The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-30

portion of his feet TO escort the various con-
voys then waiting to sail from the French
islands. Had he realized that De Grasse.
preferring conquest TO conveys, proposed to
take his whole feet to America he could
easily have made arrangements that would
have enabled the British navy to meet him
there on equal terms. Besides the three ships
OF the line he himself carried of to England
the Princess Royal tS0), the Families VA,
the Albion (74), the Prince William (0N, the
Torbay 40. the Ruby (GD and the Sand
wloh 1907 were at Jamaica, and the Russell
(7D was at Antigua. In such an emergency
these eleven ships might well have been
edded to Hoods fleet, and with them his
juncti ion with Admiral Graves would have
given the British commanders thirty Instead
OF the nineteen ships with which they suose-
quently. on September 6, engaged De Grasse
with his twenty-four of the capes OF the
Chesapeake.
When of the Bermudas on his way to Eng
land, Rodney sent a despatch to Adnllrai
Graves at New York, In which he said:
left Sir Samuel Hood preparing to sail with
IL sail OF the line, 4 frhgates and a FIRE ship Tor 'he
capcs OF Virginia, where l am persuaded the French
Intend making their grand effort. Permit me there-
fore 10 II 70 you TO collect all the iorce
you can and form a junction With Sir Samuel there.
The French feet, under Monsieur De Grasse. when
they left the Grenades TO collect their convoy. con-
sisted Of 20 sail Of the line and 2 largo ships armeu
en- ffute, and l imagine at least IL of those Ships ana
in all probability a part ofMonteil's squadron. VIII
BIO In America, and It Is not impossible they may
be Joined by some Spanish ships.
This despatch reveals the misappreh ension
under which Rodney labored. The French
Admiral wasted no ships on conveys. and In.
stead of bringing only a part OF his W ana
Of Monteil's squadron be brought the whole
OF both. with the exception OF the Aotionalre'
left at Santo Domingo. and the 1ntrepide, which
blew up there. At the very time that Rodney
was indlting this despatch De Grasse was
on his way to the Chesapeake with twenty
eight sail Of the line, and on the Soth OF August
he cast anchor in Chesapeake Bay.
Hood, whose ships were faster sailers than
the French, was ahead Of him. He made the
American coast on August 25. and on that
day sent a despatch to Sir Henry Clinton.
dated ON Cape Henry. in which he said:
/ am now steering for Cape Henry. In order TO
examine the Chesapeake. From there shall pro
Deed TO the oapes OF the Delaware, and not seeing
or hearing OF De Grasse or any detachment of
ships he might have sent upon this coast shall
then make the best Of my way of Sandy Hook.
. . . have the honor TO send you my line Of
battle, by which you will see the number and force
OF his Majesty's squadron under my command;
and I trust you will think It fully equal to defeat
any designs OF the enemy. let De Grasse bring or
send what ships he may, In aid 10 those under Do
Barras.
Vain trustl Hood evidently shared the
delusion Of Rodney, and It was not until the
~couriers of CORVALLIS brought the news 10
New York where Hood had meanwhile
arrived) that De Grasse was In the Chesapeake
with his whole feet that he realized how he
and his superior had underrated the strategy
of their antagonist. and how completely
they had been outwitted and outgeneralled.
Had the British commanders penetrated
the designs Of De Grasse and met him on
the American coast with the force 1t was In
their power to concentrate. they might have
reversed the result of the action of September
5, and instead of returning repulsed and
discounted to New York, the English feet
might have anticipated the signal victory
achieved over him the following year. The
landing of Sir Henry Clinton's troops would
have followed, and the deliverance Of Corn
wallis, and perhaps where now stands the
monument that commentaries the surrender
of the British army at Yorktown the British
Government might have erected. on the soil
OF its colony Of Virginia, one that would have
chronicled the surrender OF Washington and
Rochambeau. and the overthrow Of the
American rebellion.
Is IL too much, then, to say that the blunder
of Rodney cost England her colonies: that
the strategy of De Grasse gave the United
States their ind ependence?
JOHN S~oUTHGATB TUCKER.
wAsu,SGroS Aprjl 20