season of the year, were unusual, the works had been greatly retarded, and the difficulties encreased. On the morning of the 6th of March, every thing being ready for a heavy cannonade, Sir Charles Grey sent a flag of truce with a summons to the garrison to surrender, which was refused by General Rochambeau. Accordingly, at day-break on the 7th (the gun-boats having as usual attacked Fort Louis during the night) mortars, howitzers, and great guns, opened from five batteries at the same instant, keeping up an incessant fire on the fort and advanced redoubt the whole of that day and the night, from each of which it was returned with equal fury. All the following day the same spirited attack and defence was continued. On the 9th the enemy made a sortie from the fort, and attacked the advanced picquet from the camp at La Coste, composed of part of the third battalion of light infantry, and some sailors under command of Captain Faulknor of the Zebra. After an engagement of some length the enemy gave way, and were imprudently followed by our troops under the guns of the fort; by this excess of ardour we lost some men, while the enemy suffered but little. The gun-boats and Vesuvius now kept up a constant fire from Fort Royal Bay: in the former two seamen were killed by grape, and part of the head of the bomb ketch was shot away. On the 13th a melancholy accident occurred in one of our batteries, which was formed and manned entirely by seamen. Captain Faulknor of the Zebra, who commanded in it, being provoked by the interference of an officer of artillery in the works which one of the seamen of the Asia was employed in, and the sailor not obeying him with alacrity, was provoked to strike him with his sword, which unfortunately wounded him mortally, and he died in a few minutes. Captain Faulknor was acquitted by the court martial that was instantly summoned by the Admiral to investigate the matter; and the circumstance of its happening in the heat of action, when the least disobedience of orders involves the most fatal consequences, as well, as that it appeared there was no premeditated intention of killing the unfortunate man, but was a blow given from the impulse of momentary passion; the sentence was confirmed and approved.--From this time the siege was carried on with unremitted exertion by night and day; shot and shells were constantly flying, and new batteries daily constructed; so that our advanced batteries were at length brought within five hundred yards of the fort, and not more than two hundred from the redoubt: the latter indeed was so battered, that it might with ease have been stormed; but the General knew that a mine which communicated from the fort would involve in certain destruction all who attempted so desperate an action; and therefore preferred the more sure means of success, by regular and methodical approaches. On Monday the 17th of March two new batteries opened on Fort Louis from