100] 
possible to overtake him. But their 
expectation was wholly frustrated. 
It was quickly found that the Bri- 
- tish squadron could not be avoid- 
éd. Determined, however, that the 
honour of the Batavian flag should 
not suffer, by declining a contest, 
they ordered their admiral to put 
forthwith to sea, notwithstanding 
his’ remonstrances, and to rid him 
of all incumbrance, the troops on 
board ‘his squadron were disem- 
barked.” As soon as admiral Duncan 
was appiized, by the signals of his 
cruizers, that the’ Dutch were ‘out 
of port, he sailed, with all speed, 
to méct them. His squadron was 
composed of “sixteen” ships of ‘the 
Jine, remarkably ’ well-conditioned, 
and his officers and men were-in- 
ferior t6 none in the British«ser- 
vice. * 
_ He reached the coast of Holland, 
in the evening of the tenth of Oc- 
tober. . His first care was to station 
his squadron in’such a manner as 
to prevent ‘the? enemy from regain- 
ing the Texel.  Oufthe morning of 
the eleventh He was in sight of the 
Dutch® squadron, formed in a’ line 
to’ receive him, at no more than 
rine niiles distance from the land, 
lying between © Camperdown and 
Egmont. He resolved; immediately, 
to break through the enemy’s line, 
in order to’ obstruct their getting 
nearer to’ the shore. ‘This was 
speedily executed, and about twelve 
o’clotk the engagement became ge- 
‘tieral, every ship of each ‘squadron 
_ coming to action ‘with its opponent.’ 
Admiral De Winter; perceiving the 
intent of the British’ admiral, -had 
throwa out the signal ‘to unite im 
close order, the more effectually to 
oppose it; but from the thickness ~’ 
_af the smoke'it was said, his signals 
were not perceptible to all the ships 
~ i Pines ; tei 
- - 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1797. 
‘guns, and two frigates. 
‘ 
of his squadron, and only some of 
course complied with them. As 
soon as the British squadron had 
pierced through the enemy’s line, 
a close action ensued, whertin ad- 
miral Duncan’s division attacked 
the van of the Dutch, and admiral 
Onslow the rear. The ship mounted 
by the former lay near three hours 
alongside of the Dutch admnral, 
De Winter, and the conflict between 
these two brave commanders was 
remarkably obstinate, and destruc- 
tive. The latter did not strike his 
flag till all his masts went over- 
board; half of his crew was slain, 
or wounded, and it~ was utterly 
impossible to make any more re- 
sistance. The Dutch vice-admiral 
yielded to admiral Onslow, after 
he had been reduced to the same 
condition, and all the Dutch ships _ 
that struck, had defended them- 
selves with equal bravery, be- 
ing almost every one totally dis- 
abled. tet 
It'was about four in the after 
noon when the victory was clearly 
decided ‘in favour of the British 
squadron; but it had, during the 
course of the engagement, drifted 
so near to the land, as to be only 
five miles distant, and in no more 
than nine fathoms water. The 
principal object of attention was, 
therefore, to'prevent the ships from 
getting into the shallows, which was 
not accomplished without much ex- 
ertion. It was owing to this cir- 
cumstance alone that any .of the 
Dutch squadrovescaped. No fewer, 
however, were captured than eight 
ships of ‘the line, two ef fifty-six 
The loss 
of. men, on both: sides, in this 
bloody and well-fought battle, was 
very great. Inthe British squadron 
it amounted to seven hundred, but 
: . ; ‘, I 
