▁were ▁heavy ▁on ▁both ▁ships , ▁but ▁both ▁pri zes ▁were ▁successfully ▁returned ▁to ▁Britain ▁and ▁commission ed ▁into ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁final ▁naval ▁eng agement ▁of ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Six th ▁Co al ition , ▁which ▁came ▁to ▁an ▁end ▁with ▁Emperor ▁Napoleon ' s ▁ab dic ation ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁April . ▁ ▁Background ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁October ▁ 1 8 1 3 ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Six th ▁Co al ition ▁was ▁in ▁its ▁final ▁stages ; ▁Emperor ▁Napoleon ▁had ▁been ▁defeated ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Leipzig ▁by ▁the ▁Al lied ▁European ▁arm ies ▁and ▁was ▁retre ating ▁to ▁the ▁borders ▁of ▁France , ▁while ▁the ▁British ▁army ▁under ▁the ▁Lord ▁Well ington ▁had ▁crossed ▁the ▁Py ren ees ▁and ▁was ▁adv ancing ▁on ▁Toul ouse . ▁The ▁French ▁Navy ▁had ▁never ▁recovered ▁from ▁defeat ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁T raf al gar ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 5 ▁and ▁had ▁made ▁no ▁serious ▁effort ▁to ▁put ▁to ▁sea ▁since ▁the ▁abort ive ▁attempt ▁which ▁ended ▁in ▁defeat ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Bas que ▁Ro ads ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 9 . ▁British ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean ▁trade ▁routes ▁was ▁at ▁this ▁stage ▁only ▁cont ested ▁by ▁the ▁small ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁and ▁the ▁hand ful ▁of ▁French ▁ra iders ▁capable ▁of ▁ev ading ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ' s ▁constant ▁close ▁block ade ▁of ▁French ▁ports , ▁which ▁had ▁operated ▁effectively ▁and ▁almost ▁continu ously ▁since ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁the