With the Bombay still struggling to catch up with the chase, the onus had well and truly fallen on Captain Isadore Cope to harry the French ship and slow down her escape.
With the Bombay still struggling to catch up with the chase, the onus had well and truly fallen on Captain Isadore Cope to harry the French ship and slow down her escape.
Last edited by Bligh; 08-10-2021 at 09:37.
The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.
She was, however, still taking terrible damage from the more powerful guns of the Frenchman, and how long she could maintain the chase was now very much in question.
Last edited by Bligh; 08-10-2021 at 09:37.
The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.
Captain Cope was very reluctant to give the French best and just like a Terrier dog held on as long as he could in order to give Bombay time to make up the lost ground.
Last edited by Bligh; 08-10-2021 at 09:40.
The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.
Another round found its mark and no real gain seemed to be bringing the damaged Bombay into range.
Last edited by Bligh; 08-10-2021 at 09:38.
The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.
The Frenchman now came onto her best point of sailing.
Last edited by Bligh; 08-10-2021 at 09:41.
The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.
In sheer desperation Captain Cope closed to a suicidal range.
Miraculously the broadsides of both ships failed to hit, and Cope had to give up all hope of preventing the French ship slipping past him and escape to vent its mayhem in the Gulf and Indian Ocean.
Last edited by Bligh; 08-10-2021 at 09:42.
The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.
Realizing that the 50 was slipping out of their grasp Captain Smithers played his final card.
In a gamble that would ensure the enemy escaped if it failed, he came about to windward lost all way and loosed off his forrard section of guns at extreme range which were all that he could bring to bear. The damage was only moderate.
Last edited by Bligh; 08-10-2021 at 09:45.
The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.
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