detached with the 40-gun ships and to cruise in the Straits; and on the night of 25 July chased and came up with three French men-of-war homeward bound from the West Indies — the 60-gun Borée, 40-gun Aquilon, and 26-gun Flore. Barnett hailed the Aquilon; she replied they were French from Martinique. Barnett suspected that they were Spaniards. So, after repeated warnings, he fired into the Aquilon; she replied with a broadside, and a sharp action began. The Folkestone only was in company; but about daybreak the Faversham came up, when the Frenchmen brought to, and hoisted their colours. Barnett on this sent a boat on board the Borée, to explain to the French commodore, M. de Caylus, that what had happened was due to the captain of the Aquilon, who had behaved with great want of politeness. M. de Caylus, after some discussion, said that from the manner of the English attack he had concluded there was war between the two countries, and desired the Dragons officer to declare, on his honour, that there was not; and so the ships separated. It was an unfortunate affair; but there is no reason to suppose it other than a mistake on both sides. When Haddock was compelled by ill-health to leave the fleet, the command devolved for a short time on Rear-Admiral Richard Lestock, between whom and Barnett a difference of opinion gave rise to a correspondence which, viewed by the light of after events, seems to have an almost prophetic significance. It would appear that in manœuvring the fleet, the Dragon and some of the other ships had not got into their station with that quickness which the admiral wished, and he accordingly wrote a severe reprimand to their respective captains, on 14 April 1742. Barnett replied that it was an understood thing that the ships kept with their own divisions. Lestock, in reply, asked, 'Is it your duty to see two-thirds of the squadron sacrificed to the enemy when you could and did not join in the battle? Such an account would tell but ill to our country after the loss of a battle; but I hope such a thing can never happen to an Englishman.' Commodore A few months afterwards Dragon returned to England, and in March 1742–3 Barnett was appointed to for Channel service, and was with the fleet under Sir John Norris when the French made