Page:History of the French in India.djvu/148

 126 THE RISE OF THE FRENCH POWER IN INDIA. chap, ships in all.* But they carried mostly 24-pounders, ', and were armed with their full complement of guns. A 1746. daring commander would have been able, with such a force, to cause terrible destruction amongst the lightly- armed vessels of La Bourdonnais. Intelligence had been conveyed to Commodore Peyton of the appearance of a French fleet off Ceylon, and he was cruising off Nagapatan to intercept it. Early on the morning of July 6 it was descried. The discovery was made about the same time on board the French vessels, and the hostile squadrons began at once to manoeuvre, the English to preserve the advantage of the wind, the French to gain it. La Bourdonnais, knowing his inferiority in weight of metal, and his superiority in men, had felt that his only chance of success lay in a hand-to-hand encounter, and his great object was to board. But the skill of Commodore Peyton, who divined his enemy's object, defeated this intention, and at half-past four o'clock in the afternoon that officer had gained a position which enabled him to open fire at a safe distance on the French. This distance was all in favour of the English. With their 24-pounders they inflicted great damage on the French ships, which these latter, with their 8 and Im- pounders and musketry, were very partially able to re- pay. Three of their ships were disabled at the begin- ning of the action — one, indeed, completely dismasted — and had not La Bourdonnais, coming up with the " Achille," the only ship of his squadron that carried its proper complement of heavy guns, drawn upon him- self for half an hour the whole fire of the English, the squadron could not have escaped defeat. As it was, vessels and their commanders : — The Prize," Captain Griffith, 40 guns ; "Med way," Commodore Peyton, 60 the "Lively," Captain Stevens, 20 yuns; the " Preston," Captain Lord guns. The total number of the crews Northesk, 50 guns; the "Harwich," amounted 1,660 men. — Grose's East Captain Carteret, 50 guus ; the Indies, " Winchester," Captain Lord T.
 * Subjoined are the names of the Bertie, 50 guns; the " Med way's