Lord Wellesley
Acted Under Secret Orders From The Secretary Of State, Lord Hobart, Dated
October 17, 1802, Only Seven Months
After the treaty was signed, for the
British Government did not believe in the permanency of the peace and did
Not desire the French to re-assert a footing in India, where their
presence, in the event of a renewal of hostilities, would be dangerous.
When the war was renewed, Linois, with his squadron, was still in the
Indian Ocean. The Isle of France was not a self-supporting colony, but
had to depend on money and supplies obtained either from Europe or from
the vessels of the East India Company, which, from time to time, were
captured by French privateers and men-of-war. When Nelson shattered the
naval power of France at Trafalgar in 1805, and vigilant British frigates
patrolled the whole highway of commerce from Europe to the Cape of Good
Hope, Decaen's position became precarious. The supplies sent out to him
were frequently captured by the enemy; and had it not been that Port
Louis became a regular nest of adventurous French privateers - "pirates,"
the British called them - who frequently found a rich prey in the shape of
heavily laden India merchantmen, his garrison must soon have been starved
out.
The incident to which reference has been made occurred in 1804, and is
probably without a parallel in naval history as an example of the effect
of audacity acting on timidity. It was known that a convoy of ships
belonging to the East India Company was to leave Canton early in the
year.
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