astern, and the Venerable no longer visible. At 11 h. 20 m. P.M., observing a Spanish three-decker, the Real-Carlos, about a point before her larboard beam, and a three and a two decker, the San-Hermenegildo and Saint-Antoine, in a range with and on the larboard side of the former, the Superb shortened sail; and, when about 300 or 350 yards from the Real-Carlos, opened a fire upon her from her larboard guns. At the third broadside the Real-Carlos, whose fore topmast had just been shot away, was observed to be on fire. The Superb instantly ceased engaging the Spanish ship ; and the latter continued her course before the wind. Shortly afterwards the Real-Carlos came suddenly to the wind, and then dropped astern in evident confusion, she and her two nearest companions firing their guns in all directions.

The total destruction of her first opponent being now no longer doubtful, the Superb again made sail, and at 11 h: 50 m. P.M. came up with and brought to action the Saint-Antoine. After a contest of about 30 minutes, part of which was close fought upon a wind, the French 74 ceased firing, and hailed repeatedly that she surrendered. Shortly afterwards the Cæsar and Venerable came up in succession, and, deceived by the Saint-Antoine's broad pendant, which, owing to the halliards having been shot away and got entangled amongst the rigging, still remained flying, fired into her; as did also the Spencer and Thames. In a few minutes the discovery was made that the Saint-Antoine had already surrendered, and the firing at her ceased.

At about 15 minutes past midnight the Real-Carlos blew up, but not until she had fallen on board of, and set in a similar blaze, the San-Hermenegildo, who, having in the dark mistaken the Real-Carlos for a foe, had been engaging her ; and who, in another quarter of an hour, exploded also. Thus, melancholy to relate, out of 2000 men composing the united crews of these Spanish first-rates, two officers and 36 men that got on board the Superb, and 262 who were fortunate enough to reach the Saint-Antoine and some of the other ships of their squadron, * were all that escaped destruction.

The loss on board the Superb, in her action with the Saint-Antoine (for in her short one with the Real-Carlos, she does not appear to have sustained any), amounted to one lieutenant (Edmund Waller) and 14 seamen and marines wounded, most of them severely. The Saint-Antoine, in crew and supernumeraries, had on board 730 men, of whom about 200, including those saved from one of the two three-deckers, were Spaniards. The loss on board the Saint-Antoine, except that Commodore Le Ray was wounded, has not been enumerated ; but, from the half an hour's close cannonade of so well

* Victoires et Conquêtes, tome xiv., p.166.

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