, but first summoned all the
flag-officers on board his own ship, and put the question to them
whether he ought to fight. They all said not, and he then handed them
the order of the king.[73] No one dared dispute that; though, had they
known it, light vessels with contrary orders were even then searching
for the fleet. The other officers then returned to their ships, and
the whole fleet kept away together for the allies, who waited for
them, on the starboard tack, heading south-southeast, the Dutch
occupying the van, the English the centre and rear. When they were
within easy range, the French hauled their wind on the same tack,
keeping the weather-gage. Tourville, being so inferior in numbers,
could not wholly avoid the enemy's line extending to the rear of his
own, which was also necessarily weak from its extreme length; but he
avoided Herbert's error at Beachy Head, keeping his van refused with
long intervals between the ships, to check the enemy's van, and
engaging closely with his centre and rear (Plate VIa. A, A, A). It is
not necessary to follow the phases of this unequal fight; the
extraordinary result was that when the firing ceased at night, in
consequence of a thick fog and calm, not a single French ship had
struck her colors nor been sunk. No higher proof of military spirit
and efficiency could be given by any navy, and Tourville's seamanship
and tactical ability contributed largely to the result, which it must
also be confessed was not creditable to the allies. The two fleets
anchored at nightfall (B, B, B), a body of English ships (B')
remaining to the southward and westward of the French, Later on, these
cut their cables and allowed themselves to drift through the French
line in order to rejoin their main body; in doing which they were
roughly handled.

Having amply vindicated the honor of his fleet, and shown the
uselessness of further fighting, Tourville now thought of retreat,
which was begun at midnight with a light northeast wind and continued
all the next day. The allies pursued, the movements of the French
being much embarrassed by the crippled condition of the flag-ship
"Royal Sun," the finest ship in the French navy, which the admiral
could not make up his mind to destroy. The direction of the main
retreat was toward the Channel Islands, thirty-five ships being with
the admiral; of them twenty passed with the tidal current through the
dangerous passage known as the Race of Alderney, between the