Our posliminious Preface to the present Volume, must in the first place express our thanks for that increase of Patronage we receive; and also for the Communications, and Hints, which have arrived from different Correspondents, who thus impart an addition of interest, and of importance, to the Naval Chronicle.

We have seldom witnessed a period when such a variety of Naval Events has swelled the annals of every month, as that which the present Volume comprises; and it has been with the utmost difficulty, that we could discharge our duty in this respect, without entirely devoting the greater part of each Number to chronicle facts, which otherwise would soon be lost amidst the enterprise and energy that prevails.

Notwithstanding all our diligence, and the good Look-out we uniformly preserve, we find that some facts occasionally drift by us, and are carried away by the current. Such was the case with the interesting letter of Lieut. Hardinge to his Uncle, dated April 1804, which appears first in this Volume in the current Naval History of the Year. We request our Readers to assist us in this respect; and shall consider it as a favour, if they would forward to our Publisher, Mr. Gold, whatever in the redundant columns of the Public Prints may have escaped our notice, or not been deemed by us sufficiently worthy of preservation.