Identifier: seanpowerinf00maha (find matches)
Title: The influence of sea power upon history, 1660-1783
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914
Subjects: Naval history Sea-power
Publisher: Boston : Little, Brown and Company
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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f the English centre, eight ships withRodneys flag among them (Position I., a), by carefullywatching the puffs and cats-paws, had worked in with theland and caught the sea breeze, which was felt there soonerthan in the offing. As soon as they had nt, about elevenA. M., they stood to the north, being now on the weatherquarter i both of the English van and its assailants (Posi-tion II., a). The latter, seeing this, tacked, and abandon-ing the contest for the moment, steered south to join theircentre, lest Rodneys eight ships should get between them.At half-past eleven the French again formed line on thestarboard tack, most of their ships being now clear of theland, while the English rear was still becalmed. The greaternumbers of the French enabled them to extend from northto south along the length of the English line, whereas thelatter was still broken by a great gap between the vanand centre (Position II.). The attack upon Hood was 1 Weather quarter is behind, but on the windward side.
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CRITICISM UPOX DE GRASSES CONDUCT. 4S3 therefore liotly renewed; but the French centre and rear(b), having the wind, kept their distance, and held Rodneysdivision at long range. At quarter-past one the French,finding that the whole British line was coming up with thewind, ceased firing, and at two Rodney hauled down thesignal for battle, the enemy having withdrawn. This action of the 9th of April amounted actually to no morethan an artillery duel. One French ship, the Caton, a sixty-four (d), received injuries which sent her into Guadeloupe;two English were disabled, but repaired their injuries withoutleaving the fleet. The material advantage, therefore, lay withthe latter. Opinions differ as to the generalship of the Comtede Grasse on this day, but they divide on the same basis ofprinciple as to whether ulterior operations, or the chances ofbeating the enemys fleet, are to determine an admirals action.The facts of the case are these: Sixteen of the English fleet,all the rear and four

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