colonies, with despatches announcing the commencement of hostilities between England and Spain, Sir John Orde directed Captain Harvey to escort this ship back to her own port. Her consort, the Amphitrite, was soon afterwards intercepted by Sir Richard J. Strachan, who, being unchecked by the presence of a superior officer, conducted her to Gibraltar, where she was condemned as a prize, and added to the British navy. On the 27th, the Niger frigate joined company, with orders to detain all Spanish shipping; and in the course of the same day, a large dismasted merchantman, from Vera Cruz, was taken possession of by Sir John’s flag-ship, the Swiftsure 74. On the 30th, Captain Harvey captured the brig Pomone, from Havannah, laden with sugar and twenty chests of silver. On the 9th Dec. he was sent to cruize off Cape St. Vincent, where, in the course of that month, he had the good fortune to intercept three ships with cargoes of cochineal, coffee, indigo, sugar, &c., and having on board 967,461 dollars.
The perilous situation of the Agamemnon, at Gibraltar, during a most destructive storm, Jan. 31st, 1805, we have recently noticed[1]. She rejoined Sir John Orde on the 3d Feb., and was at anchor off St. Lucar, with main-yard unrigged, hold unstowed, and employed in receiving provisions and stores from transports, when a French squadron from Toulon, under Mons. Villeneuve, hove in sight, and induced the British admiral to retire from his station before Cadiz. The expeditious manner in which she was got ready for action on that occasion, drew forth the thanks of Sir John Orde, with whom she returned to England. We next find her assisting at the capture of two Spanish line-of-battle ships, by the fleet under Sir Robert Calder, July 22d, 1805[2], on which occasion, being stationed in the van, she was much cut up in her spars and rigging, and had several men wounded. On the 22d Aug. following, she was present at an at-
