Dictionary of Indian Biography/D'Ache, Comte
D'ACHE, COMTE (1700? or 1716?–1775)
Vice- Admiral : served with distinction, but without important command, up to 1757. when he was made Commander of the French Naval forces in Indian seas : reached the Coromandel coast, April, 1758, commanding the squadron which took Lally's expedition to India : beaten, off Negapatam., by the English Fleet under Admiral Pocock : declined to co-operate with Lally against Madras : again defeated off Tranquebar, Aug. 1, 1758 : sailed for the Isle of France : took for his fleet a million francs, intended for Pondicherry : returned after a year from Isle of France : defeated off Fort St. David, Sep. 10, 1759, by Pocock : went to Pondicherry, but abandoned it Sep. 17, and never returned, staying at the Isle of France : thus, inefficient and constantly defeated, he lost in a few months the French cause in South India : the commerce of the Compagnie des Indes was irretrievably destroyed : on his return to France, he received promotion in the Navy and honours, without restoring his reputation by any distinguished action : became an accuser of Lally : died, 1775.