Grasse was tremendously handicapped from the outset by the errors of his predecessors and of himself.  That the British had Santa Lucia as their outpost was due not only to Barrington’s diligence, but also to d’Estaing’s slackness and professional timidity; and it may be questioned whether de Grasse himself had shown a proper understanding of strategic conditions, when he neglected that island in favour of Tobago and St. Kitts.  Certainly, Hood had feared for it greatly the year before.  That the convoy was there to embarrass his movements, may not have been the fault of the French admiral; but it was greatly and entirely his fault that, of the thirty-six ships pursuing him, twenty-one represented a force that he might have crushed in detail a few weeks before,—­not to mention the similar failure of April, 1781.[114]

Large bodies of ships commonly will move less rapidly than small.  By 2.30 P.M. of the day of starting, Rodney’s look-outs had sighted the French fleet; and before sundown it could be seen from the mastheads of the main body.  At 6 next morning, April 9th, the enemy, both fleet and convoy, was visible from the deck of the Barfleur, the flagship of Hood’s division, then in the British van.  The French bore north-east, distant four to twelve miles, extending from abreast of the centre of Dominica northwards towards Guadeloupe.  The British had gained much during the night, and their centre was now off Dominica to leeward of the enemy’s rear, which was becalmed under the island.  Some fourteen or fifteen of the French van, having opened out the channel between Dominica and Guadeloupe, felt a fresh trade-wind, from east by north, with which they steered north; and their number was gradually increased as individual ships, utilising the catspaws, stole clear of the high land of Dominica.  Hood’s division in like manner, first among the British, got the breeze, and, with eight ships, the commander of the van stood north in order of battle.  To the north-west of him were two French vessels, separated from their consorts and threatened to be cut off (i).  These stood boldly down and crossed the head of Hood’s column; one passing so close to the leading ship, the Alfred, that the latter had to bear up to let her pass.  Rodney had hoisted a signal to engage at 6.38 A.M., but had hauled it down almost immediately, and Hood would not fire without orders.  These ships therefore rejoined their main body unharmed.  At 8.30 the French hoisted their colours, and shortly afterwards the vessels which had cleared Dominica tacked and stood south, opposite to Hood.