dance sir june march officer long varied career merchant vessels making numerous india fleets east aware risks valuable ships sailed preyed foreign navies having captured franco spanish fleet campaign american war independence greatest achievement came napoleonic wars having appointed commodore company fleets came french squadron rear admiral raiding british shipping area aggressive tactics french commander thinking british convoy escorted powerful naval forces french decided risk attacking convoy dance compounded deception taking lightly armed merchants chasing french away despite considerable force having saved convoy certain destruction dance hailed hero rewarded money spent years life comfortable retirement family early life dance born london june son wife elizabeth successful lawyer city shortly birth abandoned wife live actress time established successful actor playwright family instead cared james father paternal grandfather prominent architect lived grandfather went sea patronage high ranking official smith support dance rose ranks service having india mediterranean west_indies making ninth voyage india officer combined spanish french fleet captured ship august dance taken spain spent months parole commander lord january making india aboard appointed commander new ship earl sailed china january voyage home sailed rest fleet january bound england virtue dance appointed commodore fleet country ships east fleet assembled richest date carrying estimated value million approximately million present day terms dance taken seriously ill bombay outward voyage recovered time sail convoy fleet naval escorts east heavily armed merchants carrying nominal batteries guns match disciplined professional naval forces listed armament carried illusion greater strength fake painted hulls hope distant observers gun ships royal_navy time fleet approached february dance convoy include east country ships portuguese merchant ship vessel australia provided small armed brig escort vessel dissuade pirates hope confront french warship neared entrance straits suspicious sails sighted south west dance sent ships investigate soon discovered squadron consisting gun heavy frigates corvette dutch brig battle having identity ships dance signalled merchants form line battle continued heading french closed attack dance delay gather ships stronger east stood french weaker country ships merchants continued straits followed trying gauge strength convoy ships convoy expected taken dance manoeuvres painted suspected warships escorting confirmed suspicions dawn february forces raised colours dance ordered brig lead ships blue rest convoy raised red system national flags use british ships implied ships blue warships attached squadron admiral merchant ships protection french appearing reluctant attack morning february dance ordered ships increase speed breaking sailing formation effect making convoy appear intimidating decided attack afternoon french observed moving cut ships convoy dance promptly hoisted colours ordered largest ships led ship come close french advancing sail endured fire french closed firing close range french abandoned attack turned fled press sail dance hoisted signal general chase merchant fleet pursued french squadron hours dance broke returned original heading fleet resumed course having met british ships line admiral fleet february escorted far convoy met british merchants escorted britain royal_navy warships arriving august rewards achievement convoy merchants escaping loss french squadron going far attack drive pursue predators widely hailed signal victory declared sufficiently express opinion skill commander fleet practice naval engagements provided emergency prepared plans attack defence manoeuvres french admiral render adopt conduct worthy experience science approved veteran orders plans executed captains command scarcely exceeded renowned naval exploits dance received approximately present day terms pension year approximately year present day terms plate worth ceremonial sword worth silver captains rewarded captain royal george received sword plate captains received sword plate money paid officers command ordinary receiving approximately present day terms dance credited actions command largely responsible victory writing reply award circumstances service absence convoy chief command fleet care good fortune enabled supported perform trust fidelity loss employers public opinion public rewards far sensible liberal spirit generous measured pleased term grateful sense conduct particular utility exploit individual merit claim dance received went comfortable retirement dying march age
Nathaniel Dance