es were open to him,--to run for it in
the hope of winning the race, or to beat the enemy and so put him out
of the running altogether. So long as his whereabouts was unknown, a
search, unless with very probable information, would be a waste of
time; but when fortune had thrown his enemy across his path, the
genius of Suffren at once jumped to the conclusion that the control of
the sea in southern waters would determine the question, and should be
settled at once. To use his own strong expression, "The destruction of
the English squadron would _cut off the root_ of all the plans and
projects of that expedition, gain us for a long time the superiority
in India, a superiority whence might result a glorious peace, and
hinder the English from reaching the Cape before me,--an object which
has been fulfilled and was the principal aim of my mission." He was
ill-informed as to the English force, believing it greater than it
was; but he had it at disadvantage and surprised. The prompt decision
to fight, therefore, was right, and it is the most pronounced merit of
Suffren in this affair, that he postponed for the moment--dismissed,
so to speak, from his mind--the ulterior projects of the cruise; but
in so doing he departed from the traditions of the French navy and the
usual policy of his government. It cannot be imputed to him as a fault
that he did not receive from his captains the support he was fairly
entitled to expect. The accidents and negligence which led to their
failure have been mentioned; but having his three best ships in hand,
there can be little doubt he was right in profiting by the surprise,
and trusting that the two in reserve would come up in time.

The position taken by his own ship and by the "Hannibal," enabling
them to use both broadsides,--in other words, to develop their utmost
force,--was excellently judged. He thus availed himself to the full of
the advantage given by the surprise and by the lack of order in the
enemy's squadron. This lack of order, according to English accounts,
threw out of action two of their fifty-gun ships,--a circumstance
which, while discreditable to Johnstone, confirmed Suffren's judgment
in precipitating his attack. Had he received the aid upon which, after
all deductions, he was justified in counting, he would have destroyed
the English squadron; as it was, he saved the Cape Colony at Porto
Praya. It is not surprising, therefore, that the French Court,
notwithstanding its trad