HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
in these expeditions returned to 
France. The greater part of them 
were taken or destroyed by the 
English, while others perished from 
storms insearch of some friendly har. 
bour to shelter them from the pur- 
suits of their enemy. 
‘The only squadron of the enemy, 
that got back to France during the 
present year without any disaster, 
was the Rochefort squadron, which 
had sailed from that port about mid- 
summer 1805, with orders to repair 
toa certain latitude, and wait there 
for the arrival of the other squadrons 
of the combined fleet. After cruiz- 
ing in vain at the place of rendez- 
vous and taking and destroying a 
number of vessels, neutral as well as 
English, and falling in with and cap- 
turing the Calcutta of 56 guns, this 
‘squadron had at length the good 
fortune to return to Rochefort about 
the beginning of the fear, bringing 
with it above 800 English prisoners 
on board. 
The ficet that escaped from Brest 
harbourin December 1805* was not 
equally fortunate. This fleet con- 
sisted originally of 15 ships of the 
line, 6 frigates,and 4 corvettes: but 
after having been ten days at sea, it 
separated into different squadrons, 
one of which, consisting of 5 ships 
of the line, 2 frigates,and a corvette, 
commanded by Admiral Leisseigues, 
made directly for Saint Domingo 
and having arrived at that port 
without any accident,+ disembarked 
a body of troops and supply of am- 
munition, which it had on board,for 
the use of the colony. After ha- 
ving performed this service, the 
French admiral loitered away in the 
bay of Occa for more than a fort- 
night, taking in water and repairing 
the damages sustained by his ships in 
* December 13th, 
t January 20th. 
Q3 
229 
their voyage ; at the end of which 
period he was fortunately descried 
by sir John Thomas Duckworth, ¢ 
who was cruizing in these seas with 
a squadron of 7 ships of the line 
and 4 frigates, and had received 
intelligence of the arrival of a 
French fieet at St. Domingo. ‘The 
French admiral, who was greatly 
inferior in strength, endeavoured to 
make his escape on the appéarance 
of the English squadron, but being 
speedily overtaken, an action cow- 
menced, which lasted with great fu- 
ry for near two hours, at the conclu~ 
sion of which three of the French 
line of battle ships remained prizes 
to the English, and two were driven 
on shore and burned. The two 
French frigates and corvette put to 
seaand made theirescape. ‘The loss 
of the English in this engagement. 
was 64 killed and 294 wounded. 
No officer above the rank of a mid- 
shipman was killed, but several were 
severely wounded, ‘The French had 
760 killed and wounded on board 
of the three ships that were taken, 
and they no doubt lost a propor. 
tiowal number iu the two others that 
were destroyed. 
Another division of the Brest 
squadron, commanded by admiral 
Villaumez, was originally destined 
for the Cape of Good Hope; but 
having touched at the isle of No- 
ronha, the admiral was there inform- 
ed of the capture of that settlement 
by the English ; upon which he 
proceeded to San Salvador in Brazil, 
and after remaining there for some 
time to refresh his seamen, among 
whom symptoms of scurvy had be- 
gan to appear, he set sail for the 
West Indies.§ and arrived without 
accident at Martinique in the end of 
June. The squadron which Villau- 
§ April 21st. 
mez 
¢ February 6th. 
