ches and Letters of Lord Nelson.

CHAPTER X.

MARITIME WAR IN NORTH AMERICA AND WEST INDIES, 1778-1781.--ITS
INFLUENCE UPON THE COURSE OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.--FLEET
ACTIONS OFF GRENADA, DOMINICA, AND CHESAPEAKE BAY.

On the 15th of April, 1778, Admiral Comte d'Estaing sailed from Toulon
for the American continent, having under his command twelve
ships-of-the-line and five frigates. With him went as a passenger a
minister accredited to Congress, who was instructed to decline all
requests for subsidies, and to avoid explicit engagements relative to
the conquest of Canada and other British possessions. "The Cabinet of
Versailles," says a French historian, "was not sorry for the United
States to have near them a cause of anxiety, which would make them
feel the value of the French alliance."[129] While acknowledging the
generous sympathy of many Frenchmen for their struggle, Americans need
not blind themselves to the self-interestedness of the French
government. Neither should they find fault; for its duty was to
consider French interests first.

D'Estaing's progress was very slow. It is said that he wasted much
time in drills, and even uselessly. However that may be, he did not
reach his destination, the Capes of the Delaware, until the 8th of
July,--making a passage of twelve weeks, four of which were spent in
reaching the Atlantic. The English government had news of his intended
sailing; and in fact, as soon as they recalled their ambassador at
Paris, orders were sent to America to evacuate Philadelphia, and
concentrate upon New York. Fortunately for them, Lord Howe's
movements were marked by a vigor and system other than D'Estaing's.
First assembling his fleet and transports in Delaware Bay, and then
hastening the embarkation of stores and supplies, he left Philadelphia
as soon as the army had marched from there for New York. Ten days were
taken up in reaching the mouth of the bay;[130] but he sailed from it
the 28th of June, ten days before D'Estaing arrived, though more than
ten weeks after he had sailed. Once outside, a favoring wind took the
whole fleet to Sandy Hook in two days. War is unforgiving; the prey
that D'Estaing had missed by delays foiled him in his attempts upon
both New York and Rhode Island.

The day after Howe's arrival at Sandy Hook the English army reached
the heights of Navesink, after an harassing march through New Jersey,
with Washington's troops hanging upon its re