before 10, a.m., Admiral Graves was badly wounded, and carried off the deck : the command, in consequence, devolved upon captain Henry Nichols. At 10 h. 38 m. a.m., the Terrible had her main and mizen masts shot away, and immediately bore up ; in doing which she yawed so much that the Royal-Sovereign raked her repeatedly. Seeing the enemy's van-ships preparing to run, the Royal-Sovereign now hoisted the signal for a general chase, and set courses, spritsail, jib, and staysails, in pursuit of the Terrible ; whereupon the Montagne and Jacobin, both apparently fresh and unhurt, came to the assistance of the latter.

At l1 h. 45 m. a.m., after having fired her larboard guns at one of the French van-ships while passing on the starboard tack, the Royal-Sovereign commenced a close action with the Montagne, and was soon afterwards joined, but too far to windward to be of much effect, by the Valiant. In about half an hour the Montagne bore away, and was followed a short distance by the Royal-Sovereign ; who then hauled up, as well as the disabled state of her rigging and sails would permit. In obedience to the signal then flying, to stay by prizes, the Royal-Sovereign, at 2 h. 40 m. p.m., not knowing that the America was in possession of the Russel, fired several shot at the prize, and, on taking possession of her, sent the Russel's people back to their ship. The Royal-Sovereign had her three topgallantmasts shot away, and lost one midshipman (William Ivey), 10 seamen, and three marines or soldiers killed, Admiral Graves, one captain and one lieutenant of foot, and 41 seamen and marines or soldiers wounded.

At 9 h. 45 m. a.m., the Marlborough began firing at her proper opponent, the Impétueux, and, in five minutes afterwards, passed under the latter's stern, and ranged up alongside of her to leeward. In about a quarter of an hour the Impétueux fell on board the Marlborough, entangling herself m that ship's mizen shrouds, and a most destructive cannonade ensued. At 10 h. 15 m. a.m., the next ship in line astern of the Impétueux, the Mucius, to get clear of the Defence, who was pressing her hard, made sail ahead, and fell on board upon the bow of the Marlborough ; the three ships thus forming a triangle, of which the Marlborough was the base.

Just as the Mucius got up, the Marlborough's mizenmast fell over the side, and, in a quarter of an hour afterwards, her fore and main masts followed. Still the Marlborough continued a very animated fire, and very soon shot away all the lower masts, as well as bowsprit, of the Impétueux: the masts of the Mucius met the same fate. Both ships are stated to have struck to the Marlborough ; but, when masts fall, the dropping of the colours is not always to be taken as a sign of surrender. About this time the Montagne, in running by the Marlborough's stern, opened a fire that caused serious destruction on board of her. One shot entered the starboard quarter, and struck one of the

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