came out strong at north-east,
which is exceptional at that season. D'Estaing at once put to sea,
cutting the cables in his haste. In two hours he was outside, steering
for the enemy. Howe, of course, retired at once; his inferiority[32]
did not permit an engagement except on his own terms. To insure these,
he needed the weather-gage, the offensive position of that day, which
by keeping south he expected to gain, when the usual wind from that
quarter should set in. The French Admiral had the same object, hoping
to crush his agile opponent; and, as the sea breeze from south-west
did not make that day, he succeeded in keeping the advantage with
which he had started, despite Howe's skill. At nightfall both fleets
were still steering to the southward, on the port tack, the French
five or six miles in the rear of the British, with the wind variable
at east. The same course was maintained throughout the night, the
French gradually overhauling the British, and becoming visible at 3
A.M. of the 11th. By Howe's dispatch, they bore in the morning, at an
hour not specified, east-north-east, which would be nearly abeam, but
somewhat more distant than the night before, having apparently kept
closer to the wind, which by this had steadied at east-north-east.

In the course of the day Howe shifted his flag from the _Eagle_, 64,
to the _Apollo_, 32, and placed himself between the two fleets, the
better to decide the movements of his own. Finding it impossible
to gain the weather-gage, and unwilling, probably, to be drawn too
far from Rhode Island, he now made a wide circle with the fleet
by a succession of changes of course: at 8 A.M. to south, then to
south-west and west, until finally, at 1.30 P.M., the ships were
steering north-west; always in line of battle. The French Admiral
seems to have followed this movement cautiously, on an outer circle
but with a higher speed, so that from east-north-east in the morning,
which, as the fleets were then heading, would be on the starboard side
of the British, abreast and to windward, at 4 P.M. the French bore
south-south-east, which would be somewhat on the port quarter, or
nearly astern but to leeward. At this time their van was estimated by
Howe to be two or three miles from the British rear, and, according
to his reading of their manoeuvres, d'Estaing was forming his line
for the same tack as the British, with a view of "engaging the British
squadron to leeward," whereby he would obtain ov