of war being very considerably to leeward of the merchantmen. With a force so much beyond his own, the Rear-Admiral could not in prudence hazard a general action; but having the weather-gage, he determined to sail parallel with the enemy, and to watch a fit opportunity of bearing down upon their rear, and cutting off their charge. In the course of a few hours the van and centre of the French fleet had shot considerably a-head of the rear, and the merchant vessels, under the protection of four or five frigates, had fallen considerably to leeward. Upon observing this, the British squadron bore up in line of battle a-head, the van engaging the rear of the enemy; the remainder of the ships passed to leeward, and effectually cut off and captured fifteen of the transports, and sunk four of the frigates that had rashly endeavoured to protect them. This manoeuvre having brought his squadron above half a league to leeward of the enemy, and the wind blowing directly fair for the coast of England, Rear-Admiral Kempenfelt formed his ships into two divisions, the first of which took the prizes in tow, and the other kept up a running fight with the French Fleet; and in this order, under a great press of sail, he carried the whole of the captured vessels into Plymouth, in the face of the enemy, and in spite of their utmost endeavours to prevent him.
Having terminated his progress through the American war with infinite credit, the state of Captain Waldegrave’s health required him to seek a milder climate than that of England; he accordingly repaired to the Continent, where he remained several years, during which period he visited Paris, Marseilles, Constantinople, Smyrna, and several of the islands in the Archipelago, and made a tour of the greater part of Greece.
In 1790, a dispute took place with Spain, relative to a settlement which had been made on the western coast of America, in 1788; and preparations, both naval and military, were recurred to by each party, in consequence of it; but the court of Madrid being conscious of its utter inability to enter into a contest with, Great Britain, applied for the assistance of France. The National Assembly, however, exhibited great reluctance to enter into a war about so insignificant an object; and a convention was soon after signed at the Escurial, by which, not only the settlement of Nootka Sound was restored,
