said ports, harbors, bays, creeks, rivers, inlets, outlets, islands, or sea coast, under any pretence whatsoever.

And that no person may plead ignorance of this, my proclamation, I have ordered the same to be made public in England.

Given under my hand on board the Chasseur, day and date as above.

THOMAS BOYLE.

(By command of the commanding officer.)

J. J. STANBURY, Secretary,

LETTER FROM CAPTAIN BOYLE, TO MR. GEORGE P. STEPHENSON, ONE OF THE OWNERS OF THE CHASSEUR.

At Sea, March 2d, 1815.

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to inform you, that on the 26th of February, being about six leagues to windward of Havana, and two leagues from the land, at 11 A. M. discovered a schooner bearing N.E. of us, apparently running before the wind; made every possible sail in chase, the convoy in sight from the mast head, to leeward, laying-to off Havana. At meridian, gaining fast on the chase, which appeared to be a large, long, low pilot boat built schooner, with yellow sides; she hauled up more to the northward, and apparently was endeavoring to escape us. At half-past 12 meridian, I fired a gun, and hoisted the American flag, to ascertain, if possible, to what nation the schooner belonged; but she showed no colors, was carrying a press of sail, and in a few minutes carried away her fore-top-mast. She was at this time about three miles from us. They cut away the wreck of the top-mast immediately, and trimmed her sails sharp by the wind. her very fast; she fired a

At 1 P. M. drawing up with stern chase gun at us, and

BATTLE between the BRIG CHASSEUR, and the SCHOONER St. LAWRENCE, off Havanna on the 26th of Feb. 1815.

hoisted English colors, showing at the same time only three ports on the side next us.

Under the impression that she was a running vessel, bound to Havana, and weakly armed and manned, I tried every effort to close with her as quick as possible. I saw very few men on her deck, and hastily made some preparation for action, though neither my officers nor myself expected any fighting; of course we were not completely prepared for battle. At 1:26 P.M. we were within pistol shot of the enemy, when he opened a tier of ten ports on a side, and gave us his whole broadside of round, grape, and musket balls. and musket balls. I then opened the Chasseur's fire from the great guns and musketry, and endeavored to close with him, for the purpose of boarding; we having quick way at the time, shot ahead of him under his lea, he put his helm up, for the purpose of wearing across our stern, to give us a raking fire, which I prevented by timely noticing his intention, and putting our helm hard up also. He shot quickly ahead, and I closed within ten yards of him. At this time both fires were heavy, severe, and destructive. I now found that his men had been concealed under his bulwark, and that I had a powerful enemy to contend with, and at 1:40 P.M., gave the order for boarding, which my brave officers and men cheerfully obeyed with unexampled quickness; I instantly put the helm to starboard to lay him on board, and when in the act of boarding she surrendered.

Mr. W. M. Christie, prize-master, from his courage and activity, got first on board of her-she proved to be his Britannic Majesty's schooner St. Lawrence, commanded by Lieutenant J. C. Gordon, formerly the famous privateer Atlas, of Philadelphia, built on the Chesapeake, mounting 15 guns, 14 twelve pound carronades, upon an improved construction, and a long nine pounder, with a

complement of 75 men, and had on board a number of soldiers, marines, and some gentlemen of the navy, passengers, bound express to the squadron off New Orleans. She had, by the report of her commander, 6 men killed and 17 wounded, most of them badly, and several of them mortally. She was a perfect wreck, cut to pieces in the hull, and scarcely a rope left standing, and by report of her commander, he had not an officer on board, that was not either killed or wounded, himself among the latter. The Chasseur's sails and rigging suffered much, and from the zeal and anxiety of my brave crew to do their duty, and thereby exposing themselves, I had five men killed, and eight wounded, myself among the latter, though very slightly. Thus ended the action, in fifteen minutes after its commencement, and about eight minutes close quarters, with a force, in every respect, equal to our own.

The Chasseur mounted six twelve pounders, and eight short nine pound carronades (the latter taken from one of our prizes), ten of our twelve pound carronades having been thrown overboard, while hard chased by the Barosa frigate. The St. Lawrence had on board 89 men, beside several boys.

From the number of hammocks, bedding, etc., etc., found on board of the enemy, it led us to believe that many more were killed than were reported. The St. Lawrence fired double the weight of shot that we did, from her twelves, at close quarters she fired a stand of grape and two bags, containing two hundred and twenty musket balls each, when, from the Chasseur's nines, were fired six and four pound shot, having no other, except some few grape. Were I to close this letter without mentioning the determined bravery of my first lieutenant, Mr. John Dieter, I should be acting very un