Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/240

234 of the agents in a massoola to compliment the admiral, and to deliver a letter from the presidency, in which, "the admiral was requested to cruize off Ceylon, in order to encounter or intercept the enemy's, and to protect the English ships expected on the coast in that track of navigation; and it was confidently supposed, that Mr. Watson, with the ships under his command, would arrive from Bengal, in the other track, by the middle of September, when every success might be expected from the junction of the two squadrons, and even Pondicherry itself brought to risque." The agent did not perceive the mistake until too near to escape, but had time to conceal, as he thought, the letter between two planks of the seat: he was received on board with civility, and with the massoola carried to Pondicherry. Several anxious days passed in expectation that the French ships would bear down from thence, and scour the road of Madrass, where the loss of the China ships would have been of much evil consequence to the company's commerce. Several days more, before even an imperfect account could be obtained, what the French ships were, what force they brought, and what their proceedings after their arrival; and it was long after, before the motives of their conduct at this time were discovered.

The squadron consisted of four ships of 60 guns, two of 50, three, of 36, 30, and 22, and two of 16 guns, with a bomb-ketch; in all 12 vessels, most of which sailed from France in the end of December, but being separated by a gale of wind, the last did not arrive at Mauritius until the 25th of June. They brought from France the regiment of Lorrain, with 50 of the King's artillery, the whole under the command of the Marquis de Soupires, of the rank of marshal de camp, which answers to that of Major General with us. They sailed on the 1st of July from Mauritius to the Isle of Bourbon, where they took on board Mr. Bouvet, who was appointed to conduct the squadron to India; he was governor of this Island, and one of the ablest navigators belonging to France. On the 15th, they arrived at Foule Point on Madagascar, where they remained the rest of the month taking in provisions, of which their own islands were