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


 Now, however, Le Foudroyant came dashing up Her lower ports, like those of the British, could not be opened in that gale; but she let go her whole upper tier of guns a compliment which the Plantagenet returned with hers as she swooped by. The Carnatic pressing close behind, showed sheet of flame immedi- ately afterward, and hardly had Le Fou- droyant received this second fire before the Achilles was passing her and gave her a third broadside.
 The smoke had not yet driven from among her spars when through the vapor the British saw that all the French ad- mirals 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 fierce ness of the wind and sea prevented such destruction as the roar of the running combat seemed to pledge. Some blood was let but with the exception of Le Foudroyant, few injuries were sustained by the ships of either side; and as the English luffed in passing, while the French, following their disabled com mander's movements, edged away down the wind, the distance between both lines was too great soon for any execution.
 All the Frenchmen have not succeeded in getting to leeward," now said Oakes to his captain. Look ahead"
 The captain turned and saw in a flash
 what Sir Gervais had planned all the time. The French line, with the excep- ton of the two rear ships, was far to leeward, and, to add to its distance, was wearing around to follow on the same tack as the English. This, while intended to bring on a battle, threw their line still further down the wind and left those two rear ships quite without support
 Before their commanders realized it the English line, keeping its true formation, swept down on them. A private signal ran up on the Plantagenet Instantly ev- cry alternate ship in the English line swerved and sheered as if accidentally to leeward, apparently throwing the whole line into wild irregularity.
 If the Frenchmen perceived the true meaning of this seeming blunder, it was too late to escape its results. Before they 
 naval gantlet, with English ships speed ing 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 cloud of smoke and fire. Into the cloud glided the dark form of the Car natic and blazed sullenly through the cur tain Then as the smoke drifted to lee
 ward, another blazing broadside shop into him from wlndward. Wild and blood wrought confusion filled the doomed
 Frenchman. It was only five minutes be- tween the time when the Plantaganet fired the first shot and the Warspite fired the last one into the trapped vessel but ! the period of time was as terrible as 1t was short One hundred and eighty-two of her men were dead or disabled, and not mast remained standing except the | foremast.
 To run off before the wind and get with
 in the cover of her own fleet was all that the unfortunate Scipio could do. This the ; English had to permit, for they could neither suffer their own vessels to run to leeward to destroy her. nor could they l hope to carry her off as prize. The second French ship, La Victoire. I did not even share the slight fortune of l the first. The Plantagenet whirlng at | her on the summit of hill of foam, sent a blasting boardsde into her at the same
 moment that the Carnatic, driving to her 1 lee. poured all the fire from her batteries ] into the other side. Coming swiftly up to l this wind the Plantagenet raked the Frenchman before he had recovered from the effect of the two fires. Shortening sail the two English ships drove on with their antagonist between them, firing so hard and furious that they cut down every spar and left nothing standing ex-