Page:The reign of George VI - 1763.djvu/79

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been validated.
OF GEORGE VI.
53

dred thousand men marched into Russia. The Czar collected his forces to oppose this inundation of Turks; and just as the two armies were beginning the war, the Russian fleet of near one hundred sail of the line appeared in the Channel.

The British fleet, under the Duke of Grafton, (who, though he had sometimes met with ill success, was one of the greatest Admirals Britain had ever produced) was about equal in force to that of the Russians. It was not long before the two Admirals found an opportunity to engage. It would be tedious to give the particulars of this furious battle, it lasted a whole day without being decisive; the Russians lost five ships of the line, and the English four; if any thing, the advantage was for the latter; but before morning the two fleets parted, and, the wind blowing a violent storm for the two nextdays,