▁Royal ▁Navy . ▁He ▁served ▁during ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁Su cc ession ▁and ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁an ▁incon clus ive ▁battle ▁off ▁Beng al . ▁▁ ▁P ey ton ▁entered ▁the ▁n avy ▁in ▁ 1 7 0 7 . ▁From ▁ 1 7 4 4 ▁to ▁ 1 7 4 6 ▁he ▁was ▁captain ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 0 - gun ▁. ▁In ▁ 1 7 4 6 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁comm odore ▁in ▁succession ▁of ▁Curt is ▁Bar nett ▁and ▁was ▁command ing ▁a ▁squad ron ▁of ▁seven ▁ships ▁of ▁the ▁line ▁off ▁Beng al . ▁The ▁French ▁commander ▁Mah é ▁de ▁la ▁Bour don na is ▁had ▁been ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁East ▁Ind es ▁in ▁response ▁to ▁attacks ▁by ▁P ey ton ' s ▁prede cess or . ▁P ey ton ▁sight ed ▁Bour don na is ▁and ▁his ▁French ▁fleet ▁off ▁Neg apat nam ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁June ▁ 1 7 4 6 ▁and ▁attacked . ▁The ▁cl ash ▁was ▁incon clus ive ▁as ▁the ▁British ▁fleet ▁held ▁back ▁too ▁far ▁to ▁do ▁sufficient ▁damage . ▁The ▁ ▁British ▁lost ▁ 1 4 ▁killed ▁and ▁ 4 6 ▁wounded ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁lost ▁ 2 7 ▁ ▁killed ▁and ▁ 5 3 ▁wounded . ▁After ▁the ▁action ▁P ey ton ▁held ▁a ▁council ▁of ▁war ▁with ▁his ▁capt ains , ▁and ▁decided ▁to ▁break ▁off ▁the ▁action ▁and ▁return ▁to ▁Tr ic om ale e ▁for ▁rep airs . ▁By ▁withdraw ing ,