play havoc with the valuable commerce of their enemies in those far distant, and, at this time, ill-protected seas. In the summer of the ensuing year, we find Rear-admiral Kerguelen appointed to command this expedition ; which was to consist of the three 74-gun ships Redoubtable, Wattigny, and Droits-de-l'Homme, three rasés or 50-gun frigates, and a proportion of smaller vessels and transports. It was afterwards discovered that the rasés, having been worn out before they were reduced, and very slightly repaired while undergoing the alteration, were rotten and leaky. As a substitute for these, it was planned that three 74s should remove their lowerdeck guns into the hold, so as to carry about 700 troops each ; thus making the whole expedition consist of six sail of the line, four frigates, six corvettes, and transports enough to carry, including those on board the ships of war, about 6000 troops.

The loss of the three ships off the isle of Groix, and the subsequent blockade of the French fleet in Lorient, with all the attendant evils of sickness, desertion, and dearth of provisions, having rendered it impracticable to equip an expedition upon the enlarged scale at first contemplated, in conjunction, especially, with the plans then forming for the invasion of Ireland, the Indian expedition was to consist of two 74s only, one armed wholly, the other en flûte, carrying, between them, no more than about 800 troops. In the mean time, the 36-gun frigate Preneuse, Commodore Charles Dragon, and corvettes Brûte-Gueule, and, we believe, Moineau, sailed from one of the ports of France for the East India station.

After a delay, partly attributable, no doubt, to the unsettled state of the French government and its vacillating councils, it was resolved that the expedition to India should be composed of some frigates lying in Rochefort, and that Rear-admiral Sercey should have the command of it. While the expedition, consisting of four frigates and two corvettes, was lying at anchor in the road of the isle of Aix, waiting for a fair wind, the 36-gun frigate Cocarde got upon the rocks, and was so damaged that she could not proceed on the voyage. The 40-gun frigate Vertu, then repairing at Rochefort, was designed as a substitute for the Cocarde ; but Rear-admiral Sercey did not feel justified in waiting until she could be got ready.

Accordingly, on the 4th of March, 1796, the rear-admiral weighed and put to sea with the 44-gun frigate Forte, bearing his flag, 36-gun frigate Régénérée, Captain (de vais.) Jean-Baptiste-Philibert Willaumez, Seine frigate, armed en flûte and commanded by Lieutenant Julien-Gabriel Bigot, ship-corvette Bonne-Citoyenne, and brig-corvette Mutine. On board the squadron were 800 troops under General Magalon, two companies of artillery, and a quantity of munitions of war ; and on board the Forte were the two agents from the Directory, Baco and Burnel, sent out to the isles of France and Bourbon, to give

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