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1778. in the night, the French gained the weather gagé, by which they had the advantage, either of bringing it on or of totally avoiding it. But two of their line of battle fhips fell confiderably to the leeward, and were fo effectually cut off from the reft of the fleet, that they were never able to rejoin it during the remainder of the cruise, This put the hoftile fleets on an equality in point of number, with refpect to line of battle fhips. The British fleet continued conftantly to beat up against thế wind in pursuit of the French, who declined coming to a general engagement, as they daily expected a strong reinforcement, and hoped to intercept the commercial fleets, that, while making for the British ports, would have to pass through the track in which their numerous frigates were ftationed. Admiral Keppel penetrated their motives, and labored to bring them to action; and as the preserving of a regular line of battle with any hope of it was evidently impracticable, the fignal for July chacing to windward was kept constantly flying. Some 27. fudden fhifts of wind, together with an unexpected and

unintentional effect produced by an evolution on the French fide, being all improved by the moft masterly efforts on the other, brought the two fleets fo close that they could not part without an action. But the French endeavoured to evade its confequences as much as poffible; and by fuddenly putting about on the contrary tack, altered the courfe of the fhips in each fleet, fo that they could engage only as they paffed, instead of lying fide to fide, and thereby making an effectual impreffion.

The French began, by firing at a great diftance on the headmost of Sir Robert Harland's divifion as the

fhips led up, but not a fhot was returned till they were 1778. near the enemy. The example was followed, or a fimilar conduct purfued by the fleet in general, as fast as each fhip could close up with the French; and notwithstanding their having been neceffarily extended by the chace, they were all foon in battle. As the fleets paffed each other very clofe on the oppofite tacks, the cannonade was heavy, and the effect confiderable. The action afted about three hours. As the French in their ufual way, directed their fire principally against the rigging, feveral of the British fhips fuffered confiderably in their mafts, yards and fails. The British fire, which was principally levelled at the hulls of the enemy, was not deficient in its effect of another kind, the destruction of the feamen. The action being over for the prefent, admiral Keppel hauled down the fignal for battle, till the ships could recover their stations, or get near enough to fupport each other on the renewal of the action. To call them together for that purpose, he immediately made the fignal to form the line of battle a-head, which was confidered as commanding the moft prompt obedience. Admiral Pallifer was at this moment in his proper ftation; but quitted it, and paffing Keppel to leeward on the contrary tack, while the latter was advancing to the enemy, never came into the line during the reft of the day. Pallifer being totally out of the line, other fhips far aftern, and five difabled in their rigging, at a great diftance to leeward, the British admiral, about three o'clock in the afternoon, could not collect above twelve fhips to renew the engagement. The French obferving the expofed fituation of the Britifh fhips, which had fallen to leeward to repair their

1778. damages, edged away with an evident intention of cutting them off from the reft of the fleet. Admiral Keppel instantly difcerned their defign and the danger of the fhips, and fuddenly wore and stood athwart the van of the enemy, in a diagonal line, for their protection. He also dispatched orders to Sir Robert Harland to form his divifion at a distance aftern of the Victory, to cover the rear and keep the enemy in check, till Pallifer fhould, in obedience to the fignal, come with his divifion into his proper station. The protection of the difabled fhips being accomplished, and the French continuing to form their line, ranging up to leeward parallel to the centre divifion, it became the admiral's immediate object to form his as speedily as poffible, in order to bear down upon them and renew the battle. Seeing Pallifer still to windward, he fent capt. Windfor of the Fox frigate, with exprefs orders to him to bear down into his wake; and to tell him, that he only waited for him and his divifion to renew the attack. This order not producing the defired effect, the admiral threw out the fignal for all fhips to come into their stations; and again at seven o'clock, being wearied out with fruitless expectation, he made the fignal for each particular fhip of Pallifer's divifion to come into her station in the line; but before they had complied with this fignal, night put an end to all further operations. From a motive of delicacy, no fignal was particularly thrown out to the Formidable, Sir Hugh Pallifer's own fhip.

The French could have renewed the action during every hour of the afternoon, with apparent advantages, which from the fituation of affairs could not poffibly have escaped their obfervation. Their conduct the fol

lowing night indicated their indifpofition to a renewal of 1778. it. Three of their beft failing veffels were ftationed at proper diftances with lights to divert the attention of the British fleet, and to induce a belief that their whole line ftill kept its pofition. During this deception the reft of the fleet withdrew in the most filent manner, without lights or other fignals than the throwing up of fome rockets; and made the best of their way to Breft, where they arrived the next evening. By day light the French fleet had got at fuch a distance, that the British admiral concluded, he had not the smallest profpect of coming up with them, and that neither a general nor partial purfuit could answer any beneficial purpose. He therefore left only a proper force to protect the homeward bound trade, and then made the best of his way to Plymouth, as being the nearest port, in order to put the fleet into a proper condition to return in queft of the enemy.

It was observed on the day of action with equal furprise and regret, and by fome of the braveft and most experienced British officers, that the French worked and manoeuvred their fhips, with a degree of feamen-like address and dexterity, which they never before perceived. The event of the day, and the confequent efcape of the French fleet were to admiral Keppel intolerably grievous." By his confummate fkill, and the most inceffant induftry, he had gained after four days purfuit of the enemy, one of the faireft opportunities of doing the most signal service to his country, in the most critical exigency, and of raifing his own name to the fummit of naval renown. He hoped to have made the 27th of July," a proud day to Great Britain." All these mighty advantages and glorious rewards were unac

3778. countably ravished from him, when they appeared within his grafp. In Plymouth, the failure of a complete victory was attributed to Sir Hugh Pallifer; whofe noncompliance with the admiral's fignals has been afcribed by many to the difabled condition of fome of the fhips. in his divifion..

The admiral, with wonderful temper, and no lefs prudence, accommodated his conduct to the neceffity of his fituation, and made the public fecurity and interefts the only objects of his direction. He advanced no charge against Pallifer. His public letter was fhort, general, and barren of information. It ftated facts fo far as it went, threw no blame upon any body, and commended the bravery of the officers in general, and of Sir Robert Harland and Sir Hugh Pallifer in particular. But this approbation is to be applied only to the particular circumstances and immediate time of the action: the fubfequent tranfactions of the afternoon, were in general thrown into the fhade; and the causes that prevented a renewal of the engagement left in fuch obfcurity, as has drawn no fmall fhare of cenfure upon Keppel himself.

The French fleet returned to Breft confiderably damaged in their hulls; but glorying in an action, wherein they had engaged an equal number of Britifh fhips without the loss of a fingle veffel, as though they had gained a victory. It will be fome time before they are fully repaired, through a scarcity of the neceffary means.

The Americans have many friends in Holland, who will be ready to affift them when an opportunity offers ર but not a la mode de Paris. They have not the fame inducements with the French to venture on a war with

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