Nelson, having sailed with four of his squadron, fell in with the French fleet of seventeen of the line, off the Riviera, on the 6th of July.  He had, of course, to retreat, which he did upon San Fiorenzo, to join the body of the fleet.  On the morning of the 7th the “Agamemnon” and her followers, with the French in close pursuit, were sighted from the anchorage, much to the surprise of the admiral, who knew the enemy had come out, but, upon the information of the Austrian general, believed them returned to Toulon.  Why he had not more accurate news from lookout frigates is not clear; but, as Nelson said, he took things easy, and he had persuaded himself that they had left harbor only to exercise their men.  As it was, the “Agamemnon” was hard pressed, but escaped, chiefly through the enemy’s lack of seamanship.  The fleet, when she arrived, was in the midst of refitting and watering, but succeeded in getting to sea the following morning in search of the enemy, who meantime had disappeared.

Precise information of the French whereabouts could not be obtained until the evening of the 12th, when two of the British lookout ships reported that they had been seen a few hours before to the southwest, south of the Hyeres Islands.  The fleet made sail in that direction.  During the night a heavy gale came on from west-northwest, out of the Gulf of Lyons, which split the main-topsails of several British ships.  At daybreak the enemy were discovered in the southeast, standing north to close the land.  After some elaborate manoeuvring—­to reach one of those formal orders, often most useful, but which the irregular Mediterranean winds are prone to disarrange as soon as completed—­the admiral at 8 A.M. signalled a general chase.  The British being to windward, and the breeze fresh, the half-dozen leading ships had at noon closed the enemy’s rear within three-quarters of a mile; but, from their relative positions, as then steering, the guns of neither could be used effectively.  At this time a shift of wind to north headed off both fleets, which put their bows to the eastward, throwing the British advanced vessels, to use Nelson’s expression, into line abreast, and bringing to bear the broadsides of the ships, of both fleets, that were within range.  The action then began, the British fire being directed mainly upon the French rear ship, the “Alcide,” which surrendered at about 2 P.M., and soon afterwards blew up.  The wind had meanwhile changed again to the eastward, giving the weather-gage to the French, most of whom were considerably nearer the shore than their opponents, and better sailers.