Yet, with all this, the outward West India fleet in 1778 waited six weeks, April 10th-May 26th, for convoy.

Immediately after it got away, a rigorous embargo was laid upon all shipping in British ports, that their crews might be impressed to man the Channel fleet.

Market-boats, even, were not allowed to pass between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.
Three days after Byron had sailed, Admiral Augustus Keppel also put to sea with twenty-one ships of the line, to cruise off Brest.

His instructions were to prevent the junction of the Toulon and Brest divisions, attacking either that he might meet.

On the 17th of June, two French frigates were sighted.