fifteen were killed or drowned, four desperately wounded, and several others severely and slightly. She had on board 496 slaves, of whom, horrible to say, owing to the necessity of confining them below during the action, and perhaps aided by terror, 26 were found dead, although the hatches were opened the instant that complete possession had been obtained. Of the remainder of the slaves, 107 were in such a state, from want of air during their confinement below, that it was thought advisable to land them at Fernando Po, as the only chance of saving their lives, and of these about sixty died: the rest were ultimately put on shore at Sierra Leone. The Black Joke had only one man killed, and Lieutenant Ramsay, Mr. Bosanquet, and five men wounded, the former officer severely.”
We must not dismiss this spirited and successful action without noticing the alacrity with which Commodore Hayes testified his approbation of the service; and we are gratified to add, that the strong recommendations which he made upon the subject, procured the promotion of Lieutenant Ramsay, Mr. Bosanquet, and Mr. Richard Douglas (assistant-surgeon), on the 15th Aug. following.
Commander Ramsay is at present employed in the Dee steam-ship, to which he was appointed May 28th, 1834.
CORNWALLIS RICKETTS, Esq.
[Commander.]
Eldest son of Rear-Admiral Sir Tristram R. Ricketts, Bart., by Rebecca, daughter of Richard Gumbleton, Esq., of Castle Richard in the county of Waterford, and co-heiress to her brother, Edmund Gumbleton, Esq.
Mr. Cornwallis Ricketts was born on the 27th Feb. 1803. He passed his examination in Oct. 1822; was made a lieutenant on the 20th Mar. 1823; obtained the rank of commander Aug. 18th, 1831; and married. May 31st, 1834, Henrietta, youngest daughter of Colonel Tempest, of Tong Hall, in Yorkshire.
