St. Kitts being less than fifty miles from Antigua, Hood doubtless now got accurate information of the enemy’s dispositions, and could form a definite, well-matured plan.  This seems to have been carefully imparted to all his captains, as was the practice of Nelson, who was the pupil of Hood, if of any one.  “At 9.15 A.M. the Admiral made the signal for all flag-officers,” says the log of the Canada; “and at 4 P.M. the Admirals and Commodore made the signals for all captains of their divisions.”  At 5 P.M. of the same day, January 23d, the fleet weighed and stood over for Nevis, round the southern point of which Basse Terre must be approached; for, the channel between Nevis and St. Kitts being impracticable for ships of the line, the two islands were virtually one, and, their common axis lying north-west and south-east, the trade-wind is fair only when coming from the south.

Basse Terre, where de Grasse then was, is about fifteen miles from the south point of Nevis.  The roadstead lies east and west, and the French fleet, then twenty-four of the line and two fifties, were anchored without attention to order, three or four deep; the eastern ships so placed that an enemy coming from the southward could reach them with the prevailing trade-wind, against which the western ships could not beat up quickly to their support.  This being so, we are told that Hood, starting shortly before sunset with a fair, and probably fresh wind, from a point only sixty miles distant, hoped to come upon the French by surprise at early daybreak, to attack the weather ships, and from them to sail along the hostile order so far as might seem expedient.  His column, thus passing in its entirety close to a certain exposed fraction of the enemy, the latter would be cut up in detail by the concentration upon it.  The British then, wearing to the southward, would haul their wind, tack, and again stand up to the assault, if the enemy continued to await it.

This reasonable expectation, and skilful conception, was thwarted by a collision, during the night, between a frigate, the Nymphe, 36, and the leading ship of the line, the Alfred, 74.  The repairs to the latter delayed the fleet, the approach of which was discovered by daylight.  De Grasse therefore put to sea.  He imagined Hood’s purpose was to throw succours into Brimstone Hill; and moreover the position of the enemy now was between him and four ships of the line momentarily expected from Martinique, one of which joined him on the same day.  The French were all under way by sunset, standing to the southward under easy sail, towards the British, who had rounded the south point of Nevis at 1 P.M.  Towards dark, Hood went about and stood also to the southward, seemingly in retreat.