and water. Immediately the fleet had watered,
it stood out again towards Gibraltar, when on the lath of August about
noon, the enemy's fleet and galleys were discovered to the westward,
near Cape Malaga, going free. The allied fleet accordingly bore after
them in a line of battle. On the morning of the 13th of August they
were within three leagues of the French, and then brought to, with their
heads to the south, the wind being east, and lay in a posture to receive
them. In the English line, Sir George Rooke, with Rear-Admirals Byng
and Dilkes, were in the centre. Sir Cloudesley Shovel and Sir John
Leake led the van, and Vice-Admiral Calemburg and Rear-Admiral
Vanderdosen commanded the ships in the rear.

The English fleet consisted of forty-five ships of the line, and
eighteen smaller vessels. The Dutch had only twelve ships of the line,
while the French fleet consisted of fifty ships of the line, eight
frigates, and eleven smaller vessels, the line-of-battle ships alone
carrying 3530 guns, while the English ships together only carried 3154
guns, and the Dutch ships about 1000 guns.

Though the French endeavoured at first to avoid the battle, yet they had
the advantage over the combined fleet, as they were superior in force,
and all their ships were clean and fully manned. They had also the
advantage of fighting on the coast, and near a harbour of their ally,
and had the benefit of a large number of galleys. The confederates, on
the contrary, besides being away from any friendly port, were thinly
manned, and had a great deficiency of stores and provisions, while the
foulness of their ships was greatly to their prejudice in the day of
battle. Notwithstanding this they were eager for the engagement.

The action which was about to commence was likely to prove of far more
importance than any in which Deane had hitherto engaged, and his heart
beat high as he saw the ships of England bear down upon the enemy. His
own ship the "Lennox" was among those under the command of the brave
Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovel.

At about 10 o'clock, when nearly half-gunshot from the enemy, the French
set all their sails at once, and seemed to intend to stretch ahead and
weather the English fleet. Admiral Shovel, on discovering the enemy's
intention, hauled his wind, and Sir George Rooke, seeing what would be
the consequence if the van was intercepted, bore down upon the enemy
with the rest of the confederate fleet, and put out