They had been close to the enemy at ten on the preceding night, but lost sight of them in about four hours.

The fleet immediately unmoored and weighed, and at six in the evening ran through the strait between Biche and Sardinia: a passage so narrow that the ships could only pass one at a time, each following the stern-lights of its leader.

From the position of the enemy, when they were last seen, it was inferred that they must be bound round the southern end of Sardinia.

Signal was made the next morning to prepare for battle.

Bad weather came on, baffling the one fleet in its object, and the other in its pursuit.