The French flotilla prepared at Boulogne had of late been considerably increased by reinforcements from Calais; and it was found difficult for the British cruizers to prevent, with certainty, or even safety, such small vessels as these gun-boats from stealing along the shore.  They were, therefore, become extremely numerous, and it was judged prudent to attempt lessening their number by capture or demolition.  Every thing being prepared with these intentions, his lordship, on the 1st of August 1801, being the third anniversary of his glorious victory off the Nile, sailed from the Downs, and stood over to the coast of France.

On the 2d, having arrived off Boulogne, twenty four armed vessels were perceived at anchor outside the port; the boasted gun-boats seemed, to his lordship, incapable of being rowed, in the smoothest water, more than a mile and a half an hour.  The enemy, alarmed at the approach of the British armament, were labouring hard to erect new batteries; but the wind being too far to the northward for our bombs to go on the lee-shore, this attack, by way of experiment, did not commence till the 4th.  The following official account of it’s success was immediately transmitted to England, by his lordship.

     “Medusa, off Boulogne,
     4th August 1801.

     “SIR,

The enemy’s vessels, brigs, and flats (lugger-rigged) and a schooner, twenty-four in number, were this morning, at day-light, anchored in a line, in front of the town of Boulogne.  The wind being favourable for the bombs to act, I made the signal for them to weigh; and throw shells at the vessels, but as little as possible to annoy the town.  The captains placed their ships in the best possible position; and, in a few hours, three of the flats, and a brig, were sunk:  and, in the course of the morning, six were on shore, evidently much damaged.  At six this evening, being high water, five of the vessels which had been aground hauled with difficulty into the mole, the others remained under water.  I believe, the whole of the vessels would have gone inside the pier, but for want of water.  What damage the enemy may have sustained, beyond what we see, is impossible to tell.  The whole of this affair is of no farther consequence, than to shew the enemy that they cannot, with impunity, come outside their ports.  The officers of the artillery threw the shells with great skill:  and I am sorry to say, that Captain Fyers, of the Royal Artillery, is slightly wounded in the thigh by the bursting of an enemy’s shell; and that three seamen are also wounded.  One more of the enemy’s flats is this moment sunk.

     I am, Sir, &c. 
     “Nelson And Bronte.”

     “Evan Nepean, Esq.”

This attack seems to have been chiefly intended to ascertain what might be hereafter effected with a force particularly adapted to the nature of the service, founded on some degree of actual experience.  His lordship was, therefore, far less disappointed by the event, than might generally be imagined.  To prevent the commanders of the bomb-vessels from being discouraged, who had really deserved better success, his lordship thus complimented them on the occasion.