns, and not the Santa Domingo, that is captured.
The Santissima Trinidada is reported to be off here by one of
our frigates.

The enemy, however, passed Lagos Bay, leaving the prizes unmolested.
As the further details, and Spanish account of this action, will be
found in the Appendix, we shall proceed by giving the copies of the
following letters.

Victory, Lagos Bay, 16th February 1797.

SIR,

No language I am possessed of can convey the high sense I
entertain of the exemplary conduct of the flag-officers,
captains, officers, seamen, marines, and soldiers embarked on
board every ship of the squadron I have the honour to command,
present at the vigorous and successful attack made upon the
fleet of Spain on the 14th instant. The signal advantage
obtained by his Majesty's arms on that day is entirely owing to
their determined valour and discipline; and I request you will
accept yourself, and give my thanks and approbation to those
composing the crew of the ship under your command.

I am, sir,
Your most humble servant,
J. JERVIS.

To Captain Sir James Saumarez, Orion.

In consequence of this glorious victory, obtained, under Providence,
by the valour and discipline of the crews of his Majesty's ships on
the 14th February 1797, the commander-in-chief was pleased to grant a
free pardon to James Maloney, seaman, then under sentence of death for
repeated desertion from H.M.S. Speedy, which was communicated in the
most impressive manner to the fleet.

We cannot but remark that, in the various accounts of this action,
justice has been but barely done to the commander of the Orion, who is
only mentioned as one of the six captains who prevented the junction
of the enemy's separated squadron. If any act of heroism displayed on
that occasion was designed to be particularly recorded in the public
despatches, surely the fact that the Orion was the last ship that
engaged and took possession of the Salvador del Mundo, and then made
the Santissima Trinidada strike her colours and hoist the English flag
over the Spanish, deserves a