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Naval History of Great Britain - Vol II
1798 British and French Fleets 164

the latter, and occasionally fired a few distant shot from her foremost starboard guns at the Sérieuse frigate and Hercule mortar-brig, lying within her.

The Zealous, following the Goliath in her manœuvre, and dropping her anchor in five fathoms, brought up abreast of the inner or larboard bow of the Guerrier ; which was precisely the position Captain Foley had intended to take. A prompt and well-directed broadside, at musket-shot distance, from the larboard guns of the Zealous, brought down by the board, in less than five minutes, the Guerrier's foremast. The sun was at this moment sinking into the horizon, and not a British ship, except the Goliath and Zealous, had yet fired a shot. So auspicious a commencement of the attack was greeted with three cheers by the whole British fleet.

This is the period we have selected, for showing the positions of the van-ships of the two fleets, as well as the courses by which those of the British fleet steered into their places.

The Orion followed next; and, after firing in passing at the Guerrier, rounded the stern or starboard quarter of the Zealous, and ran along the same side of the latter and of the Goliath successively. The Audacious and Theseus, in the mean while, by taking rather a shorter course than the Orion, arrived at their stations before her. The first, steering for the opening between the Guerrier and Conquérant, dropped her small bower and brought up within about 70 yards of the latter ship's

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