dismasted very soon after the action began; and so much damaged that, it is to be presumed, they could not hold out any longer against an enemy so superior by an advantageous position, in placing several ships against one.  At a quarter past nine o’clock, L’Orient caught fire in the cabin; it soon afterwards broke out on the poop.  Every effort was made to extinguish it; but, without effect; and, very soon, it was so considerable, that there was no hope of saving the ship.  At half past nine, Citoyen Gillet, Capitain de Pavilion of the Franklin, was very severely wounded, and was carried off the deck.  At three quarters past nine, the arm-chest, filled with musket-cartridges, blew up, and set fire to several places in the poop and quarter-deck, but was fortunately extinguished.  Her situation, however, was still very desperate; surrounded by enemies, and only eighty fathoms to windward of L’Orient entirely on fire, there could not be any other expectation, than falling a prey either to the enemy or the flames.  At ten o’clock, the main and mizen masts fell, and all the guns on the main-deck were dismounted.  At half past ten, Le Tonnant cut her cables, to avoid the fire of L’Orient.  The English ship that was on L’Orient’s larboard quarter, as soon as she had done firing at her, brought her broadside on Le Tonnant’s bow, and kept up a very heavy raking fire.  L’Heureux, and Le Mercure, conceived that they ought likewise to cut their cables.  The manoeuvre created so much confusion amongst the rear ships, that they fired into each other, and did considerable damage.  Le Tonnant anchored ahead of the Guillaume Tell; Le Genereux and Timoleon, the other two ships, got on shore.  The ship that engaged Le Tonnant on her bow cut her cables; all her rigging and sails were cut to pieces; and she drove down, and anchored astern of the English ship, that had been engaging L’Heureux and Le Mercure before they changed their position.  Those of the etat-major and ship’s company of L’Orient, who had escaped death, convinced of the impossibility of extinguishing the fire, which had got down on the middle gun-deck, endeavoured to save themselves.  Rear-Admiral Ganteaume saved himself in a boat, and went on board of Le Salamine; and, from thence, to Aboukir and Alexandria.  The Adjutant-General Motard, though badly wounded, swam to the ship nearest L’Orient, which proved to be English.  Commodore Casabianca, and his son, who was only ten years old, and who gave, during the action, proofs of bravery and intelligence far above his age, were not so fortunate.  They were in the water, on the wreck of L’Orient’s masts, not being able to swim, seeking each other, till three quarters past ten, when the ship blew up, and put an end to their hopes and fears.  The explosion was dreadful, and spread the fire all around to a considerable distance.  Le Franklin’s decks were covered with red-hot seams, pieces of timber, and rope, on fire.  She was on fire, but luckily got it under.  Immediately after the