tween the two nations; for it not only defeated the projected
invasion, which had hung menacing so long over the apprehensions of
Great Britain; but it gave the finishing blow to the naval power
of France, which was totally disabled from undertaking anything of
consequence in the sequel.*

* During this war, the English had already taken and
destroyed twenty-seven French ships of the line, and thirty-
one frigates: two of their great ships and four frigates
perished; so that their whole loss, in this particular,
amounted to sixty-four: whereas, the loss of Great Britain
did not exceed seven sail of the line and five frigates. It
may be easily conceived how the French marine, at first
greatly inferior to the naval power of Britain, must have
been affected by this dreadful balance to its prejudice.

By this time, indeed, Thurot had escaped from Dunkirk, and directed his
course to the North Sea, whither he was followed by commodore Boys,
who nevertheless was disappointed in his pursuit; but the fate of that
enterprising adventurer falls under the annals of the ensuing year,
among the transactions of which it shall be recorded. As for sir
Edward Hawke, he continued cruising off the coast of Bretagne for a
considerable time after the victory he had obtained, taking particular
care to block up the mouth of the river Vilaine, that the seven French
ships might not escape and join M. Conflans, who made shift to reach
Rochefort with the shattered remains of his squadron. Indeed, this
service became such a considerable object in the eyes of the British
ministry, that a large fleet was maintained upon this coast, apparently
for no other purpose, during a whole year; and, after all, the enemy
eluded their vigilance. Sir Edward Hawke, having undergone a long and
dangerous conflict with tempestuous weather, was at length recalled,
and presented to his sovereign, who gratified him with a considerable
pension, for the courage and conduct he had so often and so long
displayed in the service of his country; and his extraordinary merit was
afterwards honoured with the approbation of the parliament. The people
of France were so dispirited by the defeat of their army at Minden, and
the disaster of their squadron at Lagos, that the ministry of Versailles
thought proper to conceal the extent of their last misfortunes under a
palliating detail published in the gazette of Paris, as a letter from M.