orians tell us that their cruisers
were battening on her commerce. The English writer admits heavy
losses. In 1707, that is, in the space of five years, the returns,
according to the report of a committee of the House of Lords, "show
that since the beginning of the war England had lost 30 ships-of-war
and 1146 merchant-ships, of which 300 were retaken; whereas we had
taken from them, or destroyed, 80 ships-of-war, and 1346 merchantmen;
175 privateers also were taken." The greater number of the
ships-of-war were probably on private venture, as has been explained.
But, be the relative numbers what they may, no argument is needed
beyond the statements just given, to show the inability of a mere
cruising warfare, not based upon large fleets, to break down a great
sea power. Jean Bart died in 1702; but in Forbin, Du Casse, and
others, and above all in Duguay-Trouin, he left worthy successors, the
equals of any commerce-destroyers the world has ever seen.

The name of Duguay-Trouin suggests the mention, before finally leaving
the War of the Spanish Succession, of his greatest privateering
expedition, carried to a distance from home rarely reached by the
seamen of his occupation, and which illustrates curiously the spirit of
such enterprises in that day, and the shifts to which the French
government was reduced. A small French squadron had attacked Rio
Janeiro in 1710, but being repulsed, had lost some prisoners, who were
said to have been put to death. Duguay-Trouin sought permission to
avenge the insult to France. The king, consenting, advanced the ships
and furnished the crews; and a regular contract was drawn up between
the king on the one hand and the company employing Duguay-Trouin on the
other, stipulating the expenses to be borne and supplies furnished on
either hand; among which we find the odd, business-like provision that
for every one of the troops embarked who shall die, be killed, or
desert during the cruise, the company should pay a forfeit of thirty
francs. The king was to receive one fifth of the net profits, and was
to bear the loss of any one of the vessels that should be wrecked, or
destroyed in action. Under these provisions, enumerated in full in a
long contract, Duguay-Trouin received a force of six ships-of-the-line,
seven frigates, and over two thousand troops, with which he sailed to
Rio Janeiro in 1711; captured the place after a series of operations,
and allowed it to be ransomed at the price of som