te;
and soon after, the arrival of six ships of the line at Toulon from
Brest gave the French a decided superiority as regards numbers of ships.
Had they known how to have used it, they might have made themselves
masters of the Mediterranean; for the British navy, though manned by
brave sailors, was not in a condition to withstand a superior force.
On this subject, Southey remarks:--"The British navy had been much
neglected during Lord Chatham's administration at the admiralty; and it
did not for some time feel the beneficial effects of his removal. Lord
Hood had gone home to represent the real state of affairs, and solicit
reinforcements adequate to the exigencies of the times, and
the importance of the scene of action; but that fatal error of
under-proportioning the force to the service, that ruinous economy
which, by sparing a little, renders all that is spent useless, infected
the British councils; and Lord Hood, not being able to obtain such
reinforcements as he knew were necessary, resigned." For three long
months the Mediterranean fleet was left in its state of inferiority; but
at length, on the 13th of June, it was joined by eleven sail of the line
and several frigates. Since the recent battle the French admiral had
avoided an encounter, although superior in force; but he now shunned
it more cautiously than ever. Hotham, however, got sight of the French
fleet near Cape Roux; and in a chase which he gave it, succeeded in
capturing the Alcide; the rest of the ships got safely into Frejas Bay.
These were the chief events on the ocean during this year; except by
Nelson, who was detached on some coast service, scarcely another gun
was fired in the Mediterranean. Many encounters of detached ships took
place, generally to the advantage of the English; but the only other
action which occurred was between the Channel fleet, of fourteen sail
of the line, under Admiral Lord Bridport, and a part of the Brest
fleet, consisting of twelve ships of the line and eleven frigates, under
Vice-Admiral Villaret. In this action three French ships were taken; the
rest fled for protection to their own port and their own land batteries.
In the West Indies the English cruizers and squadrons were not so
successful; all their vigilance was not sufficient to foil the daring
projects of Victor Hugues. The French, indeed, recovered the whole of
Guadaloupe, attacked with success the fort of Tiburon, in St. Domingo;
and made themselves masters of