Page:History of the French in India.djvu/580

 554 tfHE LAST STRUGGLE FOR EMPIRE. C xn P ' conYe y^ n ? the hopeful intelligence that she was but the . _ > herald of the arrival of Count d' Ache's fleet, reinforced 17o9. by three ships which had joined him at the Isle of France. The frigate also brought instructions to the French com- mander to exercise a still tighter hand over the financial administration of Pondichery — instructions which had the ill effect of still more embittering the feeling between himself on the one side, and de Leyrit and the other members of the Council on the other. At length, on September 10, d'Ache arrived. Since leaving the coast on September 3 of the previous year, this officer had been to the Isle of France, had there met the three ships under M. d'Egville, from whom, as we have seen, he had taken, for the service of his own squadron, one million of the two million francs d'Egville was bringing out for the colony. The rest of the time d'Ache had employed in refitting, re-arming, and re-victualling the ships of his squadron. Having accomplished this, he sailed from the Isle of France on July 17, and arriving on September 10 off Fort St. David, found himself suddenly in sight of the English fleet, which likewise had been strengthened and re- inforced. D'Ache, who possessed at least the merit of physical courage, showed no inclination to decline the combat which Admiral Pocock at once offered him. He had eleven ships, though but four of them belonged to the French navy, whilst Pocock had nine ships of the Royal navy, two Company's vessels, and a fire- ship.* The Yarmouth 66 guns Capt. Harrison The Grafton 68 „ „ Kempenfelt The Elizabeth 64 ,, Tiddemau The Tiger 60 „ ,, Brereton All TTino-'q The Sunderland 60 „ „ Colville } A1 V> ™ e 3 The Weymouth 60 „ „ Sir W. Baird [ smps ' The Cumherland 66 Somerset The Newcastle SO Michie The Salisbury SO ,, „ Dent And two Company's ships, the number of whose guns is not given. The French had —
 * The English squadron consisted of :