health much impaired by long and anxious services, Captain Brace was recommended to seek benefit from retirement, and the pleasures of social and family intercourse at home. The dispute with the Dey of Algiers, however, occurring about this time, he was induced to comply with the express wishes of Viscount. Melville and Lord Exmouth; and without any interval of repose, assumed the command of the Impregnable, a 3-decker, which was to form one of the squadron appointed to visit that piratical tyrant, under the orders of the last named nobleman. When the ships arrived at Gibraltar, Rear-Admiral Milne, who had been appointed to the command at Halifax, but allowed, at his own particular request, to accompany the expedition, hoisted his flag on board the Impregnable, as second in command of the squadron.
During the tremendous battle of Aug. 27th, the Impregnable was hulled by two hundred and thirty-three shot, none less than a 24-pounder, about twenty of which passed between wind and water. She however not only maintained her perilous situation about three hundred and fifty yards from a fortification of three tiers, containing 66 guns, flanked by four other works of two tiers each, in which were mounted 60 pieces of cannon, and a redoubt of 4 guns, but succeeded, with the aid of an explosion vessel, in destroying the strongest of all the Algerines’ batteries. She expended no less than 6,730 round shot, and 28,800 pounds of powder. Her killed and wounded amounted to rather more than one-fourth part of the total loss sustained by Lord Exmouth’s fleet[1]; and her masts, yards, sails, and rigging, were much cut up. Captain Brace himself, was slightly wounded in two places; but as he did not allow his name to be included in the report, we suppose it was not his wish to make a longer list than he could possibly avoid, of the casualties on board his ship. The names of Rear-Admiral Milne, and one or two other officers who received wounds, were probably withheld, through the same motive. Such acts of modesty are truly praiseworthy, and should always be recorded.
After the battle, Rear-Admiral Milne removed into his proper flag-ship, the Leander of 60 guns, and proceeded with
