Immortalité at sea, July 31, 1801.Sir,
I have the honour to inform you that at one o'clock in the morning of the 27th instant, in lat. 43 deg. 34 min. N and long. 11 deg. 42 min. W., I had the good fortune to fall in with, and, at half past seven, to capture a remarkably fine and singularly constructed French privateer, with four masts, named L'Invention, carrying 24 guns on a flush deck, and 210 men. She is quite new, had only left Bordeaux 9 days before on her first cruise, and had taken nothing.
She is a beautiful vessel, on a plan entirely peculiar to herself, designed by her Commander, Mr. Thibault, and of extraordinary dimensions, being 147 feet long and 27 wide, each mast is rigged in the usual manner, and she appears to me to answer perfectly well. During the chase at daylight, His Majesty's ship Arethusa was seen at a distance, who joined in the pursuit, and, from her situation, greatly assisted me in capturing her.
I have the honour to be, etc.,H. Hotham
Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius
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