combined
fleets were too large to enter, the admirals shifted their flags into
smaller ships; and a division of five-and-twenty English and Dutch ships
of the line, with their frigates, fire-ships, and ketches, was destined
for the service. In order to facilitate the attack, the duke of Ormond
landed with five-and-twenty hundred men, at the distance of six miles
from Vigo, and took by assault a fort and platform of forty pieces of
cannon at the entrance of the harbour. The British ensign was no sooner
seen flying at the top of this fort than the ships advanced to the
attack. Vice-admiral Hop-son, in the Torbay, crowding all his sail, ran
directly against the boom, which was broken by the first shock; then the
whole squadron entered the harbour through a prodigious fire from the
enemy's ships and batteries. These last, however, were soon stormed and
taken by the grenadiers who had been landed. The great ships lay against
the forts at each side of the harbour, which in a little time they
silenced, though vice-admiral Hop-son narrowly escaped from a fire-ship
by which he was boarded. After a very vigorous engagement, the French,
finding themselves unable to cope with such an adversary, resolved to
destroy their ships and galloons, that they might not fall into the
hands of the victors. They accordingly burned and ran ashore eight ships
and as many advice-boats; but ten ships of war were taken, together with
eleven galleons. Though they had secured the best part of their plate
and merchandize before the English fleet arrived, the value of fourteen
millions of pieces of eight, in plate and rich commodities, was
destroyed in six galleons that perished; and about half that value was
brought off by the conquerors; so that this was a dreadful blow to the
enemy, and a noble acquisition to the allies. Immediately after this
exploit, sir George Rooke was joined by sir Cloudesley Shovel, who had
been sent out with a squadron to intercept the galleons. This officer
was left to bring home the prizes and dismantle the fortifications,
while Rooke returned in triumph to England.

BENBOW'S ENGAGEMENT WITH DU CASSE.

The glory which the English acquired in this expedition was in some
measure tarnished by the conduct of some officers in the West Indies.
Thither admiral Benbow had been detached with a squadron of ten sail in
the course of the preceding year. At Jamaica he received intelligence
that monsieur Du Casse was in the neighbo