to keep the sea and yet to avoid action. Two of his ships,
however, the _Duc de Bourgogne_, 80, and a 74, were still to leeward,
not only of their own main body, but also of the British. Keppel
sent chasers after them, for the expressed purpose of compelling
d'Orvilliers to action in their support,[40] and it was believed by
the British that they were forced to return to Brest, to avoid being
cut off. They certainly quitted their fleet, which was thus reduced to
twenty-seven effective sail. From this time until July 27th the wind
continued to the westward, and the wariness of the French admiral
baffled all his antagonist's efforts to get within range. Keppel,
having no doubts as to what was expected of him, pursued vigorously,
watching his chance. On the morning of July 27th the two fleets [Fig
1, AA, AA], were from six to ten miles apart, wind south-west, both on
the port tack,[41] steering north-west; the French dead to windward,
in line ahead. The British were in bow-and-quarter line. In this
formation, when exact, the ships of a fleet were nearly abreast each
other; so ranged, however, that if they tacked all at the same time
they would be at once in line of battle ahead close to the wind,--the
fighting order.[42] Both fleets were irregularly formed, the British
especially so; for Keppel rightly considered that he would not
accomplish his purpose, if he were pedantic concerning the order of
his going. He had therefore signalled a "General Chase," which,
by permitting much individual freedom of movement, facilitated the
progress of the whole body. At daylight, the division commanded by
Sir Hugh Palliser--the right wing, as then heading--had dropped astern
[R]; and at 5.30 A.M. the signal was made to seven of its fastest
sailers to chase to windward, to get farther to windward by pressing
sail, the object being so to place them relatively to the main body,
as to support the latter, if an opportunity for action should offer.

At 9 A.M. the French admiral, wishing to approach the enemy and to
see more clearly, ordered his fleet to wear in succession,--to
countermarch. As the van ships went round (b) under this signal, they
had to steer off the wind (be), parallel to their former line, on
which those following them still were, until they reached the point to
which the rear ship meantime had advanced (c), when they could again
haul to the wind. This caused a loss of ground to leeward, but not
more than d'Orvilliers could