The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-01

fast, and would be on their beam in five minutes. Of Bluewater there was nothing to be seen.
 Quick as lightning Sir Gervalse or- dered the larboard batteries to be manned. Scarcely had 1t been done before a mizzen topsail showed through an opening in the cloud of smoke. The next instant Gervaise himself shouted "Firei" and the Plantagenet trembled from the simultaneous discharge of forty-one guns. That timely broad side saved the English admiral from an immediate defeat. So startled was the crew of Le Fulton. the new enemy. that half the broadside she fired in answer went ahead of the Plantagenet and Into the side of Le Temeraire, the second French ship.
 Sir Gervaise at once decided to board Le Foudroyant and thus desperately attempt to retrieve the day. He heard broadside after broadside down the line, showing that the second French division had doubled on his ships and now held them between two fires. But hardly had the sail trimmers given the first pull at the braces before fore, main and mizen topmasts went down with a crash.
 By this cruel mishap the plight of the Plantagenet had suddenly become desperate. The command of the ship was lost in a great measure, and the work of clearing away the wreck ham, pered the fighting.
 Tn the midst of the savage labor aboard the flagship. while she was be- ing pounded from both beams, the ad- miral suddenly saw a fresh ship conn ing down on him. close upon his quar- ter--so close that it seemed certain she would board. Her yard arms cleared those of the admiral by only @~k | ANN hrfg 1aH the canopy of smoke. This will be fearful work!' exclaimed Sir Gervaise. "A fresh broadside from ship So near will sweep all our men from tho spars. Call in--Hold. It's an English ship. Almighty God be praised! Iris the Caesar"
 He said 1t with a yell rather than q cry of delight His words were foi- lowed by flash and roar on the oh side of the newcomer. showing that Le Pluton now had an enemy of her own to fight.
 The men of the Plantagenet return ed to their work against Le Foudroy- ant with renewed vigor. and present. ly that ship, with one-tk Rd her peo- pie dead, sheered of to leeward. both her main and tnlzzen masts going be. fore she had run ten minutes.
 As the smoke began to clear away both fleets were seen in confusion.
 The Achilles. without spar left stand ing, was among the French vessels, but the Thunderer and the Dublin were edging on to cover her. I.e Temeraire. with all her spars zone. had struck to the Warspite. The Caesar had taken Le Fulton by board- ing after a fearful ire.
 Both fleets were sadly damaged-so much so. that neither admiral desired | to renew the conflict The French per mitted the Achilles to escape and the English contented themselves with the two prizes they had, although two
 other French ships were so badly
 mauled that they seemed ready to fall | Into their hands. The Carnatic. how
 ever had managed to secure the crip-
 pied Le Sclpio. which had left the fleet | before the action began.
 l Crippled but victorious the fleet steered for England-but on the Caesar flew what never before was known to
 fly from s warship. At her fore she | showed the red flag of Sir dervaise | oakes; and at her mizzen flew the white flag of the rear admiral From that time forth the Caesar was known
 as the double flagship: and thus she
 bore to England the two friends-So
 Gervaise oakes sitting by the side of
 his dying lifelong partner, Dick Blue | water. .e, ...
 Bluewater had fallen In boarding Le
 Pluton. Forty-elght hours after sail-
 ing from the cove under Wychecombe
 Head. he was being carried gently up | the bluff again and laid down in the
 signal keepers house, whether he had
 requested his friend to take him.
 It required all of oakes's fortitude to
 bear up under the blow single. child
 less, accustomed to each other almost