would probably
have commanded a ship equally well with any of his captains, but shows
no trace of the qualities needed by a general officer. On the other
hand, without insisting again upon the skill and fidelity of the
English subordinates, it is evident that, to whatever it be
attributed, the French single ships were as a rule incomparably
worse-handled than those of their opponents. Four times, Suffren
claims, certainly thrice, the English squadron was saved from
overwhelming disaster by the difference in quality of the under
officers. Good troops have often made amends for bad generalship; but
in the end the better leader will prevail. This was conspicuously the
case in the Indian seas in 1782 and 1783. War cut short the strife,
but not before the issue was clearly indicated.

The action of September 3, like that of July 6, was brought to a close
by a shift of wind to the southeast. When it came, the English line
wore, and formed again on the other tack. The French also wore; and
their van ships, being now to windward, stood down between their
crippled ships and the enemy's line (C). Toward sundown Hughes hauled
off to the northward, abandoning the hope of regaining Trincomalee,
but with the satisfaction of having inflicted this severe retaliation
upon his successful opponent.

That firmness of mind which was not the least of Suffren's qualities
was severely tried soon after the action off Trincomalee. In returning
to port, a seventy-four, the "Orient," was run ashore and lost by
mismanagement, the only consolation being that her spars were saved
for the two dismasted ships. Other crippled masts were replaced as
before by robbing the frigates, whose crews also were needed to
replace the losses in battle. Repairs were pushed on with the usual
energy, the defence of the port was fully provided for, and on the
30th of September the squadron sailed for the Coromandel coast, where
the state of French interests urgently called for it. Cuddalore was
reached in four days; and here another incapable officer wrecked the
"Bizarre," of sixty-four guns, in picking up his anchorage. In
consequence of the loss of these two ships, Suffren, when he next met
the enemy, could oppose only fifteen to eighteen ships-of-the-line; so
much do general results depend upon individual ability and care.
Hughes was at Madras, ninety miles north, whither he had gone at once
after the late action. He reports his ships badly damaged; but the
loss