The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-05

men on l. Heros which was set on Are on |
the ed by Hawkes. orders. had previously
escaped to the shore. C. VS..
Thus the results of the action were:
One prize retained by the English d4e
Formidable. eighty, two ships sunk dur
ing the action Ue Thesee, seventy-four. !
and LIE Superbe. SEVENTH, two ships
driven ashore. one of which had struck
during the battle lie Solei Royal, eighty.
and L'Eieros. seventy fourl. ;. and one ship
| wrecked to the southwark lie ~Juste,
seventy. -. ~, - ~ - =. 3 |
or the sixteen ships left. those In the
mouth of the Vilaine eventually succeeded
In escaping into the river after the loss
OF all their guns and supplies. 1t was i'm
possible for the English, ships. even the
frigates. to get near enough to attack and
destroy them. which did not matter much.
for they were practically helpless with
out armament or equipln ent. They were
not. ct1ly badly shattered from the action
but most of them broke their backs get
ting over the bars. and never got to, sea
again. They were subsequently broken up
or dismantled and abandoned. .tT~ T..
| All the other ships which had fed with
de Beauffremont were In similar, case.
! They were lightened by throwing over
board everything movable, and then
| dragged far up the Charente, where they
rotted away in the mud. Their value as
cruising ships came to an end. Both
| squadrons, however, were blockaded close
| ly until the end of the war.
| The French naval power. therefore, was
practically destroyed on that momentous
| afternoon. The result of the battle had
been absolutely decisive. There was no or
| ganic existence left to the great French
fleet The army Of d'Aiguillon was at once
| withdrawn from the coast, and any
project of invading British territory was
| abandoned.
All this had been accomplished at the
cost Of two English ships wrecked on LIE
| Four bank. The rest of the English
fleet, after a few necessary repairs had
been made would be in as good condition
| as when they had started out from Tor
bay week, before. If they had enjoyed
an hour or two more of daylight not a
single French ship would have escaped.
| Hawkes. long blockade, his unerr1ng
pursuit. his relentless dash at the retreat
ing French, when only a portion Of his
command could be brought into action,
the grim tenacity with which he had
fastened his grip upon them and held it,
the dauntless courage with which he had
fought his ships in spite Of the disad-
vantages Of sea, storm, night, and the
unknown and deadly shore, exhibited him
as one Of the greatest sea captains that
ever sailed ship or fought feet. When
the battle of that November day passed
into history it was as THE Quiberon
Touch" which capped his fortunes.
The French loss in men has never been
| computed, but 1T was probably not
less that four thousand. most
OF whom were killed or drowned.
That of the English was some
thing less than four hundred, most
of whom We're only wounded. A phrase
from the modest dispatch in which Hawke
announced the news of his victory to Eng
land Is we'll worth quoting: 80" ."t
when consider the season of the year,
/ the hard gales on the day of action. a
flying enemy, the shortness Of the day,
and the coast they were on. 1 can boldly
affirm that all that could possibly be done
has been done. AS to the loss we have
1 sustained, let 1t be placed to the account
OF the necessity I was under Of running
l all risks to break this strong force of the
9 enemy. Had we but two hours more day.
, light. the whole had been totally destroyed
+ or taken: for we we're almost UP with thei
8 van when night overlook us
Il The bearer of the dispatches to the
t English ministry was stout old JOIN
Campbell. who was immedida tely sent o,
(. in a fast frigate to apprise the govern
9 ment of the news. AS he rode post-hast
= from Portsmouth to London to delive
t. his message, he was astonished at seem,
e in certain places through which h
f, passed half-burned ef6gies Of his grea
n admiral. The enraged people Of England
.. when they learned that de Contains ha
lie escaped from Brest had taken this meth
e cd OF showing their appreciation of thei
J. great commander. who at the very tim
II he was being burned in effigy was en-
" gagged in fighting the great battle whic
"a rendered safe from invasion the shores {
~ England. ....-
- AS Campbell rode to the kings palac
- with Anson the first Lord Of the 'Ad1niral
ty, the latter remarked to him that tn
king would probably knight him.
An wherefore should I be knight
I'll haze none O. It," remarked the Scotc
man, decisively,: " it's no for me-"
But think OF the advantage. captain.
+, What advantage, my Lord?"
III Have you not a wife, man?'
"Ay, an a Draw one
- IF you are knighted she will be N
D.. Lady CampbelL' then f.
z AN if the woman would be My Lac
Campbell let the, king knight her, if
~ sailor. ,.,.- .-..,. "
\ The old Scotsman stood to his guns
the great amusement of everybody, i
! Guiding the king, and his ''braw wife ne
er, became, MY, Lady Campbell Il
. majesty, however, presented him wi
b $500 to buy sword, and before he di
he was promoted to be a vice-admira1
g the red: two things which pleased t
D. canny Scot and doubtless his Draw wife
p too, more than empty fonors, hoWev
p glorious. ..-s. ~. - Il
rs Hawke was Immediately given a pc
in sion of two thousand pounds a year. W
or eventually raised to the peerage und
~ the title of Baron Hawke, Of Towton, a
- after being made admiral Of the7Sfe
y died in ISL vice admiral Of England.
III left to his children the heritage Of a gre
IN name, pure life. and the ame OF pric
re less services to his beloved country.
i'd IN BOOK VII. ..s..,