On the Ocean 33 



doubt that the American accounts were right if the 

 question rested solely on James' veracity; but he 

 probably took his figures from official sources. At 

 any rate, remembering the difference between long 

 guns and carronades, it appears that the Essex was 

 really nearly intermediate in force between the 

 Phoebe and the Cherub. The battle being fought, 

 with a very trifling exception, at long range, it was 

 in reality a conflict between a crippled ship throw 

 ing a broadside of 66 Ibs. of metal, and two ships 

 throwing 273 Ibs., who by their ability to manoeu 

 vre could choose positions where they could act 

 with full effect, while their antagonist could not 

 return a shot. Contemporary history does not af 

 ford a single instance of so determined a defence 

 against such frightful odds. 



The official letters of Captains Hilyar and Porter 

 agree substantially in all respects; the details of the 

 fight, as seen in the Essex, are found in the "Life 

 of Farragut." But, although the British captain 

 does full justice to his foe, British historians have 

 universally tried to belittle Porter's conduct. It is 

 much to be regretted that we have no British account 

 worth paying attention to of the proceedings before 

 the fight, when the Phoebe declined single combat 

 with the Essex. James, of course, states that the 

 Phoebe did not decline it, but he gives no authority, 

 and his unsupported assertion would be valueless 



