eft on the buoys, and the fleet silently decamped, passing
round the north end of St. Kitts, and so towards Antigua. When de
Grasse opened his eyes next morning, the British were no longer to be
seen. "Nothing could have been more fortunately executed," wrote Lord
Robert Manners, "as not one accident happened from it. Taking the
whole in one light, though not successful in the point we aimed at,
nevertheless it was well conducted, and has given the enemy a pretty
severe check; and if you give him half the credit the enemy does, Sir
Samuel Hood will stand very high in the public estimation."

Hood's intention had been to return to Barbados; but on the 25th of
February he was joined, to windward of Antigua, by Rodney, who had
arrived from England a week earlier, bringing with him twelve ships of
the line. The new Commander-in-Chief endeavoured to cut off de Grasse
from Martinique, but the French fleet got in there on the 26th.
Rodney consequently went to Santa Lucia, to refit Hood's ships, and
to prepare for the coming campaign, in which it was understood that
the conquest of Jamaica was to be the first object of the allies.
An important condition to their success was the arrival of a great
convoy, known to be on its way from Brest to repair the losses
which Kempenfelt's raid and subsequent bad weather had inflicted in
December. Hood suggested to Rodney to halve the fleet, which then
numbered thirty-six of the line, letting one part cruise north of
Dominica, between that island and Deseada, while the other guarded
the southern approach, between Martinique and Santa Lucia. Rodney,
however, was unwilling to do this, and adopted a half-measure,--Hood's
division being stationed to windward of the north end of Martinique,
reaching only as far north as the latitude of Dominica, while the
center and rear were abreast of the centre and south of Martinique;
all in mutual touch by intermediate vessels. It would seem--reading
between the lines--that Hood tried to stretch his cruising ground
northwards, in pursuance of his own ideas, but Rodney recalled him.
The French convoy consequently passed north of Deseada, convoyed by
two ships of the line, and on the 20th of March reached Martinique
safely. De Grasse's force was thus raised to thirty-five of the line,
including two 50-gun ships, as against the British thirty-six. At the
end of the month Rodney returned to Santa Lucia, and there remained at
anchor, vigilantly watching the Fren