His Plan of procedure 198

  Balked by an Accident 199

  He Succeeds in dislodging de Grasse and taking the Anchorage left
          by the French 200

  Unsuccessful Attempt by de Grasse to shake Hood’s position 203

  St. Kitts nevertheless compelled to Surrender owing to having
          insufficient Land Force 205

  Hood Extricates himself from de Grasse’s Superior Force and
          Retires 205

  Rodney arrives from England and joins Hood 205

  Project of French and Spaniards against Jamaica 206

  De Grasse sails from Martinique with his whole Fleet and a large
          Convoy 207

  Rodney’s Pursuit 208

  Partial Actions of April 9, 1782 209

  British Pursuit continues 211

  It is favored by the Lagging of two Ships in the French Fleet,
          April 11 211

  An Accident that night induces de Grasse to bear down, and enables
          Rodney to force Action 212

  The Battle of April 12 begins 214

  A Shift of Wind enables the British to Break the French Order in
          three places 217

  Consequences of this Movement 218

  Resultant Advantages to the British 219

  Practices of the opposing Navies in regard to the Aims of Firing
          219

  Consequences Illustrated in the Injuries received respectively
          220

  Inadequate Use made by Rodney of the Advantage gained by his Fleet
          220

  Hood’s Criticisms 220

  Hood’s Opinion shared by Sir Charles Douglas, Rodney’s
          Chief-of-Staff 222

  Rodney’s own Reasons for his Course after the Battle 222

  His Assumptions not accordant with the Facts 223

  Actual Prolonged Dispersion of the French Fleet 224

  Hood, Detached in Pursuit, Captures a small French Squadron 224

  Rodney Superseded in Command before the news of the victory
          reached England 225

  The general War Approaches its End 226

CHAPTER XIII

HOWE AGAIN GOES AFLOAT.  THE FINAL RELIEF OF GIBRALTAR

1782

  Howe appointed to Command Channel Fleet 227

  Cruises first in North Sea and in Channel 228

  The Allied Fleets in much superior force take Position in the
          Chops of the Channel, but are successfully evaded by Howe
          229

  The British Jamaica Convoy also escapes them 229

  Howe ordered to Relieve Gibraltar 229

  Loss of the Royal George, with Kempenfelt 229

  Howe Sails 229