▁French ▁while ▁sign alling ▁for ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁nearby ▁ 7 4 - gun ▁ship ▁of ▁the ▁line ▁HMS ▁Hann ib al ▁under ▁Captain ▁Sir ▁Michael ▁Se ym our . ▁As ▁the ▁fog ▁cleared , ▁Hann ib al ▁could ▁be ▁clearly ▁seen ▁adv ancing ▁under ▁all ▁sail ▁from ▁the ▁north west . ▁As ▁a ▁shift ▁in ▁the ▁wind ▁to ▁the ▁north west ▁at ▁ 1 1 : 0 0 ▁offered ▁the ▁French ▁an ▁opportunity ▁of ▁escape , ▁the ▁fr ig ates ▁separated , ▁the ▁dam aged ▁S ult ane ▁following ▁the ▁wind ▁and ▁E to ile ▁turning ▁to ▁the ▁sout heast . ▁Rec ogn ising ▁that ▁only ▁Heb rus ▁was ▁in ▁a ▁position ▁to ▁catch ▁E to ile , ▁Se ym our ▁ordered ▁Pal mer ▁to ▁purs ue ▁while ▁Hann ib al ▁and ▁S par row ▁advanced ▁on ▁S ult ane . ▁Du ▁Pet it - Th ou ars ' ▁ship ▁was ▁in ▁no ▁position ▁to ▁e va de ▁or ▁resist ▁the ▁much ▁larger ▁British ▁war ship ▁and ▁was ▁within ▁range ▁of ▁Hann ib al ▁by ▁ 1 5 : 3 0 , ▁Se ym our ▁firing ▁two ▁warning ▁sh ots ▁over ▁S ult ane . ▁Rec ogn ising ▁his ▁in ev itable ▁defeat , ▁Du ▁Pet it - Th ou ars ▁fired ▁a ▁broad side ▁into ▁the ▁sea ▁away ▁from ▁Hann ib al ▁and ▁struck ▁his ▁flag ▁in ▁a ▁gesture ▁of ▁surrender ▁at ▁ 1 6 : 1 5 , ▁Se ym our ▁taking ▁possession ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁ship . ▁ ▁While