Hardly had Lisle's squadron sailed for England[4] when the Council sustained a loss in the _Swallow_ sloop, which was taken by Toolajee, together with a convoy of rice-boats.
The great benefit conferred on the coast trade by Lisle's squadron taught the Directors the necessity of a change of policy.

Hitherto their fighting ships had been utilized to carry cargoes along the coast, a practice that greatly hampered their action.

They now determined on keeping ships for fighting only; so they ordered the building of the _Protector_, a forty-gun ship, and the _Guardian_, a sloop.

The two new ships left Sheerness in the winter of 1751, commanded by Captains Cheyne and James, and the most stringent orders were sent with them that they were to carry no cargoes, and were to be kept on the Malabar coast as long as Angria should keep the sea.

During the next three years, the _Protector_ and _Guardian_ did much useful work, convoying the coasting trade, and offering battle to Angria's ships whenever they met them.
[1] September, 1740.
[2] 2nd September, 1747.
[3] November, 1749.
[4] November, 1751..