. The royal navy : a history from the earliest times to the present. ^ engaged was disabled, but that otherFrench ships were coming up to her rescue, with a strong gale fromthe E. The Windsor, Vendennis, and Greemcich, after running to ^ The Apollon. 1702.] BEN BOW AX/> DUCASSE. 371 leeward of the disabled vessel and each firing a broadside, or part ofa broadside, at her, passed her and stood to the southward. TheDefiance also passed to leeward; and, when the French fired a fewguns at her, she j)^^fi tiei helm a-weather, and ran away before thewand. None of these ships returned into action.
. The royal navy : a history from the earliest times to the present. ^ engaged was disabled, but that otherFrench ships were coming up to her rescue, with a strong gale fromthe E. The Windsor, Vendennis, and Greemcich, after running to ^ The Apollon. 1702.] BEN BOW AX/> DUCASSE. 371 leeward of the disabled vessel and each firing a broadside, or part ofa broadside, at her, passed her and stood to the southward. TheDefiance also passed to leeward; and, when the French fired a fewguns at her, she j)^^fi tiei helm a-weather, and ran away before thewand. None of these ships returned into action. The enemj^ speedilydiscovered that the majority of the Enghsh captains were not seriousopponents, and, bearing down between their disabled ship and the. VICE-ADMIKAL JOHN 13EXB0W.(From W. T. Motex cngntviiKj after the portrait hij Sir G. Kneller.) Breda, badly damaged the latter and towed off the former. TheBreda could not renew the pursuit for some time ; but, as soon asshe had refitted, she went again in chase, with the neglected signalfor battle still flying. As it was paid no more attention to than onthe previous days, Benbow directed Captain Fogg to send to eachship, and to remind her captain of his duty. Upon this, Kirkb}^ ofthe Defiance, visited the Yice-Admiral, and urged him to forego 2 B 2 372 MAJOli OrEEATIONS, 1000-1714. [1702. further action. The Commander-in-Chief, desirous of knowing theviews of the other captains, signalled for them also to come onboard. Most of them supported Kirkby; and, realising that in thecircumstances nothing else could be done, Benbow unwillinglydesisted from the pursuit, and headed for Jamaica. Such is, in brief, the story of one of the most painful anddisgraceful episodes in the history of the
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade189, booksubjectgreatbritainroyalnavy
