Allan; of Mr. Robertson, the master; and Lieutenant John Campbell, R.M. The warrant officers, midshipmen, and ship’s company, are likewise entitled to my warmest praise. I have the honor to be, &c.
“Right Hon. Lord Keith, K.B.
&c. &c. &c.”
Le Guerriere formed part of a squadron that had been sent from l’Orient to cruise on the coasts of Iceland, Greenland, and Spitzbergen, for the purpose of destroying the British and Russian whalers. She had on board 52 men more than the Blanche, but many of her crew were sickly, and in broadside weight of metal she was rather inferior to her opponent. The British frigate had not a man slain, and only 4 persons wounded, one of whom was Lieutenant Robert Bastin: the enemy sustained a loss of 20 killed and 30 wounded.
In 1809, Captain Davies commanded the Tyrian, a 10-gun brig, on the Guernsey station; and, in Aug. 1811, we find him appointed to the Albacore sloop, mounting 16 32-pounder carronades, 8 twelves, and 2 long sixes, with a complement of 121 officers, men, and boys. His commission as a commander bears date July 28, 1806.
“On the 16th Dec. 1812,” says Mr. James, ”the French 40-gun frigate Gloire, Captain Rousin, sailed from Havre, with a very strong S.E. wind, which carried her as far as the Lizard, and there left her, on the afternoon of the 17th, entirely becalmed. On the 18th, at day-light, the Gloire found herself nearly in the midst of nine vessels, the greater part of them evidently merchantmen. Two of the number, however, were vessels of war: the nearest was the British ship-sloop Albacore, Captain Henry Thomas Davies; and, about 4 miles to the westward of her, was the 14-gun schooner Pickle, Lieutenant William Figg. At 8 a.m. the Gloire, who had been standing on the starboard tack, wore with a light air of wind, and edged away for the Albacore, then bearing from her N.E. by N. Each ship soon ascertained that the other was an enemy; and at 9 a.m. the Gloire sailed to the wind on the larboard tack, and made all sail to escape. Judging by this, probably, that the apparent French 40-gun frigate was an armée en flûte, or large store-ship. Captain Davies crowded sail in chase, followed, at some distance, by the Pickle; the latter and the Albacore making repeated signals, to apprize the vessels in sight of the presence of an enemy.
“At 10-12 a.m. having by carrying down the breeze arrived within carronade range on the frigate’s weather quarter, the Albacore opened her fire; whereupon the Gloire hoisted French colours, and fired in return, hauling up a little, to bestow a raking broad«idc upon her unequal anta-