Admiralty-office, Sept. 15. Captain Brisbane, of his Majesty's ship Queen Charlotte, arrived at this office last night with the following dispatches from Admiral Lord Exmouth, G. C. B. addressed to John Wilson Croker, Esq. :

Queen Charlotte, Algiers-Bay,
Aug. 28.

Sir, In all the vicissitudes of a long life of public service, no circumstance has ever produced on my mind such impressions of gratitude and joy as the event of yesterday. To have been one of the humble instruments, in the hands of Divine Providence, for bringing to reason a ferocious go vernment, and destroying for ever the insufferable and horrid system of Christian slavery, can never cease to be a source of delight and heartfelt comfort to every individual happy enough to be employed in it. I may, I hope, be permitted, under such impressions, to offer my sincere congratulations to their Lordships on the complete success which attended the gallant efforts of his Majesty's fleet in their attack upon Algiers of yesterday; and the happy result produced

from it on this day by the signature of peace.

Thus has a provoked war of two days' existence been attended by a complete victory, and closed by a renewed peace for England and her ally, the King of the Netherlands, on conditions dictated by the firmness and wisdom of his Majesty's government, and commanded by the vigour of their measures.

My thanks are justly due for the honour and confidence his Majesty's ministers have been pleased to repose on my zeal, on this highly important occasion. The means were by them made adequate to my own wishes, and the rapidity of their measures speak for themselves. Not more than one hundred days, since I left Algiers with the British fleet, unsuspicious and ignorant of the atrocities which had been committed at Bona; that fleet, on its arrival in England, was necessarily disbanded, and another, with proportionate resources, created and equipped; and, although impeded in its progress by calms and adverse winds, has poured the vengeance of an insulted nation, in chasti sing the cruelties of a ferocious go

vernment, with a promptitude beyond example, and highly honourable to the national character, eager to resent oppression or cruelty, whenever practised upon those under their protection.

Would to God that in the attainment of this object I had not deeply to lament the severe loss of so many gallant officers and men; they have profusely bled in a contest which has been peculiarly marked by proofs of such devoted heroism as would rouse every noble feeling, did I dare indulge in relating them.

Their Lordships will already have been informed, by his Majesty's sloop Jasper, of my proceedings up to the 14th instant, on which day I broke ground from Gibraltar, after a vexatious detention, by a foul wind of four days.

The fleet, complete in all its points, with the addition of five gun-boats, fitted at Gibraltar, departed in the highest spirits, and with the most favourable prospect of reaching the port of their destination in three days; but an adverse wind destroyed the expectation of an early arrival, which was the more anxiously looked for by myself, in consequence of hearing, the day I sailed from Gibraltar, that a large army had been assembled, and that very considerable additional works were throwing up, not only on both flanks of the city, but also immediately about the entrance of the Mole; from this I was apprehensive that my intention of making that point my principal object of attack had been discovered to the Dey by the same means he had heard of the expedition. This intelligence was, on the following night, greatly confirmed by the Prometheus, which I had dispatched to Algiers some time before, to endeavour to get away the Consul. Captain Dashwood had with difficulty suc

ceeded in bringing away, disguised in midshipman's uniform, his wife and daughter, leaving a boat to bring off their infant child, coming down in a basket with the surgeon, who thought he had composed it, but it unhappily cried in the gate-way, and in consequence the surgeon, three midshipmen, in all eighteen persons, were seized and confined as slaves in the usual dungeons. The child was sent off next morning by the Dey, and as a solitary instance of his hu manity, it ought to be recorded by

me.

Captain Dashwood further confirmed, that about 40,000 men had been brought down from the interior, and all the Janissaries called in from distant garrisons, and that they were indefatigably employed in their batteries, gun-boats, &c. and every where strengthening the sea-defences.

The Dey informed Captain Dashwood he knew perfectly well the armament was destined for Algiers, and asked him if it was true; he replied, if he had such information he knew as much as he did, and probably from the same source the public prints.

The ships were all in port, and be tween 40 and 50 gun and mortarboats ready, with several more in forward repair. The Dey had closely confined the Consul, and refused either to give him up or promise his personal safety; nor would he hear a word respecting the officers and men seized in the boats of the Prome theus.

From the continuance of adverse winds and calms, the land to the westward of Algiers was not made before the 26th, and the next morning, at day-break, the fleet was advanced in sight of the city, though not so near as I had intended. As the ships were becalmed, I embraced this opportunity of dispatching a boat, under cover of the Severn, with a

Aag of truce, and the demands I had to make in the name of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, on the Dey of Algiers (of which the accompanying are copies); directing the officer to wait two or three hours for the Dey's answer, at which time, if no reply was sent, he was to return to the flag-ship: he was met near the Mole by the captain of the port, who, on being told the answer was expected in an hour, replied, that it was impossible. The officer then said he would wait two or three hours; he then observed, two hours was quite sufficient.

The fleet at this time, by the springing up of the sea-breeze, had reached the bay, and were preparing the boats and flotilla for service, until near two o'clock, when, observing my officer was returning with the signal flying that no answer had been received, after a delay of upwards of three hours, I instantly made the signal to know if the ships were all ready, which being answered in the affirmative, the Queen Charlotte bore up, followed up by the fleet, for their appointed stations; the flag, leading in the prescribed order, was anchored in the entrance of the Mole, at about fifty yards distance. At this moment not a gun had been fired, and I began to suspect a full compliance with the terms which had been so many hours in their hands; at this period of profound silence, a shot was fired at us from the Mole, and two at the ships to the northward then following; this was promptly returned by the Queen Charlotte, who was then lashing to the mainmast of a brig, fast to the shore in the mouth of the Mole, and which we had steered for, as the guide to our position.

Thus commenced a fire as animated and well supported as, I believe, was ever witnessed, from a quarter before three until nine, without inter

mission, and which did not cease altogether until half past eleven.

The ships immediately following me were admirably and coolly taking their stations, with a precision even beyond my most sanguine hope; and never did the British flag receive, on any occasion, more zealous and honourable support. To look further on the line than immediately round me was perfectly impossible, but so wellgrounded was my confidence in the gallant officers I had the honour to command, that my mind was left perfectly free to attend to other objects, and I knew them in their stations only by the destructive effect of their fire upon the walls and batteries to which they were opposed.

I had about this time the satisfaction of seeing Vice-Admiral Van Capellan's flag in the station I had assigned to him, and soon after, at intervals, the remainder of his frigates, keeping up a well-supported fire on the flanking batteries he had offered to cover us from, as it had not been in my power, for want of room, to bring him in the front of the Mole.

About sunset I received a message from Rear-Admiral Milne, conveying to me the severe loss the Impregnable was sustaining, having then 150 killed and wounded, and requesting I would, if possible, send him a frigate to divert some of the fire he was under.

The Glasgow, near me, immediately weighed, but the wind had been driven away by the cannonade, and she was obliged to anchor again, having obtained rather a better position than before.

I had at this time senf orders to the explosion vessel, under the charge of Lieutenant Fleming and Mr Parker, by Captain Reade of the engineers, to bring her into the Male; but the Rear-Admiral having thought she would do him essential service if

exploded under the battery in his front, I sent orders to this vessel to that effect, which were executed. I desired also the Rear-Admiral might be informed, that many of the ships being now in flames, and certain of the destruction of the whole, I considered I had executed the most important part of my instructions, and should make every preparation for withdrawing the ships, and desired he would do so as soon as possible with his division.

There were awful moments during the conflict, which I cannot now at tempt to describe, occasioned by firing the ships so near us, and I had long resisted the eager entreaties of several around me, to make the attempt upon the outer frigate, distant about 100 yards, which at length I gave into, and Major Gossett, by my side, who had been eager to land his corps of miners, pressed me most anxiously for permission to accompany Lieute nant Richards in this ship's barge. The frigate was instantly boarded, and in ten minutes in a perfect blaze; a gallant young midshipman, in rocket boat No. 8, although forbidden, was led by his ardent spirit to follow in support of the barge, in which he was desperately wounded, his brother of ficer killed, and nine of his crew. The barge, by rowing more rapidly, had suffered less, and lost but two.

The enemy's batteries around my division were about ten o'clock silenced, and in a state of perfect ruin and dilapidation; and the fire of the ships was reserved as much as possible, to save powder, and reply to a few guns now and then bearing upon us, although a fort on the upper angle of the city, on which our guns could not be brought to bear, continued to annoy the ships by shot and shells during the whole time.

Providence at this interval gave to my anxious wishes the usual land

wind, common in this bay, and my expectations were completed. We were all hands employed warping and towing off, and, by the help of the light air, the whole were under sail, and came to anchor out of reach of shells about two in the morning, after twelve hours incessant labour.

The flotilla of mortar, gun, and rocket boats, under the direction of their respective artillery officers, shared, to the full extent of their power, in the honours of this day, and performed good service; it was by their fire all the ships in the port (with the exception of the outer frigate) were in flames, which extended rapidly over the whole arsenal, store-houses, and gun-boats, exhibiting a spectacle of awful grandeur and interest no pen can describe.

The sloops of war which had been appropriated to aid and assist the ships of the line, and prepare for their retreat, performed not only that duty well, but embraced every opportunity of firing through the intervals, and were constantly in motion.

The shells from the bombs were admirably well thrown by the royal marine artillery; and though thrown directly across and over us, not an accident that I know of occurred to any ship.

The whole was conducted in per fect silence, and such a thing as a cheer I never heard in any part of the line; and that the guns were well worked and directed, will be seen for many years to come, and remember. ed by these barbarians for ever.

The conducting this ship to her station by the masters of the fleet and ship excited the praise of all. The former has been my companion in arms for more than 20 years.

Having thus detailed, although but imperfectly, the progress of this short service, I venture to hope, that the humble and devoted services of my

self and the officers and men of every description I have the honour to command, will be received by his Royal Highness the Prince Regent with his accustomed grace. The approbation of our service, by our Sovereign, and the good opinion of our country, will, I venture to affirm, be received by us all with the highest satisfaction.

If I attempted to name to their Lordships the numerous officers who, in such a conflict, have been at different periods more conspicuous than their companions, I should do injustice to many; and I trust there is no officer in the fleet I have the honour to command who will doubt the grateful feelings I shall ever cherish for their unbounded and unlimited support. Not an officer nor man confined his exertions within the precise limits of their own duty; all were eager to attempt services which I found more difficult to restrain than excite; and no where was this feeling more conspicuous than in my own captain, and those officers immediately about my person. My gratitude and thanks are due to all under my command, as well as to Vice-Admiral Capellan, and the officers of the squadron of his Majesty the King of the Netherlands; and I trust they will believe that the recollection of their services will never cease but with my life. In no instance have I ever seen more energy and zeal; from the youngest midshipman to the highest rank, all seemed animated by one soul, and of which I shall with delight bear testimony to their Lordships, whenever that testimony can be useful.

I have confided this dispatch to Rear-Admiral Milne, my second in command, from whom I have received, during the whole service intrusted to me, the most cordial and honourable support. He is perfectly

informed of every transaction of the fleet, from the earliest period of my command, and is fully competent to give their Lordships satisfaction on any points which I may have overlooked or have not time to state. I trust I have obtained from him his esteem and regard, and I regret I had not sooner been known to him.

The necessary papers, together with the defects of the ships and the return of killed and wounded, accompany this dispatch; and I am happy to say Captains Ekins and Goode are doing well, as also the whole of the wounded. By accounts from the shore, I understand the enemy's loss in killed and wounded is between 6 and 7,000 men.

In recommending my officers and fleet to their Lordships' protection and favour,

I have the honour to be, &c.
EXMOUTH.

A General Abstract of the Killed and Wounded in the Squadron under Admiral Lord Exmouth's Command, in the Attack of Algiers, the 27th of August, 1816.

Queen Charlotte, Admiral Lord Exmouth, G. C. B. Captain James Brisbane, C. B.-7 seamen, 1 marine, killed; 14 officers, 82 seamen, 24 ma, rines, 2 marine artillery, 5 sappers and miners, 4 boys, wounded.

Impregnable, Rear-Admiral Milne, Captain Edward Brace, C. B.-1 offcer, 37 seamen, 10 marines, 2 boys, killed; 2 officers, 111 seamen, 21 marines, 9 sappers and miners, 17 boys, wounded.

Superb, Charles Ekins-2 officers, 3 seamen, 2 marines, 1 rocket troop, killed; 6 officers, 62 seamen, 14 marines, 2 marine artillery, wounded.

Minden, William Paterson-5 scamen, 2 marines, killed; 2 officers, 26 seamen, 9 marines, wounded.