Vice- Admiral Arbuthnot failed with his fquadron early on
the ioth, and proceeded to the fouthward with a prefs of fail,
in purfuit of the enemy. On the I3th, when in lat. 39 30'
N., within a few leagues of the coaft, the Admiral fpoke a
veflel from London to New York ; and was informed by her,
that fhe had feen the French fquadron on the preceding day,
about a degree to the fouthward, and that it then confided of
eight fail of large fhips, three frigates, and a tender. This
intelligence raifed the fpirits of the Britifh tars. The Admiral
fleered the courfe, by which he thought it moft likely that he
fliould fall in with them  and that fame evening the wind increafed
to a gale from the N. W. ; this was extremely favourable
to the purfuit, and made the Vice-Admiral entertain
hopes, that he would be able to overtake the enemy's fquadron
before they entered the Chefapeak ; or, if practicable, to attack
them whilft at anchor there. On the i6th, the Iris frigate, at fix
in the morning, made the fignal for difcovering five ftrange fail
to the N. N. E. ; and foon after came within hail and informed
the Vice-Admiral, that they were large (hips and fleering for
the Capes of Virginia, and fuppofed them to be only about a
league diftant  on which, the Vice-Admiral prepared his
fquadron for battle, by making the fignal for a line of battle
ahead a cable's length afunder, on a wind, which was then
frefh ; and not doubting but the fhips feen were the French fquadron,
he made towards them with a prefs of fail. At this time
Cape Henry bore S. W. by W., diftant about fourteen leagues,
the wind at weft, the enemy's fleet bearing E. N. E., the
weather fo hazy that the line of the Britifh line could fcarcely
be difcerned. About eight o'clock, the wind veered to N. W.
by W., and foon after to N. by W., by which means the
enemy obtained the weather-gage ; and about this time feveral
of their fhips were difcovered to windward, manoeuvring to
form their line. At half an hour after eight, the Guadaloupe
frigate ranged under the Vice-Admiral's lee, and brought the
fame intelligence that the Iris had given  he ordered her to
make fail and to keep fight of the enemy. The haze appearing
to thicken, the Vice-Admiral ordered the Iris by fignal to
make fail ahead and keep fight of the enemy. The Britifh line
was by this time completed, formed, and clofe hauled on the
larboard tack. The headmoft fhips of the enemy's fquadron,
at twenty minutes after nine, tacked ; as did the reft in fucceflion,
and formed their line on the {larboard tack.f At
thirty-five minutes after nine, the weather being very fqually,
the Vice- Admiral made the fignal for his fquadron to form a
line of battle ahead, at two cable.5 length afunder ; and at a
quarter after ten, he made the fignal for the fquadron to tack,
the headmoft and weathermoft fhip firft, and gain the wind of
the enemy. A little before eleven o'clock, the headmoft fhip
of the French line tacked ; but one of their (hips having miffed
flays, the reft wore, and formed their line on the larboard tack.
At forty minutes after eleven, Vice- Admiral Arbuthnot made
the fignal for his fquadron to form the line at a cable's length
afunder ; and at twelve o'clock, there being a profpect of the
van of the Britifh line reaching the enemy, he made the fignal
for the fquadron to tack, the van firft, and for the van fhip continuing to lead on the other tack. At one o'clock, the enemy's fquadron, confifting of eight two-decked fhips, having completed their line of battle ahead, but being apprehenfive of the danger and inconvenience of engaging to windward, from the high fea and the weather fqually, the French Admiral about half an hour after one o'clock, made the fignal for his fquadron to wear, and form their line to the leeward of the Britifh line.
At two o'clock, the van of the Britifh fquadron wore in a line, and in a few minutes the Robuft, which was the leading fhip, bore down in the moil gallant manner and was warmly engaged with the enemy's van  the van and centre of the Britifk fquadron were all engaged by half paft two o'clock, and by three o'clock the French line was broke j their fhips began foo to wear and to form their line again, with their heads to the fouth-eaft. At twenty minutes after three, Vice-Admiral Arbuthnot made the fignal for his fquadron to wear and (land after them ; but by that time, the Robuft, Prudent, and Europe, which were the headmoft (hips, and had received the moft of the enemy's fire at their rigging as they bore down t engage, were fo entirely difabled, and the London's main-topfail- yard being carried away, (the two firft unmanageable,