These events on land were quickly followed by stirring events on
the sea. The delays of the British Admiralty of this time seem
almost incredible. Two hundred ships waited at Spithead for three
months for convoy to the West Indies, while all the time the
people of the West Indies, cut off from their usual sources of
supply in America, were in distress for food. Seven weeks passed
after d'Estaing had sailed for America, before the Admiralty knew
that he was really gone and sent Admiral Byron, with fourteen
ships, to the aid of Lord Howe. When d'Estaing was already before
New York Byron was still battling with storms in mid-Atlantic,
storms so severe that his fleet was entirely dispersed and his
flagship was alone when it reached Long Island on the 18th of
August.
Meanwhile the French had a great chance. On the 11th of July
their fleet, much stronger than the British, arrived from the
Delaware, and anchored off Sandy Hook. Admiral Howe knew his
danger. He asked for volunteers from the merchant ships and the
sailors offered themselves almost to a man. If d'Estaing could
beat Howe's inferior fleet, the transports at New York would be
at his mercy and the British army, with no other source of
supply, must surrender.
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