by John Marshall

“ Before the Alcide could be taken possession of, a box of combustibles in her fore-top took fire, and the unhappy crew experienced how far more perilous their inventions were to themselves than to their enemies. ”

“ The boats rowed in with great firmness, under cover of two of the East India Company’s snows, amidst a heavy fire from the enemy’s ships, which they resolutely boarded and carried, setting fire to three which they were not able to bring off, took one, and forced another on shore, with several merchant vessels, which were destroyed. An armed snow was closely pursued; but by throwing her guns overboard, she escaped over the bar into the harbour. This service was not performed without some loss on the side of the British ”

“ Notwithstanding his ships were in the midst of watering and refitting, the British commander was enabled, by the zeal and extraordinary exertions of the officers and men under his command, to get the whole fleet under weigh with the land wind that night; but it was not until the morning of the 13th that he discovered the enemy, then off the Hieres islands, in the vicinity of Toulon. A partial action commenced about noon, and in an hour after 1’Alcide, of 74 guns, one of the ships in the French rear, struck her colours ”