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Updated: June 13, 2025
At ten o'clock in the morning the ships were near enough to each other to exchange signals, but several hours were spent in manoeuvring for the weather-gage; so that it was not until after three in the afternoon that the action fairly opened. The day was admirably suitable for a naval battle.
Three of their smallest vessels were such prime sailors that it was quite impossible for any of our ships to have boarded them, and they carried such ordnance that they would have sore troubled any three of our ships; if they had been able to gain the weather-gage. Their other ships, the admiral and vice-admiral, were both notably appointed.
So eager, indeed, was he, that he carried his studding-sails just a minute or two too long; a mistake on his part, which enabled us to make a couple of short stretches to windward and secure the weather-gage before he was ready to round-to, although as soon as his people detected our purpose they worked with frantic haste to shorten sail.
Soon after, the wind shifted two points, from S.S.W. to south, giving the British the weather-gage, and preventing the enemy from making their escape to the land. Outsailing her consorts, the Flora came up with the enemy at half-past six; and giving the Babet a passing broadside, stood on and attacked the Pomone.
The power to assume the offensive, or to refuse battle, rests no longer with the wind, but with the party which has the greater speed; which in a fleet will depend not only upon the speed of the individual ships, but also upon their tactical uniformity of action. Henceforth the ships which have the greatest speed will have the weather-gage.
If it happened only once, I should think nothing of it. But when I know exactly what is coming, and have double-shotted every gun, and set up hammock-nettings, and taken uncommon care to have the weather-gage, 'tis the Devil, Lady Scudamore excuse me, madam 'tis the Devil to a ditty-bag that I have her at my mercy. And yet it always comes to money out of pocket, madam!"
Lowington has hauled us up to the bull-ring this time, if he never did before. He has the weather-gage of us." "That's so." "If you have a plan, let's hear it." "O, I won't trouble you with it. You don't think much of my plans." "Yes, I do. I regard you as a genius in that line. You gave us the plan by which we got off in the Josephine."
In vain the unwieldly hulks and galleons had attempted to grapple with their light-winged foes, who pelted them, braved them, damaged their sails and gearing; and then danced lightly off into the distance; until at last, as night fell, the wind came out from the west again, and the English regained and kept the weather-gage.
Lowington has the weather-gage of us, and we are beaten at our own game." "Not yet." "Yes, we are. We shall not see the coast of France again this year. I'll bet you Fluxion's starboard whisker, our cruise for this season is up." "Don't croak." They all croaked when the vessel had been out thirty hours, and was still persistently headed to the south-west.
'We can afford that, and still hold the weather-gage. The Enterprise was kept away, and increased her speed: they neared the Avenger more than a quarter of a mile. 'They are nearing us, observed Francisco; 'we must keep away a point. Away went the Avenger, and would have recovered her distance, but the Enterprise was again steered more off the wind.
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