ing
to Dunkirk was brought into the Downs by captain Angel, of the Stag; and
a privateer of force, called the Countess de la Serre, was subdued and
taken, after an obstinate action, by captain Moore, of his majesty's
ship the Adventure.

PRIZES TAKEN IN THE WEST INDIES.

Several armed ships of the enemy, and rich prizes, were taken in the
West Indies, particularly two French frigates, and two Dutch ships
with French commodities, all richly laden, by some of the ships of the
squadron which vice-admiral Coats commanded on the Jamaica station. A
fifth, called the Velour, from St. Domingo, with a valuable cargo on
board, being fortified with twenty cannon, and above one hundred men,
fell in with the Favourite sloop of war, under the command of captain
Edwards, who, after' art obstinate dispute, carried her in triumph
to Gibraltar. At St. Christopher's, in the West Indies, captain
Collingwood, commander of the king's ship the Crescent, attacked
two French frigates, the Amethyste and Berkeley; the former of which
escaped, after a warm engagement, in which the Crescent's rigging was
so much damaged that she could not pursue; but the other was taken, and
conveyed into the harbour of Basseterre. Notwithstanding the vigilance
and courage of the English cruisers in those seas, the French privateers
swarmed to such a degree, that in the course of this year they took
above two hundred sail of British ships, valued at six hundred thousand
pounds sterling. This their success is the more remarkable, as by this
time the island of Guadaloupe was in possession of the English, and
commodore Moore commanded a numerous squadron in those very latitudes.

ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE HERCULES AND THE FLORISSANT.

In the beginning of October, the Hercules ship of war, mounted with
seventy-four guns, under the command of captain Porter, cruising in the
chops of the channel, descried to windward a large ship, which proved to
be the Florissant, of the same force with the Hercules. Her commander,
perceiving the English ship giving chase, did not seem to decline
the action, but bore down upon her in a slanting direction, and the
engagement began with great fury. In a little time, the Hercules having
lost her top-mast, and all her rigging being shot away, the enemy took
advantage of this disaster, made the best of his way, and was pursued
till eight o'clock next morning, when he escaped behind the isle of
Oleron. Captain Porter was wounded