The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

 Meantime Oakes' fleet was pitching wildly in the chops of the channel, under reefed foresail, close-reefed maintopsail, and small triangular pieces of heavy cloth fitted between the masts. The green water was streaming from their hawse holes after each smashing dive, each ship widowed on, showing aside huge masses of water with the bows, the masts de- scribing short arcs in the air, and the ! hulls lurching as if boring their way through the mounting seas. Yet when day came an airline drawn from the mizzen-top of the Plantegenet to that of the last vessel in the vice admiraps line would have passed through the spars of full half the squadron, and none Of the rest would have been pistol shot out of the way.
 In this splendid position for battle they bore along-a trap set by a consummate seaman; for if the day should show them the Frenchman under their lee, where he was almost bound to be, they would have him where he could neither run fast enough to escape them, nor manoeuver well enough to engage them, except as they chose.
 Sir Gervais protested that he was not mad enough to dream of engaging so su- perior a force as that of the French, and that he simply meant to prevent them from coming up channel. But when sail was reported off his lee bow he did not show any desire to alter the course of his fleet Nor did he set any signals when another and another appeared. un- til at last they counted 20 ships, all head ing north in line as the British were heading south.
 These courses were certain to bring the two fleets together-the British cruisers being to windward, while the French ships were running close-hauled toward them from leeward.
 I've certainly can't lick him with our force," said Sir Gervais reluctantly, but so long as it blows such gale as it does now there won't be much fighting, and there can be no harm in taking near look at M. de Vervllin." He stood on. followed by his ships.
 There were now only two miles between the Plantagenet and the flagship of the
 
 Foudroyant. It was evident that when abreast there would be about the same distance between the vans of both. the English being so much to windward. while the rest of the British would nat urally be brought much closer to the van of the French in passing, is both fleets held their course. TIa through both fleets.
 NOW said Sir Gervais to his captain, '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 propose to bear down in the Planagenet and Just brush the leading French ships in order to force them off the course" His captain choked | back a smile. He knew that the vice ad- miral's anxiety for his rear was only a l pretext, since every one in the fleet knew that Sir Gervais would never bear to let any ship under him get nearer to the en- emy than he could.
 "The Frenchman's line Is lubberly," l said Sir Gervais when the distance be- | tween the enemies had decreased one half. His eyes frightened up with an l idea. Look at his ships astern!' cried 1 he. "They are nearly half a mile to wind ward 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 I tumbling in the heavy beam seas, the | French van seemed to fall into disorder. Two ships, Le Temeraire and Le Con- quereur, forged ahead of the commander in-chief through this accident and Sir 1 Gervais passed them without receiving their fire. much to his surprise and satis- l~faction, for he had reasons for wishing ] to pass the van of the French unengaged.