rmidable_ ran foul of the _Ville de Paris_; and
the _Atlas_ grounded. Four of these were three-deckers, and the other
was one of the finest 80-gun ships in the service. When at length part
of the fleet reached St. Helen's, a shift of wind kept the rest at
Spithead; and the Admiral could not put to sea till January 3rd. The
baffled enemy was then returning, and seven of his ships had actually
arrived in Brest two days before the British sailed from Portsmouth to
pursue them.

How Sir J. Colpoys missed the enemy may appear extraordinary. The
explanation, which every circumstance tends to confirm, is, that he was
restrained from attacking them by his instructions, his force being
intended only for a squadron of observation: for though the enemy's
fleet, as it actually sailed, would have given him an easy victory,
there was always reason to believe that it was much too strong for his
force. Exclusive of the five sail which were hourly expected from
Toulon, there were twenty-four line-of-battle ships in Brest, and there
was no reason to conclude but that the greater part, if not the whole of
them, were to sail with the expedition. As the British would be so much
outnumbered, Sir E. Pellew offered, in the event of a battle, to take a
place in the line with the _Indefatigable_. The Admiral thanked him, but
declined the offer, believing that the enemy's superiority was too great
to hope for victory. When the enemy put to sea, the British fleet was
eight or nine leagues to the westward of their usual cruising ground,
and thus was missed, not only by the _Indefatigable_, but also by the
_Revolutionaire_, which did not join with the information till the 19th.
Next day, the Toulon ships were seen, and chased into port; and the
Admiral, having no means of learning the course of the Brest fleet, and
some of his own ships being obliged to part company, in consequence of
injuries they had sustained in a gale, bore away with the remainder for
Spithead.

Meantime, almost everything favoured the enemy. The two divisions of his
fleet, which were separated on the evening of the 16th, by putting to
sea through different passages, rejoined on the 19th, and reached their
destination early on the 21st, without having met a single British
cruiser. When they appeared off the Bay, a number of pilot-boats came
out, supposing them to be a British fleet; and thus the French Admiral
obtained pilots for his ships, and gained all the information he wan