the French, and
having beaten de Guichen's own ship fairly out of the line, and
compelled two others to bear away, he succeeded in separating his
enemy's fleet into two unequal parts. He was, however, only aided by
five or six captains, and the French were allowed time to haul off after
their admiral and re-form their line; after which de Guichen stood away
with the whole fleet under a press of sail, in order to make his escape.
The great distance between the British van and rear, and the crippled
state of his own ship, prevented Rodney from following; and he was
thus stopped short in the career of victory. One of the delinquent
captains--Bateman, of the Yarmouth--whose disobedience was more
notorious than the rest, was put under arrest, tried by a court-martial,
and dismissed the service. This example had the effect of restoring
discipline, and Rodney again sought the enemy. On the 20th he again got
sight of the French admiral, whose object was to make Fort Royal Bay in
Martinique, in order to repair his ships. Rodney cut him off from this
port, and de Guichen took shelter under Guadaloupe; when the British
fleet returned to St. Lucie to refit and to land the wounded. The
hostile fleets again came in sight of each other on the 10th of May,
between St. Lucie and Martinique. But it was in vain that Rodney sought
to bring the French admiral to an engagement; and the latter having
at length got into the long-desired harbour of Fort Royal, the British
fleet ran into Barba-does. At this time the Spanish fleet was expected
to join the French; and though Rodney soon sailed from Barbadoes in
order to prevent the junction, the cautious Spanish admiral, Don Joseph
Solano, contrived to elude his vigilance, and to unite his fleet,
consisting of twelve sail of the line, several frigates, and a swarm of
transports, with that of de Guichen. Before their united force Rodney
was obliged to retire; and he retreated with the sad conviction that the
enemy was strong-enough to capture every British island in those seas.
The storm, however, which seemed to threaten these islands blew
over without pouring its fury upon one of them. The Spaniards had so
over-crowded their transports with men, that a terrible sickness broke
out among them, destroying first its scores, and then its hundreds
daily. The pestilence extended its ravages to the French fleet; and
in order to check it, it was agreed to land the troops and part of
the seamen at Martiniqu