port of Ferrol, and the progress of the Spanish armaments in the north of Spain, previous to the declaration of war by that country against Great Britain.
In Feb. 1805, the Rear-Admiral received orders to proceed with six sail of the line in pursuit of a French squadron that had escaped from Rochefort, and consisted of five line-of-battle ships, three frigates, two brigs, and a schooner, having on board about 4,000 troops. After running down the coasts of Portugal and Spain, and looking into Madeira, Teneriffe, and Porto Praya, he sailed to Barbadoes, and there first learnt the destination of the enemy, and their trifling exploits. The British squadron sailed again from Barbadoes, April 5, and then renewed the pursuit; passing St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, Guadaloupe, Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Eustatia, down the north side of Porto Rico, through the Mona Passage, along the southern coast of St. Domingo, and thence to Port Royal, Jamaica, where the chace was abandoned; the enemy, after levying contributions on the islands of Dominica, Nevis, and St. Kitts, destroying six merchantmen richly laden at the latter, and throwing supplies into the town of St. Domingo, having made the best of their way back to France, which they were so fortunate as to reach, notwithstanding the various detachments cruizing expressly to intercept them.
Subsequent to this chace, Rear-Admiral Cochrane assumed the command on the Leeward Island station; and in the summer of the same year he joined Lord Nelson in his anxious search after the combined fleets of France and Spain[1].
Early in 1806, Sir John T. Duckworth arrived in the West Indies, in quest of a squadron that had recently sailed from Brest for the relief of the city of St. Domingo. After forming a junction with Rear-Admiral Cochrane, Sir John lost no time in proceeding towards that place; and on the morning of the 6th Feb. he had the good fortune to discover the enemy, whose force consisted of five ships of the line, two frigates, and a corvette. The necessary dispositions were immediately made for an attack; and a few minutes after ten the action commenced by the Superb, bearing Sir John Duckworth’s flag, closing upon the bow of the Alexandre, the leading ship of the adverse line, which she compelled to sheer
