with the port : hence it could scarcely be pointed in any other direction than right a-beam. Moreover, as these carronades were all fixed guns, the Glatton was without a bow or stern chaser. Her net complement was established at 320 men and boys ; too few by 30 at the least.

On the 13th of July, 1796, the Glatton sailed from Sheerness, where she had been just refitted, for the purpose of reinforcing the North-Sea fleet under Admiral Duncan ; and, arriving soon afterwards in Yarmouth roads, sailed thence on the afternoon of the 14th, by the orders of Rear-admiral Macbride, to join a squadron of two sail of the line and some frigates, commanded by Captain Henry Savage of the Albion 64, and supposed to be cruising off Helvoetsluys.

On the 15th, at 1 a.m., the Glatton made the coast of Flanders, and discovered four large ships under the land. The weather was now calm; but at 8 p.m., Goree steeple hearing south by east, a breeze sprang up from the north-west, and at the same time two other ships were observed to join the four already in view. The Glatton now made all sail towards the strangers, and, on closing within signal distance, ascertained that they were an enemy's squadron of four frigates, two ship-corvettes, with a large brig-corvette and an armed cutter, hastening to join from to-leeward.

Having cleared for action, the Glatton stood on with a light breeze in her favour ; and, so far from being daunted at the formidable appearance of the enemy, Captain Trollope was rejoiced at the opportunity thus afforded him of trying the effect of the heavy carronades in his ship. At 6 p.m. the wind freshened, and the four ships formed in close line of battle with their heads to the north-east. At 8 p.m., as a proof how confident they were of success, the strangers shortened sail, backing their mizen topsails occasionally to keep in their stations.

At about 9 h. 45 m. p.m. the Glatton, having hoisted the St.-George's ensign, arrived abreast of the three smaller and rearmost ships, but reserved her fire for the next ship, the latter from her superior size appearing to be the commodore ; and which ship was now the second in the line, the ship next ahead of her having fallen to leeward. At a few minutes before 10 p.m., as the Glatton ranged up close alongside of the supposed commodore, Captain Trollope, hailing the ship, desired her commander to surrender to a British man-of-war. In an instant French colours and a broad pendant were displayed, and the commodore, and immediately afterwards all the other ships commenced firing at the Glatton.

The Glatton was not slow in returning the compliment, and poured into the French commodore, at the distance of not more than 20 yards, a broadside such as perhaps no single-decked ship ever before received. While the Glatton and the French commodore were continuing to go ahead and mutually engaging,