lonel William Amherst, ordered him to use every despatch and
join Lord Colville without delay. This the Colonel succeeded in doing on
12th September off Cape Spear, and the next day they landed at Torbay,
some three leagues north of St. John's. They drove in the French outposts
and took possession of a small harbour named Quidi Vidi, which had been
blocked at the entrance by the French. Clearing away the obstructions
they landed their stores and some artillery, and advancing on St. John's,
compelled its surrender on the 17th. Notwithstanding that, as Captain
Graves reported, "the French had put St. John's in a better state of
defence than ever we had it in."

On the 16th a strong gale blew the English ship some distance off the
coast, and was followed by a thick fog, during which the French squadron
managed to tow out of the harbour, but were in such a hurry to get away
that they did not stop to pick up their boats and immediately made sail,
being so far out of reach in the morning, that though some of them were
seen by the British, it was not realised that they could be the French
escaping from a squadron inferior in strength. Lord Colville, writing to
the Admiralty, says:

"At six next morning it being calm with a great swell, we saw from the
masthead, but could not bring them down no lower than halfway to topmast
shrouds, four sail bearing South-South-East, distance 7 leagues. We lost
sight about seven, though very clear, and sometime after a small breeze
springing up from the South-West quarter, I stood towards Torbay in order
to cover the shallops that might be going from thence to Kitty Vitty. In
the afternoon I received a note from Colonel Amherst, acquainting me that
the French fleet got out last night. Thus after being blocked up in St.
John's Harbour for three weeks by a squadron of equal number, but smaller
ships with fewer guns and men, M. de Ternay made his escape in the night
by a shameful flight. I beg leave to observe that not a man in the
squadron imagined the four sail, when we saw them, were the enemy; and
the pilots were of opinion that they must have had the wind much stronger
than with us to overcome the easterly swell in the harbour's mouth. I
sent the King George as far as Trepassy, to bring me intelligence if the
enemy should steer towards Placentia; and I directed Captain Douglas of
the Syren to get the transports moved from Torbay, a very unsafe road, to
the Bay of Bulls."

As soon as inform