Page:Final French Struggles in India and on the Indian Seas.djvu/109

Rh demoralisation and injury of the French fleet was the intense party-feeling which prevailed throughout the country. It was this party-feeling that induced Toulon, one of the great harbours of France, to revolt against the established form of government of the country. This revolt caused the loss to the French of twenty ships of the line and twenty-five frigates. Of these, three ships of the line, one of 120 guns, and twelve frigates, fell into the hands of the English — not conquered in fair fight, but betrayed by the partisans of the used-up race which France had expelled.

France, then, thus heavily weighted at starting, could dream no more of conquests on the Indian seas. She could not even defend her possessions on the mainland of India. These fell without a struggle to her fortunate rival. But she could still protect the islands, to the chief of which she had lent her own fair name; she could still protect her commerce; she could still inflict damage on the commerce of her enemy. But to carry out this programme on the Indian waters, she had now

That she was successful is shown by the following tables taken from the official documents: —

Merchant Ships taken by the French from the English.

Merchant Ships taken by the English from the French.

In 1793 ..261 .. 63 „ 1794 .. 527 .. 88 „ 1795 .. 502 .. 47 „ 1796 .. 414 .. 63 „ 1797 .. 562 .. 114

2266 375

Being a proportion in five years of more than six to one.