aired at sea; while two of the enemy's ships
were so materially disabled as to oblige them to bear up for
Guadaloupe. The necessary repairs of these ships were not completed
before the 11th, during which time the enemy, by carrying a great
press of sail, had gained so far to windward as to weather the Saints,
and were nearly hull down; and, as it was supposed that the Comte de
Grasse meant to abandon to their fate two of his ships of the line
that had been so much damaged in the late action as not to be able to
keep company, all hope of being able to come up with them seemed now
to vanish.

In the mean time the line had been inverted, which brought
Rear-admiral Drake's division in the van, and that of Rear-admiral
Hood, which had been engaged, in the rear. The signal having been made
for a general chase, the two ships above mentioned would have been cut
off, had not De Grasse been induced to bear down to their relief. This
brought the enemy so far to leeward, that the hope of forcing them to
engage was revived.

As soon as the commander-in-chief saw that the enemy's fleet was
sufficiently to leeward, he recalled the chasing ships, formed a close
line of battle, and carried sail to windward all night; during which
the French line-of-battle ship Le Zele, whether from injuries received
in action, or in running foul of another ship, lost her bowsprit and
fore-mast, and at daylight on the morning of the 12th was seen in tow
of a frigate, both carrying all the sail they could, and steering for
Basseterre. Sir Samuel Hood being in the rear, and consequently
nearest these ships, was directed to detach some of his division in
chase of them; and the Comte de Grasse, seeing that they must be
inevitably taken, bore up with his whole fleet for their protection.
It was now impossible to avoid an action.

The ships which had been recalled from chase resumed their stations,
and a close line ahead was formed on the starboard tack, the enemy
being on the larboard. Having hauled their wind after they had
perceived the chasing ships recalled, they thus endeavoured to avoid
an action; but the English fleet could now fetch near the body of the
French. At half-past seven, therefore, the engagement began by Admiral
Drake's division, led by the Marlborough and Arrogant, fetching the
fifth ship from the van, and bearing up in succession. The Honourable
Hugh Lindsay, who was a midshipman in the Arrogant, informed us that
in that part, and in