View of Lord Bridport's Action off L'Orient (City of  <i>Lorient</i>, Brittany), 1795<br><p>Vignette from the 'Naval Chronicle', 1799, f. p. 300. The accompanying description states that the view is from the north-west, showing the enemy nearing Port Louis, with Bridport's flagship 'Royal George' in the centre and the captured French 'Tigre' on the left. After Howe's victory of 1 June 1794, Alexander Hood (third in command) was ennobled as Baron Bridport. On 12 June 1795, at a period Howe was unwell ashore, Bridport sailed to escort a British expedition supporting a royalist rising in Brittany and detached the troop convoy and escort under Sir John Borlase Warren close to Belle Île. The French fleet under Villaret-Joyeuse had also left Brest and was sighted by Warren off of Belle Île. Warren evaded them and sent word to Bridport who sighted them on 22 June. The French had only twelve of the line; Bridport, with Warren's ships, a potential seventeen. Bridport gave chase and engaged on 23 June about six miles west of the Ile de Groix, taking three French ships before Villaret found refuge in L'orient.<br></p>
View of Lord Bridport's Action off L'Orient, 1795
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Bunney and Co; Nicholas Pocock</div>
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