Captain Hood at once determined
to try what could be done, and with great presence of mind immediately
ordered the crew to their respective stations, and directed that the
Frenchmen should be taken below. They at first began to bluster, but
the marines appearing with their half-pikes, soon forced them down
below. Such was the alacrity of the officers and crew, that in less
than three minutes every sail in the ship was set, and the yards braced
for casting. The cable, being hove short, was cut, the head sails
filled, and the ship glided forward down the harbour. At the same time,
her own boats and that of the Frenchmen were cut adrift, that they might
not impede her progress. A favourable flaw of wind now coming, she got
good way. The instant the brig saw the _Juno_ under sail, she and one
of the forts began to fire on her, and presently all the other forts, as
their guns could be brought to bear, opened fire. Still the frigate
stood undauntedly on; as she approached Cape Serpet, it was feared that
she would not be able to weather it without making a tack, but the wind
shifting so as to admit her lying up two points, she scraped clear of
the cape, under a heavy fire from the batteries. As soon as Captain
Hood was able to keep the ship away, he opened a brisk fire on the
enemy, which he kept up till half-past twelve, when, being out of shot,
he ceased firing.

Notwithstanding the heavy cannonade the _Juno_ had passed through, not a
man on board her was hurt; and though two 36-pound shot had struck her,
no material damage had been inflicted, nor had her rigging and sails
suffered much injury. Two days afterwards the _Juno_ joined Lord Hood's
fleet in the Bay of Hieres. The coolness and presence of mind which
have been so often exhibited by British naval officers was signally
displayed on this occasion; and when we recollect that the _Juno_ was
actually within the enemy's port, full of armed vessels, with formidable
batteries on either side of her, we must acknowledge that the feat she
accomplished is unsurpassed in naval annals.

We must pass over the numerous gallant actions between small squadrons
and single ships. Great difficulties were experienced at this time in
manning the navy; even the press-gangs failed to obtain a sufficient
number of men. An Act was passed, therefore, on the 15th of March,
1795, for raising 10,000 men in the several counties of England, and on
the 16th of April another was passed