e 11th,
when, being about fifty miles to the north-east of his port, he bore
away for it. Next morning, April 12th, finding that the enemy could
overtake his rear ships, he formed line on the starboard tack, at
two cables' intervals, heading to the westward, towards the coast
of Ceylon, wind north by east, and the French dead to windward (A,
A). Suffren drew up his line (a) on the same tack, parallel to the
British, and at 11 A.M. gave the signal to steer west-south-west all
together; his vessels going down in a slanting direction (bb'), each
to steer for one of the enemy. Having twelve ships to eleven, the
twelfth was ordered to place herself on the off side of the rear
British, which would thus have two antagonists.

In such simultaneous approach it commonly occurred that the attacking
line ceased to be parallel with the foe's, its van becoming nearer and
rear more distant. So it was here. Further, the British opening fire
as soon as the leading French were within range, the latter at once
hauled up to reply. Suffren, in the centre, wishing closest action,
signalled them to keep away again, and himself bore down wrathfully
upon Hughes to within pistol-shot; in which he was supported closely
by his next ahead and the two next astern. The rear of the French,
though engaged, remained too far distant. Their line, therefore,
resembled a curve, the middle of which--four or five ships--was
tangent to the British centre (B). At this point the heat of the
attack fell upon Hughes's flagship, the _Superb_, 74 (C, d), and her
next ahead, the _Monmouth_, 64. Suffren's ship, the _Heros_, having
much of her rigging cut, could not shorten sail, shot by the _Superb_,
and brought up abreast the _Monmouth_. The latter, already hotly
engaged by one of her own class, and losing her main and mizzen masts
in this unequal new contest, was forced at 3 P.M. to bear up out of
the line (m). The place of the _Heros_ alongside the _Superb_ was
taken by the _Orient_, 74, supported by the _Brillant_, 64; and when
the _Monmouth_ kept off, the attack of these two ships was reinforced
by the half-dozen stern chasers of the _Heros_, which had drifted into
the British line, and now fired into the _Superb's_ bows. The conflict
between these five ships, two British and three French, was one of the
bloodiest in naval annals; the loss of the _Superb_, 59 killed and 96
wounded, and of the _Monmouth_, 45 killed and 102 wounded, equalling
that of the much larg