MANAGEMENT OF SHIPS. 103 



Fig. 22 shows this manoeuvre. The last example which we will here give 

 is that of changing a battle line into a retreat line with the wind ahead 

 {pi. 28, Jig. 23). After the fleet has fallen off, the first ship goes four points 

 free, while the others keep close to the wind, each following exactly in the 

 wake of its leader. When the first ship of the centre column arrives at its 

 turning point, that is, in the wake of the second ship before it, it tacks and 

 the ships of its column follow. The lee column is formed in the same 

 manner. 



As an example of the manoeuvres of a naval battle, we will describe in 

 Jigs. 24-33 the principal points of the engagement between the English 

 and French near the islands of Martinique and Guadaloupe, which was 

 fought April 8-12, 1782. 



On the 8th of April, the cruisers before Port-Royal Bay at Martinique 

 brought intelligence that the French fleet with several transport ships 

 was under weigh. The British fleet, which lay to the northward of Cross- 

 Islet-Bay, near the west point of Martinique, instantly set sail and pursued 

 the enemy with an east-north-east wind, guided by his night signals through 

 the whole night, until moi'ning, when the Valiant discovered the enemy. 

 Fig. 24 shows the English fleet at 2 o'clock in the morning of April 9th, 

 when it fell in with the French fleet, F, at Martinique. At half-past 5 the 

 signal for battle was given, and the line of battle formed. G shows the 

 position of the French fleet at 5 o'clock, on the starboard tack, in order to 

 go with the wind into the channel between Martinique and Guadaloupe. 

 A single ship, H, stands so far to leeward that it must have been taken, if 

 the wind had not been unfavorable to the English. Fig. 25 shows the 

 van-guard. A, of the British fleet, which was engaged in close action with 

 the centre of the French fleet from 9 to 10 o'clock. The centre and the 

 rear-guard of the English fleet lay at B, under Dominica. F is the position 

 of the French, some of whose ships did not come into the line, because they 

 did not catch the wind. It may be seen from Jig. 26 how A, the centre of 

 the British fleet, gained the wind and joined the van-guard, B, about noon. 

 The rear-guard, which lay under the wind at C, formed in the line, D, and 

 a second cannonade ensued of about one and three-quarter hours. F is the 

 position of the French, who kept at a great distance, thinking that the shot 

 of the English would not reach them. Afterwards they put the head of the 

 fleet in the position HH. G is the fleet of transport ships. Fig. 27 shows at A 

 the British fleet on the morning of April 11, with two ships, G, of the French, 

 which had been chased into Bas-Terre in Guadaloupe and destroyed. Two 

 others were soon found at H, near Dominica. A general chase was then 

 ordered, as four French vessels, at I, were still seen from the mast-head of 

 the Fo 7^ mid able, Lord Rodney's ship. The French admiral. Count de Grasse, 

 gave chase to the Aga?nemnon and some other ships at B, in order to secure 

 his ships at H, but without success. We come now to the events of April 12. 

 At 6 o'clock in the morning, the English fleet (pi. 28, Jig. 28) had changed 

 its position from B to A, taking advantage of the wind which blew from W. 

 The French fleet was discovered in some confusion at F. One of the ships 

 lay quite to leeward at G. It had lost its bowsprit, the fore-mast was lying 



755' 



