The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-01

The call to quarters was signaieo through both fleets.
 Now" said Sir Gervais to his cap tain. "the rear of our fleet will be brought within range of the French van If we stand on, and by chance we might lose a ship. Therefore I pro- pose to bear down in the Plantagenet and just brush the leading French ships in order to force them off the course" His captain checked back smile. He knew that the vice admiraFs anxiety for his rear was only q pre- text, since every one in the fleet knew that Sir Gavis would neveh bear to let any ship under him get nearer to the enemy than he could. 5-.
 "The Frenchman's line Is lubberly," said Sir Gavis when the distance be- tween the enemies had decreased one- half. His eyes frightened up with an idea. Look at his ships astern" cried he. "They are nearly half mile to windward of his line and at least half mile astern! Bend on signals to close up in line as near as safe and to carry sail by the flagship"
 As the ships approached, rolling and tumb bling in the heavy beam seas. the French van seemed to fall Into disor- der. TWO ships, Le Temeraire and Le Conquerer. forged ahead of the com mander- in- chief through this accident and Sir Gervais passed them without receiving their fire. much to his sur prise and satisfaction, for he had req sons for wishing to pass the van of the French unengaged.
 Now, however, Le Foudroyant came dashing up. Her lower ports, like those of the British could not be open ed in that gale; but she let go her whole upper tier of guns. compliment which the Plantagenet returned with A.a a. tic. pressing close behind. showed a sheet of flame imm edately afterward and hardly had Le Foudroyant re- ceived this second fire before the Achilles was passing her and gave her a third broadslde.
 The smoke had not yet driven from among her spars when through the vapor the British saw that all the French admlraIs topmasts had been carried away.
 Even while the English cheered both lines opened fire from van to rear as far as their guns would bear. But the herceness of the wind and sea pre- vented the fierceness of man from mak- Ing such destruction as the roar of the running combat seemed to pledge Some blood was let, but with the ex- ception of Le Foudroyant few injuries were sustained by the ships of either side; and as the English luffed in pass ing while the French, following their disabled commanders movements, edged away down the wind, the dis tance between both lines was too great soon for any execution.
 All the Frenchmen have not suc- ceeded in getting to leeward." now said oakes to his captain. Look ahead" ..
 The captain looked and saw in a flash what Sir Gervais had planned all the time The French line, with the exception of the two rear ships, was far to leeward, and. to add to it's dis tance. was wearing around to follow on the same tack as the English. This. while intended to bring on a battle. threw their lines still further down the wind and left those two rear ships quite without support.
 Before their commanders realized 1t the English line. keeping its true for nation. swept down on them. A pri- vate signal ran up on the Plantagenet Instantly every alternate ship in the English line swerved and sheered as If accidently to leeward. apparently throwing the whole line into wild ir- regularity.
 If the Frenchmen perceived the true meaning of this seeming blunder. 1t was too late to escape it's results. Be- fore they could do anything they were running a naval gauntlet, with English ships speeding past on each side and firing full into them as they ran.
 The captain of the foremost ship, the Scipio had scarce time to cry to his men before the English flagship swept down in a cloud of smoke and nde. Into the cloud glided the dark form of the Carnatic and blazed sul- lenly through the curtain. Then, as the smoke drifted to leeward another blazing broadside shot into him from wIndward. Wild and blood-wrought confusion filled the doomed Frenchmen. l IL was only i've miutes between the time when the Plantaganet 1red the first shot and the Warspite fired the last one into the trapped vessel, but that period of time was as terrible as 1t was short. One hundred and eighty two of her men were dead or disabled. ana not a mast remained standing ex- cept the foremast
 To run off before the wind and get within the cover of her own fleet was au that the unfortunate Sciplo could