ly happy that our van
ships had suffered too much for the squadron to follow them with any
prospect of success.

The grand object of their vaunted armament, however, was completely
frustrated by this encounter. It could not, Captain Nelson observed, be
denominated a battle, as the enemy would not afford any opportunity of
closing with them; if they had, from the zeal and gallantry endeavoured
to be shewn by each individual captain, there was not the smallest doubt
that a glorious victory would have ensued.

The French ships had been all fitted with forges; and fired,
continually, from some of their guns, hot shot and shells. The
diabolical practice of having furnaces in their cockpits, however, was
found too dangerous to be long persisted in.

Several of the French ships were crippled, and some of them went off
towed by frigates, or without bowsprits, &c. The Sans Culotte got to
Genoa, and others to Vado Bay. The British squadron, with the prizes,
which were greatly shattered and very leaky, proceeded to St. Fiorenzo:
where it remained till the 22d; and then sailed for Leghorn, to join the
Blenheim and Bombay Castle, that it might again go in pursuit of some of
the French ships.

Captain Nelson obtained, on this occasion, the highest approbation of
our own fleet, and the handsomest and most liberal testimony from that
of the enemy.

The fleet having been refitted at Leghorn, and obtained another
seventy-four gun ship from the King of Naples, they proceeded to the
westward, for reinforcements, about the 10th of May; and afterwards went
to Minorca, where they remained some time waiting for a convoy's arrival
from Gibraltar.

Having returned to St. Fiorenzo the latter end of June, Captain Nelson
was dispatched, on the 4th of July, with the Agamemnon, Meleager,
Ariadne, Moselle, and the Mutine cutter, to co-operate with the Austrian
general in the recovery of Genoa.

The second day, however, he fell in with the French fleet, which Admiral
Hotham had supposed at Toulon, and was chased back to St. Fiorenzo. It
appears evident, from all their movements, that they did not know our
fleet was in port. The chace continued twenty-four hours; and, owing to
the freshness of the winds in these seas, he was occasionally hard
pressed; but they being, as he said, neither seamen nor officers, gave
him many advantages.

On the 7th, in the morning, Admiral Hotham was much surprised to learn
that the above squadron was seen in the