of all Ceylon,
should make us wish for a general action."

The last two sentences reveal Suffren's own appreciation of the
military situation in the Indian seas, which demanded, first, the
disabling of the hostile fleet, next, the capture of certain strategic
ports. That this diagnosis was correct is as certain as that it
reversed the common French maxims, which would have put the port first
and the fleet second as objectives. A general action was the first
desideratum of Suffren, and it is therefore safe to say that to avoid
such action should have been the first object of Hughes. The attempt
of the latter to gain the windward position was consequently correct;
and as in the month of February the sea-breeze at Madras sets in from
the eastward and southward about eleven A.M., he probably did well to
steer in that general direction, though the result disappointed him.
De Guichen in one of his engagements with Rodney shaped the course of
his fleet with reference to being to windward when the afternoon
breeze made, and was successful. What use Hughes would have made of
the advantage of the wind can only be inferred from his own
words,--that he sought it in order to engage more closely. There is
not in this the certain promise of any skilful use of a tactical
advantage.

Suffren also illustrates, in his words to Tromelin, his conception of
the duties of a second in command, which may fairly be paralleled with
that of Nelson in his celebrated order before Trafalgar. In this first
action he led the main attack himself, leaving the direction of what
may be called the reserve--at any rate, of the second half of the
assault--to his lieutenant, who, unluckily for him, was not a
Collingwood, and utterly failed to support him. It is probable that
Suffren's leading was due not to any particular theory, but to the
fact that his ship was the best sailer in the fleet, and that the
lateness of the hour and lightness of the wind made it necessary to
bring the enemy to action speedily. But here appears a fault on the
part of Suffren. Leading as he did involves, not necessarily but very
naturally, the idea of example; and holding his own ship outside of
close range, for excellent tactical reasons, led the captains in his
wake naturally, almost excusably, to keep at the same distance,
notwithstanding his signals. The conflict between orders and example,
which cropped out so singularly at Vicksburg in our civil war, causing
the misun