The facts, however, were utterly at variance with these ingenious suppositions.  Instead of being connected, as Rodney represents, de Vaudreuil had with him next morning but ten ships; and no others during the whole of the 13th.  He made sail for Cap Francois, and was joined on the way by five more, so that at no time were there upwards of fifteen[129] French ships of the line together, prior to his arrival at that port on April 25th.  He there found four others of the fleet.  The tale of twenty-five survivors, from the thirty engaged on April 12th, was completed by six which had gone to Curacao, and which did not rejoin until May.  So much for the close connected body of the French.  It is clear, therefore, that Rodney’s reasons illustrate the frame of mind against which Napoleon used to caution his generals as “making to themselves a picture” of possibilities; and that his conclusion at best was based upon the ruinous idea, which a vivid imagination or slothful temper is prone to present to itself, that war may be made decisive without running risks.  That Jamaica even was saved was not due to this fine, but indecisive battle, but to the hesitation of the allies.  When de Vaudreuil reached Cap Francois, he found there the French convoy safely arrived from Guadeloupe, and also a body of fifteen Spanish ships of the line.  The troops available for the descent upon Jamaica were from fifteen to twenty thousand.  Well might Hood write:  “Had Sir George Rodney’s judgment, after the enemy had been so totally put to flight, borne any proportion to the high courage, zeal and exertion, so very manifestly shown by every captain, all difficulty would now have been at an end.  We might have done just as we pleased, instead of being at this hour upon the defensive."[130]

The allies, however, though superior in numbers, did not venture to assume the offensive.  After the battle, Rodney remained near Guadeloupe until the 17th of April, refitting, and searching the neighbouring islands, in case the French fleet might have entered some one of them.  For most of this time the British were becalmed, but Hood remarks that there had been wind enough to get twenty leagues to the westward; and there more wind probably would have been found.  On the 17th Hood was detached in pursuit with ten sail of the line; and a day or two later Rodney himself started for Jamaica.  Left to his own discretion, Hood pushed for the Mona Passage, between Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo, carrying studding-sails below and aloft in his haste.  At daybreak of the 19th he sighted the west end of Puerto Rico; and soon afterwards a small French squadron was seen.  A general chase resulted in the capture of the Jason and Caton, sixty-fours, which had parted from their fleet before the battle and were on their way to Cap Francois.  A frigate, the Aimable, 32, and a sloop, the Ceres, 18, also were taken.  In reporting this affair to Rodney, Hood got a thrust into his