it would appear, staying to take possession of the Spanish 74, the Dreadnought pursued and fired at the Spanish three-decker ; but, after the exchange of two or three broadsides, a shot from one of which struck off the left arm of Admiral Gravina, the Principe-de-Asturias made sail and effected her escape.

The Dreadnought had her masts cut with shot, but none carried away : her loss amounted to six seamen and one marine killed, and one lieutenant (James L. Lloyd), two midshipmen (Andrew McCulloch and James Sabbin), 19 seamen, and four marines wounded. Besides being dismasted, the San-Juan-Nepomuceno was much shattered in her hull, and sustained a loss, as represented, of nearly 300 in killed and wounded, including among the mortally wounded her gallant commander.

Having yawed to starboard to allow the Dreadnought to pass on to the Spanish three-decker, then the rearmost enemy's ship by two, the Polyphemus attempted to haul up again ; but, finding the English Swiftsure close upon her larboard quarter, she was obliged to wait until the latter passed ahead. It was at about 3 h. 25 m. P.M. that the English Swiftsure, having passed the Belleisle's stern, opened her fire upon the French Achille ; who, passing along the larboard beam of the Belleisle, edged away to the south-east, followed and engaged by the former. The Swiftsure presently succeeded in crossing her opponent's stern and in getting to leeward of her ; * when the Polyphemus, who had received a heavy fire from the French Neptune, in passing between the latter and the Belleisle, advanced on the French Achille's weather quarter. In about 40 minutes after the Swiftsure had commenced the action with the Achille, the latter, having had her mizenmast and fore yard shot away, and having also caught fire in the fore top, ceased engaging, and, as it appeared to the Polyphemus, waved a union jack at her starboard cathead. The Polyphemus then stood away to assist the Defence in engaging the San-Ildefonso, but who struck before the Polyphemus got up; and the Prince three-decker bore down between the French Achille and English Swiftsure, just as the latter, considering the Achille a beaten ship, was hauling off to seek a more worthy opponent. But the business of the day, at this end of the line at least, was now nearly over.

The Swiftsure had her mizen topmast shot away, and mizenmast badly wounded, and lost seven seamen and two marines killed, and one midshipman (Alexander Bell Handcock), six seamen, and one marine wounded. The Polyphemus had her main and main top masts badly wounded, her spanker-boom cut through, and one lowerdeck gun disabled, but escaped with the slight loss of two men killed and four wounded.

While the Revenge was attempting to pass-through the

*  See diagram at p. 48, where the tracks cross

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