Background In early 1780, the
Royal Navy under Admiral
George Rodney had
defeated a Spanish fleet and subsequently relieved
Gibraltar under
siege by Spanish and French forces. Rodney then sailed for the
West Indies in February, detaching part of the fleet for service in the
English Channel. On 16 February 1780, a French convoy with troops and ammunition bound for
India departed
Lorient escorted by the 64-gun ship of the line
Protée with
Ajax,
Éléphant and
Charmante.
Action On 23 February, off the island of Madeira, the convoy met
Rodney's fleet; Duchilleau ordered
Ajax to double back with most of the convoy, while he would lure the British by continuing on the same bearing with
Charmante and the smallest ships of the convoy. The British fleet chased
Protée while
Ajax escaped with the convoy; seeing the ships under his protection out of harm's way around 1am, Duchilleau tried to effect his own escape, but
Protée caught the wind, breaking her tops and mizzen, allowing , under
Lord Robert Manners, to catch on around 2am, soon joined by the 74-gun
HMS Bedford and
HMS Marlborough. Three merchantmen were also captured.
Aftermath Court-martialled for the loss of his ship, Du Chilleau was honourably acquitted. For the British the booty was substantial, as well as the three transports,
Protée was carrying £60,000 worth of silver with the prize money subsequently shared.
Protée was commissioned in the Royal Navy as the
third rate '
HMS Prothee'''''. == References ==