he heaviest. Des Touches accordingly put his helm up,
his line passing in succession to the southward (c) across the head
of the advancing British column, and then hauling up so as to run
parallel to the latter, to leeward, with the wind four points free.

[Illustration]

Arbuthnot accepted the position offered, stood on as he was until
nearly abreast of the French, and at 2 P.M. made the signal to wear.
It does not appear certainly how this was executed; but from the
expression in the official report, "the van of the squadron wore in
the line," and from the fact that the ships which led in the attack
were those which were leading on the port tack,--the tack before
the signal was made,--it seems likely that the movement was made in
succession (a). The whole squadron then stood down into action, but
with the customary result. The ships in the van and centre were all
engaged by 2.30, so Arbuthnot states; but the brunt of the engagement
had already fallen upon the three leading vessels, which got the first
raking fire, and, as is also usual, came to closer action than those
which followed them (C). They therefore not only lost most heavily
in men, but also were so damaged aloft as to be crippled. The British
Vice-Admiral, keeping the signal for the line flying, and not hoisting
that for close action, appears to have caused a movement of indecision
in the squadron,--an evidence again of the hold which the line then
still had upon men's minds. Of this des Touches cleverly availed
himself, by ordering his van ships, which so far had borne the brunt,
to keep away together and haul up on the other tack (e), while the
ships behind them were to wear in succession; that is, in column,
one following the other. The French column then filed by the three
disabled British vessels (d), gave them their broadsides one by one,
and then hauled off to the eastward, quitting the field (D). Arbuthnot
made signal to wear in pursuit, but the _Robust_ and _Prudent_, two
of the van ships, were now wholly unmanageable from the concentration
of fire upon them caused by des Touches's last movement; and the
maintopsail yard of the _London_, the only British three-decker, had
been shot away. The chase therefore was abandoned, and the squadron
put into Chesapeake Bay, for which the wind was fair (D). The French
returned to Newport. The respective losses in men were: British, 30
killed, 73 wounded; French, 72 killed, 112 wounded.

In this encounter, b