“The only two batteries which occupied this dangerous post made great havoc, and sustained dreadful loss. The Talla-Piedra received a fatal shot. In spite of all precautions, a red-hot ball penetrated to the dry part of the vessel: its effect was slow. The Talla-Piedra had opened her fire about ten in the morning; the ball struck her three and five. The mischief did not appear irremediable till midnight. The San Juan, one of her next neighbours, shared the same fate. It appears certain that the eight others remained untouched. “But what was still more distressing, every thing was wanting at once: cables to tow off the batteries in place of accident, and boats to receive the wounded. The attack was to have been supported by ten ships, and upwards of sixty gun-boats. Neither boats, gun-boats, nor ships, made their appearance. “Lastly, according to the projected position, the gun-boats were to have been seconded by the one hundred and eighty pieces of cannon at the lines of St. Roch. This co-operation was rendered impracticable. Near four hundred pieces of artillery were to have opened at once upon North Bastion, Montagu Bastion, and Orange Bastion. With a superiority of nearly three hundred pieces, D’Arçon flattered himself that he should be able to silence the artillery of the fortress. What was his consternation when he found that the besiegers had no more than sixty or seventy pieces, to oppose to more than two hundred and eighty belonging to the besieged. “The combined squadron remained quiet spectators of this tremendous scene: Guichen, who commanded the French ships, sent to offer assistance to Moreno; who replied that he had no occasion for any. “Matters continued to grow worse; and no remedy could be devised. Eight of the batteries were at too great a distance to do or to sustain much injury. The two others bore in their bosoms the elements of destruction. Moreno, despairing of being able to save any of them, and resolving that they should not fall into the hands of the English, directed that those which were already in flames should be suffered to burn, and that all the others should be set on fire. I have seen the original order to this effect. Such was the result of that day, on which were annihilated ten vessels--the masterpieces of human ingenuity--the building of which cost three millions of livres, and whose artillery, anchors, cables, rigging, &c., amounted to two millions and a half more.