Page:Account of the dispute between Russia, Sweden & Denmark, and Great Britain.pdf/15

 of the ſquadron named in the margin, which you did me the honour to place under my command, I beg leave to inform you, that having, by the aſſiſtance of that able officer, Capt. Riou, and the unremitting exertions of Capt Briſbane, and the Maſters of the Amazon and Cruizer in particular, buoyed the channel of the outer deep, and the poſition of the middle ground, the ſquadron paſſed in ſafety, and anchored off Draco the evening of the 1ſt; and that yeſterday morning I made the ſignal for the ſquadron to weigh, and to engage the Daniſh line, conſiſting of ſix ſail of the line, eleven floating batteries, mounting from twenty-ſix twenty four pounders, to eighteen eighteen-pounders, and one bomb ſhip, beſides ſchooner gun-veſſels. Theſe were ſupported by the Crown-Iſlands, mounting eighty-eight cannon, and four ſail of the line moored in harbour’s mouth, and ſome batteries on the Iſland of Amak. The bomb-ſhip and ſchooner gun veſſels made their eſcape, the other ſeventeen ſail are ſunk, burnt, or taken, being the whole of the Daniſh line to the ſouthward of the Crown Iſlands, after a battle of four hours.

From the very intricate navigation, the Bellona and Ruſſel unfortunately grounded, but although not in the ſituation aſſigned them, yet ſo placed as to be of great ſervice. The Agamemnon could not weather the ſhoal of the Middle, and was obliged to anchor: But not the ſmallest blame can be attached to Capt. Fancourt; it was an event to which all the ſhips were