A combined fleet of 100 Dutch and English ships under Edward Russell brought a French fleet of forty-four ships to action off Cape Barfleur. The French, under de Tourville, resisted stubbornly, but were eventually scattered. One group escaped, but three other groups were driven onto the French coast and destroyed. De Tourville’s flagship, the ‘Soleil Royal’, was burnt at Cherbourg and twelve ships were burnt in the bay of La Hogue.

To the left, is a starboard-quarter view of a Dutch ship with a flag at her fore engaging a ship across her bows with her port guns. She has her fore course and topsail set and drawing and her main and mizzen topsails shaking. On the left is part of a Dutch ship in starboard-bow view. Two ships are engaged beyond. On the right, is a stern view of a ship firing her port guns. Any ships are lightly indicated in the distance.

The date of this drawing is based on the doubtful identification of the action and the likelihood that it is drawn on the same paper as PAG6273. The penwork is less sure than in PAG6273 and it gives the impression, particularly in the ships in the distance, that it is a strengthening of a weak offset, the pencil of which has been rubbed away. (For another drawing possibly of the same action see also PAF7021)