merchant vessels; also the demolition of Fort Roquette, at the entrance of Arcasson[1].
On the 12th of Sept. 1807, the Imperieuse sailed from Spithead, with the Mediterranean trade under her protection. On the 16th of Nov. following, her boats engaged a Maltese privateer, supposing that she was an enemy’s vessel, and sustained a loss of sixteen men killed and wounded before they obtained possession. About the same period, Mr. Marryat incurred great personal risk by jumping into the sea, and saving the life of Mr. Henry Cobbett, midshipman, who had accidentally fallen overboard.
The Imperieuse subsequently cut out a Turkish ship from Port Valona, on the coast of Dalmatia; and in the beginning of 1808, we find her sailing from Malta, on a cruise off Catalonia and the Balearic islands, where, in the course of four months, she captured and destroyed one national brig, six gun-vessels, one privateer, and about fifty sail of merchantmen. In effecting the capture of the privateer, she lost her first lieutenant (Caulfield), and had eleven of her ship’s company killed and wounded.
The Spaniards were then still under the influence of Napoleon Buonaparte; but no sooner had they evinced a disposition to shake off his yoke, than the British nation proffered the most generous aid; and Lord Cochrane, impressed with the warmest interest in favor of the patriots, resolved to make every exertion in their behalf. He accordingly entered into friendly communication with the authorities at Carthagena and Majorca, proceeded from Palma bay to the vicinity of Barcelona, and there commenced a series of active operations, by engaging, capturing, and dismantling batteries, destroying bridges, &c., in order to impede the further progress of the invading forces.
On the 31st of July, 1808, the castle of Mongat, an important work, completely commanding a pass by the road from Barcelona to Gerona, and the only position between those towns occupied by the enemy, surrendered to the Imperieuse, and
