The Orion, after giving that ship her broadside, passed round the Zealous and Goliath; and, as she was passing the third ship of the enemy, the French frigate Serieuse approached, began to fire on her, and wounded two men. In reply to an observation of one of the officers, who proposed to return her fire immediately, Sir James said, "Let her alone, she will get courage and come nearer. Shorten sail." As the Orion lost way by shortening sail, the frigate came up; and, when judged to be sufficiently advanced, orders were given to yaw the Orion, and stand by the starboard guns, which were double-shotted. The moment having arrived when every gun was brought to bear, the fatal order to fire was given; when, by this single but well-directed broadside, the unfortunate Serieuse was not only totally dismasted, but shortly afterwards sunk, and was discovered next morning with only her quarter above water. On discharging this fatal broadside the helm was put hard a-starboard; but it was found that the ship would not fetch sufficiently to windward, and near to the Goliath, if she anchored by the stern. She stood on, and, having given the fourth ship her starboard broadside, let go her bower anchor, and brought up on the quarter of Le Peuple Souverain, which was the fifth ship, and on the bow of Le Franklin, the sixth ship of the enemy's line. The third and fourth ships were occupied by the Theseus and Audacious on the inside, by passing through; while they were attacked on the outside by the Minotaur, Vanguard, and Defence. By the log of the Orion it was forty-five minutes past six o'clock when that ship let go her anchor, and, in "tending," poured her starboard broadside into the Franklin and L'Orient. The fire was then directed on Le Peuple Souverain, until she cut and dropped out of the line, totally dismasted and silenced. [Illustration] EXPLANATION. BRITISH. FRENCH. A--Audacious. 1--Guerrier. B--Bellerophon. 2--Conquerant. C--Culloden (aground). 3--Spartiate. D--Defence. 4--Aquilon. E--Majestic. 5--Peuple Souverain. F--Alexander. 6--Franklin. G--Goliath. 7--L'Orient. L--Leander. 8--Tonnant. M--Minotaur. 9--Heureux. O--Orion. 10--Mercure. S--Swiftsure. 11--Guillaume Tell. T--Theseus. 12--Genereux. V--Vanguard. 13--Timoleon. Z--Zealous. 14--Serieuse. +*--Serieuse, dismasted by 15--Artemise. the Orion, and sunk at 14. 16--Justice. I--Island of Aboukir. 17--Diane. Y--Shallow water.