The Enemy's cannon at the commencement were two much elevated; but about noon their firing was powerful, and well directed. Our casuals then became numerous; particularly on those batteries north of the King's bastion, which were warmly annoyed by the Enemy's flanking and reverse fire from the land. Though so vexatiously annoyed from the Isthmus, our Artillery totally disregarded their opponents from that quarter, directing their sole attention to the Battering-ships, the furious and spirited opposition of which, served to excite our people to more animated exertions. A fire more tremendous, if possible, than ever, was therefore directed from the Garrison.-Incessant showers of hot balls, carcasses, and shells of every species, flew from all quarters; and as the masts of several of the ships were shot away, and the rigging of all in great confusion, our hopes of favourable and speedy decision began to revive.

About noon, the mortar-boats and bomb-ketches attempted to second the attack from the ships; but the wind having changed to the south-west, and blowing a smart breeze, with a heavy swell, they were prevented from taking part in the action. The same reason also hindered our gun-boats from flanking the Battering-ships from the southward.

For some hours, the attack and defence, were so equally well supported, as scarcely to admit any appearance of superiority in the cannonade on either side. The wonderful construction of the ships seemed to bid defiance to the powers of the heaviest ordnance. In the afternoon, however, the face of things began to change considerably. The smoke which had been observed to issue from the upper part of the flag-ship appeared to prevail, notwithstanding the constant application of water; and the Admiral's Secand was perceived to be in the same condition. Confusion was now apparent on board several of the vessels; and by the evening their cannonade was considerably abated.— About seven or eight it almost totally ceased, excepting from one or two ships to the northward, which from their distance, had suffered little injury.

When the firing began to slacken, various signals were made from the southernmost ships; and as the evening advanced, many rockets were thrown up, to inform their friends (as we afterwards learned) of their extreme danger and distress. These signals were immediately answered and several boats were seen to row round the disabled ships. Our artillery, at this period, must have caused dreadful havock amongst them. An indistinct clamour, with lamentable cries and groans, proceeded (during the short intervals of cessation) from all quarters; and a little before midnight, a wreck floated in, upon which were twelve men, who only, out of three score which were on board their launch, had escaped. The circumstances convinced us that we had gained an advantage over the Enemy; yet, we did not conceive that the victory was so complete as the succeeding morning evinced. Our firing was therefore continued, though with less vivacity; but, as the Artillery, from such a hard-fought day, exposed to the intense heat of a warm sun, in addition to the harassing duties of the preceding night, were much fatigued, and as it was impossible to foresee what new objects might demand their service the following day, the Governor, about six in the evening, when the Enemy's fire abated, permitted the majority of the officers and men to be relieved by a picquet of a hundred men from the marine brigade, under the command of Lieutenant Trentham; and officers, and non-commissioned officers of the Artillery, were stationed on the different batteries, to direct the sailors in the mode of firing the red-hot shot.

About an hour after midnight, the Battering ship which had suffered the greatest injury, and which had been frequently on fire the preceding day, was completely in flames; and by two o'clock she appeared as one continued blaze from stem to stern. The ship to the southward was also on fire, but did not burn with so much rapidity.The light thrown out on all sides by the flames, enabled the artillery to point the guns with the utmost precision, whilst the rock, and neighbouring objects, were highly illuminated: forming, with the constant flashes of our cannon, a mingled scene of sublimity and terror. Between three and four o'clock, six other of the Battering-ships indicated the efficacy of red-hot shot; and the approaching day now promised us one of the completest defensive victories on record.

BRIGADIER CURTIS, who was encamped with his brigade at Europe, being informed the Enemy's ships were in flames, and that the calmness of the sea would

permit his gun-boats to act, marched about three o'clock, with a detachment to the Newmole; and drawing up his boats in such a manner as to a flank the battering-ships, compelled their boats to abandon them. As the day approached, and the Garrison fire abated, the Brigadier advanced, and captured two launches. These boats attempted to escape; but a shot killing and wounding several men on board one of them, they surrendered, and were conducted to Ragged-staff. The Brigadier being informed by the prisoners, that many men were through necessity left by their friends on board the ships, he generously determined to rescue them from the inevitable death which seemed to impend. Some of these infatuated wretches, nevertheless (it is said) refused at first the deliverance which was tendered to them, preferring the chance of that death which appeared inevitable, to being put to the sword; which they had been persuaded would be the consequence, if they submitted to the Garrison. Being left, however, some moments to the horrors of their fate, they beckoned the boats to return, and resigned themselves to the clemency of their conquerors.

Whilst the Navy were thus humanely relieving their distressed Enemy, the flames reached the Magazine of one of the Battering-ships to the northward, which blew up, about five o'clock, with a dreadful explosion. In a quarter of an hour following another, in the centre of the line, met with a similar fate. The wreck from the latter spread to a vast extent, and involved our gun-boats in the most imminent danger. One was sunk, but the crew were saved; a bole was forced through the bottom of the Brigadier's boat, his coxswain killed, and the strokesman wounded; and for some time they were obscured in the cloud of smoke. After this fortunate escape, it was deemed prudent to withdraw towards the Garrison, to avoid the peril arising from the blowingup of the remaining ships. The Brigadier, however, visited two other ships in his return, and landed nine officers, two priests, and three hundred and thirty-four private soldiers and seamen, all Spaniards; which, with one officer and eleven Frenchmen, who had floated in the preceding evening, made the total number saved, amount to three hundred and fifty-seven. Many of the prisoners were severely, and some of them dreadfully wounded. They were instantly, on being brought on shore, conveyed to our hospital, and every remedy administered necessary for their different cases.

During the time that the Marine Brigade were encountering every danger in their endeavours to save an Enemy from perishing, the batteries on the Isthmus (which ceased the preceding evening, most likely for want of ammunition, and which had opened again upon the Garrison on the morning of the 14th) maintained a warm fire upon the town, which killed and wounded several men; and three or four shells burst in the air, over the place where their countrymen were landed. This ungenerous proceeding could not escape the observation of the spectators in their camp; and orders probably were sent to the lines for the batteries to cease, as they were silent about ten o'clock.

NOTWITHSTANDING the efforts of the Marine Brigade in relieving the terrified victims from the burning ships, several unfortunate men could not be removed.The scene at this time exhibited was as affecting as that which had been presented in the act of hostility had been terrible and tremendous. Men crying from amidst the flames for pity and assistance; others, on board those ships where the fire had made little progress, imploring relief with the most expressive gestures and signs of despair; whilst several, equally exposed to the dangers of the opposite element, trusted themselves, on various parts of the wreck, to the chance of paddling to the shore. A felucca belonging to the Enemy approached from the Orange-grove, probably with the intention of relieving these unfortunate persons; but, jealous of her motives, the Garrison suspected that she came to set fire to one of the Battering-ships which appeared little injured. and obliged her to retire. Of the six ships which were still in flames, three blew up before eleven o'clock; the other three burnt to the water's edge, the magazines being wetted by the enemy before the principal officers quitted the ships.The Admiral's flag was on board one of the latter and was consumed with the vessel. The remaining two Battering-ships, we flattered ourselves, might be saved as glorious trophies of our success; but one of them unexpectedly burst out in flames, and in a short time blew up, with a terrible report; and Captain Gibson representing it as impracticable to preserve the other, it was burnt in the afternoon under his directions. Thus the Navy put a finishing hand to the signal defensive victory.

During the hottest period of the Enemy's cannonade, General Elliott was present on the King's bastion, whilst Lieutenant General Boyd* took his station upon the south bastion, animating the Garrison by their presence, and encouraging them to emulation. The exertions and activity of the brave ARTILLERY, in this well-fought contest, deserve the highest commendation. To their skill, perseverance, and courage, with the zealous assistance of the Line, (particularly the corps in town, the 39th and 72nd regiments,) was Gibraltar indebted for its safety against the Combined Powers, by sea and land, of France and Spain; and the Marine Brigade, though they had not so considerable a share in the duties of the Batteries, yet merit the warmest praises for their generous intrepidity in rescuing their devoted enemies from amidst the flames.

The Enemy, in this action, had more than three hundred pieces of heavy ordnance in play; whilst the Garrison had only eighty cannon, seven mortars, and nine howitzers in opposition. Upwards of eight thousand three hundred rounds, (more than half of which were red hot shot) and SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN barrels of gunpowder were expended by our Artillery. What quantity of ammunition was used by the Enemy could never be ascertained.

*It will not be improper in this place to notice, that General Boyd was the founder of the King's bastion, as it will be an apology for introducing a remarkable speech of the General's on that occasion. In 1773, General Boyd, attended by Colonel Green, the Chief Engineer, and many Field Officers of the Garrison, laid the foundation stone of that work, with the ceremony usual on such occasions. Upon placing the stone,This," said the General, is the first stone of a work which I name the King's "Bastion may it be as gallantly defended, as I know it will be ably executed; and may "I live to see it resist THE UNITED EFFORTS OF FRANCE AND SPAIN."

66

(SELECTED.)

WINTER.

THOU hast thy beauties; sterner ones I own,
Than those of thy precursors; yet to thee
Belong the charms of solemn majesty
And naked grandeur: awful is the tone

Of thy tempestuous nights, when clouds are blown
By hurrying winds across the troubled sky.
Pensive, when softer breezes faintly sigh
Through leafless boughs, with ivy overgrown.
Thou hast thy decorations too; although
Thou art austere; thy studded mantle gay
With icy brilliants, which as proudly glow
As erst Golcondas; and thy pure array
Of regal ermine, when the drifted snow
Envelopes nature, till her features seem
Like pale, but lovely ones, seen when we dream.

(ORIGINAL.)

TO MY WIFE.

Dear is the mem'ry of that delicious hour
When first I met thee-Mary; O, thou lovely one,
How beautiful thou wert, how like a fresh young flower,
In all its native purity-blooming alone!

I love to think upon those happy, happy days,

When we first lov'd; time-time then glided smoothly by,
When first thy youthful charms with love inspired my lays,
And all our life was one sweet dream of hope and joy.

Since then, years have roll'd on, and love's young dream is o'er,
The spell is broken-life's realities we know;

On fancy's fond imaginings we live no more,
But greater joys are ours than fancy can bestow.

Together we have buffeted life's stormy sea,

Rejoiced together, when kind heaven hath sent us peace;

Content and happy still, whatever fate's decree,

Our love, midst all our trials, time does but increase.

And so 'twill be, my love, till time shall be no more,

Our cup of joy 'tis true death may awhile remove;

Till happily we meet again on that blest shore,

Where storms nor tempests are-where all is peace and love.

TO THE EDITOR AND COMMITTEE OF THE MAGAZINE. GENTLEMEN,

The very able manner in which the subject of the Widow and Orphans' Fund has been already treated, and the apparently universal acknowledgment of its practicability and usefulness, may, perhaps, have rendered the following remarks unnecessary. But, as there is evidently a difference of opinion existing, as to the plan to be adopted, by which that great benevolent undertaking is most likely to become permanently successful; and, as I believe it will be granted, that the best way of VOL. 4.-No. 1-F.

coming to a right conclusion, is by the promulgation of opinion preparatory to its final arrangement, I trust I shall not be accused of being actuated by ostentatious motives in addressing you on the subject.

I am opposed to the opinion of many of my Welch brothers, whose argument against P. G. Myers' plan is, that the Magazine being exclusively an English publication, they cannot participate in the advantages to be derived from a perusal of its contents. This argues no more than that no immediate benefit would accrue to them in the event of their becoming subscribers; but might not the same objection be offered against the proposed plan of raising the necessary sum by a fixed subscription? The good to be derived from such arrangement must, of course, be entirely in the perspective.

men,

In order to further the wishes of our Cambrian friends would it not be advisable to allow (occasionally) the insertion of a Welch article in the Magazine? We have Gentlemen, amongst us, whose lucubrations, if given in the spirit of their native language, although they might not tend to amuse the great majority of your readers, would not detract from the genuine value of the publication, either on the score of literary worth or practical utility. Let their productions of course, be subject to the censorship of competent persons, previously to their transmission for insertion.

Among the reasons which may be advanced in favour of the voluntary system of devoting the profits of the Magazine to the promotion of the proposed object is, the important consequence of the immense increased circulation it would receive; for, if the moral condition of the members of the Order is improved by the social instruction and friendly admonition it disseminates; and if their minds be enlarged, and their intellectual capacities improved by its converse, then must it be a matter of the first import, that we endeavour to enlarge the sphere of its influence.

When time, the ripener of all things, shall have brought our embryo into a state of maturity, there will doubtless, be many whose appeals for relief will be deemed not of sufficient weight in the scale of importance. Will not then the consideration act as a solace to the minds of the abiters, by whom such cases may be adjudicated, that although perhaps reluctantly compelled to withhold the desired boon, the brothers, on whose behalf the applications are tendered, have already received an equivalent for the sums they have subscribed?

For these and other reasons, which to avoid prolixity, I decline stating, I advocate (with deference to the opinions of those who entertain different views) the originally projected plan.

Yet, let me not be accused of stubbornness: for although it may be a source of regret, that an unobjectionable rule cannot at once be laid down and acted upon, so in (the absence of such desideratum; and feeling, as I do, an anxiety to put a shoulder although a weak one) to the wheel, I suggest, if eventually it should be found necessary, that non-subscribers to the Magazine contribute in such sums, and at such periods, as hereafter may be thought advisable.

With best wishes for the success of this, and every other undertaking, which has a tendency to ameliorate the distress of mankind for its basis, I am, Gentlemen,

Yours, obediently,

T. VAUGHAN, PROV. C. S.