t by his
triumph in the Channel, had determined on a blow in a quarter where
English interests were most vulnerable, and where the assault was
least expected. A squadron of French line-of-battle ships, convoying a
fleet of transports, were prepared for an expedition to the East
Indies.

The preparations for the combined movement were on an immense scale.
The fleets of France, Spain, and Holland were again to sweep the
Channel; and while the attention of the British fleets was thus
engrossed, the Eastern expedition was to sail from Brest. The
Admiralty, in order to counteract, or at least delay, this formidable
movement, immediately dispatched Admiral Barrington, with twelve sail
of the line, to cruise in the bay of Biscay. On the 18th of April the
French expedition sailed, and on the 20th, when Admiral Barrington had
reached a few leagues beyond Ushant, the Artois frigate signaled a
hostile fleet, but could not discover their flag or numbers. The
signal being made for a general chase, the Foudroyant, Jervis's ship,
soon left the rest of the fleet behind; and before night she had so
much gained upon the enemy as to ascertain that they were six French
ships of war, with eighteen sail of convoy. The whole of the British
fleet, being several leagues astern, was now lost sight of, and did
not come up till the following day. In the mean time Jervis was left
alone. At ten at night, the French ships of war separating, Jervis,
selecting the largest for pursuit, prepared to attack: at twelve, he
had approached near enough to see that the chase was a ship of the
line. The Foudroyant's superior manoeuvring enabled her to commence
the engagement by a raking fire. Its effect was so powerful, that the
enemy was thrown into extreme disorder, and was carried by boarding,
after an action of only three quarters of an hour. The prize was the
Pegase, seventy-four. The loss of life on board the enemy was great;
but by an extraordinary piece of good fortune, on board the Foudroyant
not a man was killed, Captain Jervis and five seamen being the only
wounded.

To the gallantry which produced this striking success, the young
officer added extreme delicacy with respect to his prisoners. He would
not allow the first boat to be sent on board the prize, until he had
given written orders for the particular preservation of every thing
in the shape of property belonging to the French officers, adding at
the bottom of his memorandum,--"For though I h