"This is, Sir, an unpleasant tale; but the merits of every officer and man in La Minerve and her prize, were eminently conspicuous through the whole of this arduous day. The enemy quitted the pursuit of La Minerve at dark." There were ten men wounded in this last attack, but none killed; and the mainmast was much damaged, and the rigging greatly cut. D'Arcy Preston, Esq. captain of La Blanche, had brought, on the preceding night, a few minutes after La Minerve's first broadside, the smaller Spanish frigate to close action. The enemy made but a trifling resistance, and eight or nine broadsides completely silenced them; when they called out for quarter, and their colours were hauled down. "I am sorry to add," says Captain Preston, in his letter to Commodore Nelson, written at sea, December 20, "the very near approach of three fresh ships, two of which we discovered nearly within gun-shot before we went into action, rendered my taking possession of her impracticable; when I wore, to join La Minerve. Finding the ships did not then close with the frigate, which I had left much damaged in her hull, sails, and rigging, I again stood after her: but she had, by this time, got her fore-sail, fore top-sail, and fore top-gallant sail, set; and not only out-sailed the Blanche, before the wind, but was joined by another ship standing from the land. "Nothing could exceed the steadiness and good conduct of the first-lieutenant, Mr. Cowen; and the whole of the officers, and ship's company, I have the honour to command. I have great pleasure to inform you, that not one person was hurt, or the rigging the least damaged. "I beg leave to add, how much I am obliged to Captain Maitland, who is on board, a passenger, to join his ship, for his very great assistance on the quarter-deck during the action." The worthy and gallant commodore was far less chagrined at the loss of these two prizes, than at that of his brave officers and men who were unfortunately on board that of which La Minerve had taken possession. He seized, therefore, the first possible opportunity of sending a letter, by a flag of truce, to his Excellency Don Miguel Gaston, Captain General of the Department of Carthagena, of which the following authentic copy is now for the first time printed. "His Britannic Majesty's Ship the Minerve, at Sea, Dec. 24, 1796. "SIR, "The fortune of war put La Sabina into my possession, after she had been most gallantly defended: the fickle dame returned her to you, with some of my officers and men in her. "I have endeavoured to make the captivity of Don Jacobo Stuart, her brave commander, as light as possible; and I trust to the generosity of your nation for it's being reciprocal for the British officers and men.