embraced Admiral Courtille, and thanked him for
appearing at the critical moment. The French Admiral, however, excused
himself for intervening so late. "I was obliged," said he, "to wait till
it was night and steer far out to the south-west before I could turn
north; I had to do this, so as to be able to break through Prince Louis
of Battenberg's blockading squadron without being seen, under cover of
night."

Meanwhile, the scouts sent after the enemy had returned with the
information that the English fleet had altered its course and appeared
making for the Thames. Further pursuit was impossible, as the English
Admiral had detached some ships, for which the German cruisers were not
a match.

Previous arrangements had been made for transferring the dead and
wounded to the ships signalled to for the purpose, and were carried out
without great difficulty, the sea being now calmer. Now that the fearful
battle had ceased, for the first time the crews became fully conscious
of the horrors they had passed through. The rescue of the wounded showed
what cruel sacrifices the battle had demanded. It was a difficult and
melancholy task, which made many a sailor's heart beat with sorrow and
compassion. The dead were for the most part horribly mangled by the
splinters of the shells which had caused their death, and the injuries
of the wounded, for whom the surgeons on board had, of course, only been
able to provide first aid in the turmoil of battle, were nearly all so
severe, that they could only be moved slowly.

After the German ships had signalled that they were again ready for
action, those which had the dead and wounded on board, together with
the German ships put out of action and the captured English ships, were
ordered to make for Antwerp. The combined Franco-German fleet, under
the supreme command of the Prince-Admiral, resumed its voyage in the
direction of the mouth of the Thames.

XXXV

AT HAMPTON COURT

The long rows of windows in Hampton Court Palace were still a blaze of
light, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour. The double post of
the royal uhlans before the entrance was still busy, for the unceasing
arrival and departure of officers of rank of the three allied nations
demanded military honours. Immediately after the naval engagement at
Flushing, so disastrous to the English, a large French army and some
regiments of the Russian Imperial Guard had landed at Hastings and were
now quartered at Ald