of unity and persistence
in the direction given them."[92]

To sum up, France was forced to give up her conquests for want of a
navy, and England saved her position by her sea power, though she had
failed to use it to the best advantage.

FOOTNOTES:

[88] Martin: History of France

[89] There is not in modern naval history a more striking warning to
the officers of every era, than this battle of Toulon. Coming as it
did after a generation of comparative naval inactivity, it tried men's
reputation as by fire. The lesson, in the judgment of the author, is
the danger of disgraceful failure to men who have neglected to keep
themselves prepared, not only in knowledge of their profession, but in
the sentiment of what war requires. The average man is not a coward;
but neither is he endowed by nature only with the rare faculty of
seizing intuitively the proper course at a critical moment. He gains
it, some more, some less, by experience or by reflection. If both have
been lacking to him, indecision will follow; either from not knowing
what to do, or from failure to realize that utter self-devotion of
himself and his command are required. Of one of the captains cashiered
it is said: "No man had ever lived with a fairer or more honorable
character previous to the unfortunate event which did such irreparable
injury to his reputation. Many of his contemporaries, men in the
highest popular estimation, who knew him well, could scarcely credit
what were indisputably established as facts, and declared, with the
utmost astonishment, 'they believed it next to impossible for Captain
Burrish to behave otherwise than as a man of gallantry and
intrepidity.'" He had been twenty-five years in service, and eleven
afloat as a captain (Charnock's Biographia Navalis). Others of the
condemned men bore fair characters; and even Richard Norris, who
absconded to avoid trial, had been of respectable repute.

[90] Troude: Batailles Navales de la France

[91] "Notwithstanding the extraordinary effort made by the French in
sending out M. Lally with a considerable force last year, I am
confident before the end of this [1759] they will be near their last
gasp in the Carnatic unless some very unforeseen event interpose in
their favor. The _superiority of our squadron_ and the plenty of money
and supplies of all kinds which our friends on that coast will be
furnished with from this province [Bengal], while the enemy are in
total want of everythin