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HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 205

Anjier Point, in the island of Java, by three French privateers,
after a long and gaUant resistance* The Governor-General
now despatched a squadron, composed of four or five of the
heaviest and best-appointed Company's ships to the Cliina seas,
and on the 2nd of January, J 794, a portion of this squadron,
consisting of the 'William Pitt,' Captain Mitchell, 'Britannia,'
Captain Cheap, and the Bombay Marine cruiser ' Nautilus,'
Captain Roper, of fourteen guns, arrived off the eastern entrance
of the Straits of Singapore.
On the loth of January the squadron anchored in Anjier
Bay, and, on the 21st, was joined by the Company's ships
'Houghton,' Captain Hudson, and 'Nonsuch,' Captain Canning,
when they got under way. Early the next morning, while the
' William Pitt' was examining a detained ship, two strangers
were descried in the south-west and chased by a portion of the
squadron. The strange ships were two French privateers, the
' Vengeur,' Captain Corosin, mounting thirty-f )ur guns, with a
crew of two hundred and fifty men, and the ' Rcsolu,' Captain
Jallineaux, mounting twenty-six guns, with a crew of two
hundred and thirty men, both from the Isle of France. The
action commenced at eleven, a.m., and in about three-quarters
of an hour, both privateers, the ' AVilliam Pitt' and ' Houghton'
then fast coming up, struck their colours; the 'Vengeur' with
the loss of eleven killed and twenty-six wounded, including
amongst the latter Captain Corosin, who died after the ampu-
tation of his leg.
On the morning of the 2.5th of January, the British squadron,
consisting of the 'Nautilus,' 'Houghton,' 'Nonsuch,' and
' William Pitt,' was lying at anchor tothe northward of theZuften
Isles, near Bantam Bay, when the_y sighted the French frigates
' Prudente' and Cybele, the late Indiauuin 'Princessl\oyal,"(now
named the Duguay Trouin') and the fourteen-gun brig ' Vulcan,'
'
the whole under the command of Captain Renaud, of the
' Prudente,' getting under way from off St. Nicholas Point, Java,
and also a ship, which proved to be the prize ' Resolu,' trying
her utmost to escape from them. At about half-past eight,
a.m., the ' Nautilus,' ' William Pitt,' and ' Britannia,' on the
near approach of the French squadron, cut their cables and
prepared to engage. By this time the shot of the 'Prudente'
and ' Cybcle' were passing over the ' Resolu ;' the latter, how-
ever, continued her course, and ran for protection between
the British ships, which now opened their fire upon the enemy.
A partial action now ensued, and, after the firing had lasted
about eighteen minutes, the French squadron stood away out
of gunshot.
As the ships of the British squadron had distributed among
* This ship re-nameil the Duguay Trouin,' wasreca])turod on tlie 5th of May,
'
179i, by the British thirty-six guu frigate ' Orpheus,' Captain Newcome.