Page:Final French Struggles in India and on the Indian Seas.djvu/51

Rh The second division, commanded by the captain of the Annibal, de Tromelin, consisted of: —

L'Annibal 74 guns, brought by Suffren from Brest. Le Sévère 64 ,, ,, from Port Louis. L'Artésien 64 ,, ,, by Suffren from Brest. L'Ajax 64 ,, ,, from Port Louis. Le Brillant 64 ,, ,, ditto. Le Flamand 54 ,, ,, ditto.

The armament amounted to 710 guns.

The English fleet was thus composed: —

The Superb 74 guns. Flagship. The Hero 74 „ The Monarch 74 „ The Exeter 64 „ The Eagle 64 „ The Monmouth 64 guns. The Worcester 64 ,, The Barford 64 „ The Isis 54 „ or a total armament of 596 guns.

It was half-past three o'clock in the afternoon before the wind, which was light and variable, allowed Suffren to approach his enemy. Seeing even then that some of his captains had not occupied the post assigned to them, he signalled to them to take the place in the line which each could reach the most quickly.

Rapidly advancing then, he exchanged a broadside with the Exeter, but noticing the flag of the English admiral, he directed the Héros towards the vessel that bore it, at the same time signalling to the second division to close within pistol-shot of the enemy.

The combat lasted from half-past three to seven o'clock in the evening. But it was not till quite the close of the action that all the French ships came into the line of fire. The entire first division consisting of