British allies, declared himself in terms of
the highest eulogy of the _Queen Charlotte_, which, he said, by her
commanding position and the effect of her fire, had saved five hundred
men to the fleet. Perhaps there was no exaggeration in the praise; for
the destruction occasioned by her first broadside, as she lay flanking
the Mole, must have contributed much to protect the ships which had not
yet reached their stations; and the havoc she inflicted by a cannonade
of nine hours must have been great indeed, since her fire could destroy
the fortifications on the Mole-head in a few minutes.

In no former general action had the casualties been so great in
proportion to the force employed. One hundred and twenty-eight were
killed, and six hundred and ninety wounded, in the British ships, and
thirteen killed and fifty-two wounded in the Dutch squadron. Yet,
except the _Impregnable_, which had fifty men killed, no ship suffered
so much as is usual in a severe engagement. Generally, in fleet actions,
the brunt of the battle, and the chief amount of losses, fall upon a
few; but here every ship had her allotted duty, and was closely engaged
throughout. After the _Impregnable_, the frigates suffered the most,
particularly the _Granicus_, which took a line-of-battle ship's station;
and the _Leander_, which was much cut up by the Fish-market and other
batteries, and as late as seven o'clock was obliged to carry out a
hawser to _the Severn_, to enable her to bear her broadside upon one
which annoyed her. The loss in the other line-of-battle ships was
remarkably small. They had together but twenty-six killed, including the
casualties in their respective boats.

Lord Exmouth escaped most narrowly. He was struck in three places; and a
cannon-shot tore away the skirts of his coat. A button was afterwards
found in the signal locker; and the shot broke one of the glasses and
bulged the rim of the spectacles in his pocket. He gave the spectacles
to his valued friend, the late gallant Sir Richard Keats, who caused
their history to be engraven on them, and directed, that when he died,
they should be restored to Lord Exmouth's family, to be kept as a
memorial of his extraordinary preservation.

On the 28th, at daylight, Lieutenant Burgess was sent on shore with a
flag of truce, and the demands of the preceding morning; the
bomb-vessels at the same time resuming their positions. The captain of
one of the destroyed frigates met the boat, and d