was at last far from being well fitted or armed for war. If any
person or persons who have been charged with the expense of that
armament have acted wrong, the fault must not be laid to my
charge. I had no authority to superintend that armament, and the
persons who had authority were so far from giving me what I
thought necessary that M. de Chaumont even refused, among other
things, to allow me irons to secure the prisoners of war.

In short, while my life remains, if I have any capacity to (p. 108)
render good and acceptable services to the common cause, no
man will step forward with greater cheerfulness and alacrity than
myself, but I am not made to be dishonoured, nor can I accept of
the _half confidence_ of any man living; of course, I cannot,
consistent with my honour and a prospect of success, undertake
future expeditions, unless when the object and destination is
communicated to me alone, and to no other person in the marine
line. In cases where troops are embarked, a like confidence is
due alone to their commander-in-chief. On no other condition will
I ever undertake the chief command of a private expedition; and
when I do not command in chief, I have no desire to be in the
secret.

Captain Cottineau engaged the Countess of Scarborough, and took
her after an hour's action, while the Bonhomme Richard engaged
the Serapis. The Countess of Scarborough is an armed ship of 20
six-pounders, and was commanded by a king's officer. In the
action, the Countess of Scarborough and the Serapis were at a
considerable distance asunder; and the Alliance, as I am
informed, fired into the Pallas, and killed some men. If it
should be asked why the convoy was suffered to escape, I must
answer, that I was myself in no condition to pursue, and that
none of the rest showed any inclination, not even M. Ricot, who
had held off at a distance to windward during the whole action,
and withheld by force the pilot boat with my lieutenant and 15
men. The Alliance, too, was in a state to pursue the fleet, not
having had a single man wounded, or a single shot fired at her
from the Serapis, and only three that did execution from the
Countess of Scarborough, at such a distance that one stuck in the
side, and the other two just touched and then dropped into the