’Sir,—­Though the grievous misfortune which has happened his great Britannic Majesty’s ships of war on the Danish coast perhaps already may be known to your Excellency; nevertheless, whereas the opposite case may be possible, I will not omit hereby to make you acquainted with the sorrowful accident, assuring you that I am very compassionating.

’The 24th of last month, in the night, the English ships of the line, St. George and Defence, are splitted upon the western coast of Jutland, and the violent waves made it impossible to bring the wretched crews any assistance.  From both ships are saved but thirteen persons, who are cast on shore by the sea with goods of wreck.  Some of them are sick, and at present under care.  A part of the dead bodies are driven to land, and interred with as much ceremony as the circumstances would admit.

    ’All possible pains have been taken to find out the bodies of
    the officers, in order to show them military honours, by the
    obsequies upon the churchyard.

’Two bodies of officers were found, and buried with military honours.  Among these was the body of Captain Atkins, commanding the Defence, which is deposited in a church till I receive the further ordaining from my most gracious sovereign.

    ’I complain much that the body of Admiral Reynolds has not yet
    been found, for all the pains which are taken on this purpose.

’Agreeably to the charitable sensibility of the Danish nation, the inhabitants have been very grieved to see the English warriors in such a distress without being able to assist them; and I am very sorry, Sir, that I cannot give your Excellency of this accident an account less sorrowful.

    ’With great esteem, I remain, Sir,

    ’&c. &c, &c.,

    ’TELLEQUIST.

    ‘To Governor Maurice.’

The body of Rear Admiral Reynolds was found a few days after the date of the above letter, and deposited with military honours near that of Captain Atkins, in Rinkum Church.

The surviving officers and men of the St. George were tried by a court-martial at Sheerness, and were acquitted of all blame with reference to the loss of that vessel.

With respect to the loss of the Defence, the court was of opinion that she was lost by getting on shore on the western coast of Jutland, in company with his Majesty’s late ship St. George, in consequence of the noble and heroic determination of the captain to stay to the last by his admiral, at a moment of extreme danger and distress, conduct which, in the opinion of the court, will reflect immortal honour on the memory of Captain Atkins.

Rear Admiral Reynolds was an officer of considerable experience, and had distinguished himself on several occasions previous to his melancholy fate on board the St. George.

In the year 1797, he commanded the Amazon, a 36-gun frigate, and was cruizing the 13th of January off Ushant, in company with the Indefatigable, Captain Sir Edward Pellew, when a large ship was descried, steering under easy sail for France.  This was a little after twelve o’clock at noon; chase was immediately given, and at four in the afternoon, the stranger was discovered to be a French two-decker, the Droits de l’Homme, of 74 guns.