CtfAP XVII. from the Revolution, to the Death os jOVliliam, 697

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I h a v e seen a long Account of thisEngagement, written in French, by theCount de Chalard, Commander of theContent, by which (if we may giveCredit to it) it appears, that the Frenchbehaved bravely (and they do our Shipsthejustice of having done the fame) anddid not surrender, ’till they were readyto fink, especially the Content , whichfought that whole Afternoon, and thewhole next Day, ’till four in the After-noon. By this Account, it likewise ap-pears, that our Squadron put into Me-ssina, before it returned to the Fleet.The Count de Chalard fays, the Contentwas but of four and fifty Guns; andthree Hundred and eighty Men,and theTrident,of two and forty Guns and threeHundred Men.

The Spaniards making no Haste withthe fitting out of their few Ships, theAdmiral complained of their Dilatori-nefs, to Court, and represented, thatif their Transports were not ready sotimely, that the Convoy he proposedto lend them could return by the latterEnd of February, he could not, withSafety, comply with his Promise, be-cause the Enemy would, in all Proba-bility, have Part of their Fleet at Seaby that Time. The fifth of February,a Supply of Provisions came from Eng-land ; And, in March, the Admiral de-tach’d a strong Squadron, under Rear-Admiral Nevil, to cruise off of CapeSpartel, to intercept the French, if theyshould attempt to send any Part of theirNaval Force, thro’ the Streights. (c)The Spani/h Transports being, atLength, ready, the Governour of Cadizhad several Times stoutly urged the Ad-

mirals sending a Convoy with them; 1695*

But, the Time limited being elapsed,he declined it, ’till the whole Fleetshould be ready to saifAnd as there wasno Prospect: of any Assistance from theirArmada (their Ships not being yet ca-reened) desired their Gallies might atleast, be ready at Barcelona.

Soon after, the Land-Forces arriv- <y he FIeeting, under Command of Brigadeer-Ge- fails fromneral Stewart, ( d ) the Fleet failed, and Cadiz *Cruisers were sent on several Stations,for Intelligence. The fifth of May,

Orders were sent to the Commander ofthe Turky-Convoj, at Messina, to con-tinue there, in a sailing Posture, ’till heshould be re-inforced, and, the eigh-teenth, the Fleet arrived at Barcelona ;

{/) Having been at Alicant, but madeno Stay there. The twentieth, the at

Fleet failed again, and, the next Day, AndsaUs a-the Admiral gave direction to Rear-Ad- gain.miral Nevil, that, when he made a Sig-nal, by an English Ensign, at his Fore-top-mast-head, he should separate fromthe Fleet, with the Squadron appointedhim, (/') and make the best of his Way .to Final. And by him the Admiralsent a Letter to the Earl of Galloway.(g')

The seventh of June, Orders wer oTheTranf-fent to the Turky Convoy, to repair to F rts fi nt t0Cagliari, in Sardinia, and the New arce 0Mscaflle and Adventure were sent thither tojoin them. The Transports being, like-wise, arrived, in the Fleet, were dis.patch’d with a Convoy to Barcelona,and a small Frigat was sent to Toulon,to get an Account of the Enemy’sShips, in that Harbour.

The Fleet having watered at the I-stand of Sardinia, and the Turky- Ships

appearing,

(c) He was, nevertheless, at Liberty, as Windsand Weather might happen, to anchor in TangierBay, or to station himself Eastward of theStreights Mouth, and, if he received not Or-ders to the contrary, in twelve Days, he was toreturn to the Fleet, in the Bay of Cadiz.

(d) They were his own Regiment, and thoseof the Marquis Puizar, Colonel Brudenel ', andColonel Coote , in all, about four Thousand, fiveHundred Men, Officers included ; And.with thesame Convoy came the remaining Victualers, andtwelve Bomb-Veffels.

(e) Before they anchored in the Bay, theAdmiral sent to the Marquis 01 G&ficinaga^ anddesired to know from him, .what Intelligence hehad of the Enemy's Proceedings, that so he mightthe better govern himself, in appointing a Convoyfor the Tranfport-ffiips ; But to this he receivednot a very satisfactory Answer.

(f) This Squadron consisted of five Third-Fates, one Sixth-Rate; two Fire-ships, a Brigan-tine, and an Advice-Boat, of the Bnglijh-, Andthree Ships of War of the States General , of se-venty-two Guns each. ‘ He W 3 S directed to take

with him the Traiisport-fhips, and to make allpossible Dispatch, in getting the Soldiers onBoard,and then to repair to the Rendezvous, oft' of theMe of Hyeres ; But if he found not the Fleetthere, to come to Barcelona ; And a Frigat wassent off of the Cape of Toulon , for Intelligenceof the Enemy's Proceedings.

( g) He desired his Lordlhip to let him know,whether there was a Probability of doing any Ser-vice with the Fleet, at the French Ports, particu-larly if, with our Troops, and such Strength asthe Duke of Savoy could add to him, they, andthe Fleet together, might not attempt even Tou -Ion itself, with Hopes of Success. This Letterwas communicated to His Royal Highness, andthe Marquis of Leganez, whereupon a Councilbeing called, it was determined, that not anyThing could be done therein; Because theythought it reasonable, tb adhere to their formerResolutions, to attack Casal , of which Place theysoon after made themselves Masters.