by Admiral Hughes. Instead therefore of disembarking his own men he embarked 1000 soldiers to strengthen his ships.
This embarkation took place on the 17th. On the 18th Suffren weighed anchor and stood out, but neither on that day nor on the day following could he succeed in bringing the enemy to action. On the 20th Sir Edward Hughes, whose men were suffering from scurvy, and whose supplies of water were running short,[1] found it absolutely necessary to accept a contest or to bear up for Madras. He chose the former alternative.
In the contest which was about to commence Suffren was in number of ships, in their condition, and in weight of metal considerably inferior to the English,[2] On the other hand his ships were better manned. But that which gave him the greatest confidence was the
- ↑ He had lost, during little more than a month, nearly 3000 men from the same cause. It is to this that the English writers attribute his unwillingness to accept an engagement.
- ↑ The English fleet consisted of the Gibraltar, 80, the Defence, 74, the Hero, 74, the Sultan, 74, the Superb, 74, the Cumberland, 74, the Monarca, 70, the Burford, 70, the Inflexible, 64, the Exeter, 64, the Worcester, 64, the Africa, 64, the Sceptre, 64, the Magnamine, 64, the Eagle, 64, the Monmouth, 64, the Bristol, 50, the Isis, 50.
The French fleet, of the Pendant, 74, the Argonaute, 74, the Héros, 74, the Illustre, 74, the Annibal, 74, the Sphinx, 64, the Brillant, 64, the Ajax, 64, the Vengeur, 64, the Sévère, 64, the Hardi, 64, the Artésien, 64, the St. Michel, 60, the Flamand, 50, the Petit Annibal, 50, and the Consolante frigate, 40, brought into the line. The French had also three frigates, the Fine, the Cléopâtre, and the Coventry. On board of one of these, in consequence of an express order of the king, provoked by the capture of Count de Grasse in his contest with Rodney, Suffren hoisted his flag during the action. The English had also two frigates, the Active and the Medea.
