After the firing had lasted in the whole about 18 minutes, the French squadron stood away out of gun-shot, and, weathering the small island of Pulo-Baby, anchored close to the northward of it. Commodore Mitchell having distributed among his ships a greater number of French prisoners than the amount of their united crews, and each ship, from assisting to man the prizes, having scarcely hands enough to work her guns, considered it best to make no attempts to renew the action. Nor did the French commodore seem more hostilely disposed.

The squadron of Indiamen afterwards proceeded to Batavia, to get a supply of guns and men, and, being reinforced by the Dutch 36-gun frigate, Amazone, Captain Kerwal, and an armed Dutch Indiaman, cruised without effect until the 8th of February. Commodore Mitchell then steered for Bencoolen, but did not arrive in time to save the Pigot ; which ship, on the 9th, while at anchor in Rat-island basin, repairing her damages received in action with the two French privateers, was attacked and captured by the squadron of M. Renaud. While getting the Pigot out of the basin, the French commodore sent an officer, with a flag of truce, to demand the surrender and treat for the ransom of Fort-Marlborough; but the British commandant rejected both proposals, and, by assuring the French officer that the British squadron (meaning Commodore Mitchell's) was hourly expected, induced M. Renaud to put to sea immediately with his prize. The government of Batavia afterwards despatched the Amazone frigate to Sourabaya, at the east end of Java, to take possession of two French corvettes, which had long since arrived there in search of M. de la Peyrouse, and had been hospitably received by the Dutch ; but the officers and crews of which had since turned republicans, and were about to cruise against Dutch property. Captain Kervan, it seems, secured the two vessels, and the Batavian government sent them as cartels to France.

In the course of the present year several French frigates, chiefly in squadrons of three or four, cruised about the British Channel, and were very annoying and destructive to commerce. The success that attended this description of force led to its speedy augmentation ; and, from the single port of Havre, six heavy frigates were launched and equipped.

To endeavour to put a check to a warfare, that was as profitable to one party, as it was hurtful and discreditable to the other, two or three British frigate-squadrons were ordered to sea. One of these was commanded by Sir John Borlase Warren, and consisted of the: