from mortars brought down to the beach during the ebbing of the tide. On the 25th of that month, an unusual degree of bustle prevailed in the road of Boulogne, which then contained no less than one hundred and forty-six armed vessels of different descriptions. At 1h 45’ P.M. a division of this flotilla got under weigh, and worked up towards Pointe Bombe, where the Cruiser, an 18-gun brig, lay at anchor. This was probably done to amuse Buonaparte, who nine days previously, had presided at the grand ceremony of distributing to his troops encamped at Boulogne and Montreuil, the cross of the Legion of Honor. In a short time a firing commenced between the parties, and soon brought Captain Owen to the spot; who, at about 2h 30’ opened his broadside at the gunvessels, and received in return a heavy fire from the batteries on the edge of the cliff. One shot only struck the Immortalité, and did no great injury. It now became necessary to haul further from the shore; and having done so, he hove-to about three miles in the offing. On the following day, a second division of gun and mortar-vessels weighed, and, joining their friends between Vimereux and Ambleteuse, formed a total of sixty brigs and more than thirty luggers. Napoleon himself, it appears, was at this time in the road in his barge, attended by two of his Generals and Admiral Bruix. At 4 P.M., the Immortalité, Harpy sloop of war, Adder gun-brig, and Constitution cutter, made sail towards the flotilla, and in a quarter of an hour afterwards opened their fire; but the gun-vessels kept near the shore, purposely to draw the British within reach of the land batteries. There was no withstanding the temptation; and Captain Owen, with his three companions, tacked and stood in, within three quarters of a mile of the batteries, which kept up an incessant fire. As if that were not enough to preserve the gun-vessels from capture, the greater part of those in the road weighed and proceeded to their assistance. At about 5 o’clock, a shell fell into and sunk the Constitution, but without injuring the crew, all of whom were picked up by the boats of their friends. This little vessel had been setting a noble example, both by the boldness of her advance and the skilful manner in which she plied her small artillery. A shell also fell on board the Harpy, and killed one of her crew, but did not explode. The Im-
