The Anglo-Dutch ships wintered in separate ports, and Tourville was ordered to put to sea as early as possible, hoping to intercept them before they could combine.

However, when he finally did so in late May, the two fleets under Admiral Edward Russell had already met up and were 82 strong when they encountered the French off Cape Barfleur.

Following his instructions, Tourville attacked and inflicted numerous casualties to the Anglo-Dutch crews, but, after a clash that left many ships on both sides damaged, he ultimately disengaged.

The Anglo-Dutch fleet pursued the outnumbered French into the harbours of Cherbourg and La Hougue, destroying a total of fifteen ships and ending the threat to England.

[3] The French victory at the battle of Beachy Head two years earlier, in June 1690, had opened up the possibility of destroying a significant part of the Anglo-Dutch fleet and landing an invading army at Great Britain.

They planned to launch the invasion in April 1692, which was earlier than the separate English and Dutch fleets were expected to put to sea and combine.

D'Estrees and the Toulon fleet were beaten back at the Strait of Gibraltar, losing two ships in a storm, and Villette Mursay with the Rochefort squadron was delayed.

Admiral of the Fleet Edward Russell was delayed until 29 April, but gained time by making a risky passage through the Gull channel.

However, Louis XIV had furnished Tourville with strict orders to seek battle, strong or weak (fort ou faible), and this he proceeded to do.

Elsewhere, he sought to minimise damage by extending and refusing the van, to avoid them being turned and overwhelmed, while the rear was held back to keep the weathergage.

Almonde, in the van, extended to try to overlap the French line, while Ashby, with the rear and some way off, sought to close and bring his Blue squadron into action.

At the turn of the tide, Tourville again took advantage of this to cut cables and be carried down channel on the ebb, away from the scene of battle.

Nesmond, with the remaining two ships Monarque and Aimable, passed through the Strait of Dover, went north around Britain and finally arrived safely at Brest.

Heading west was the main body in three groups: Villette leading with fifteen ships, followed by d’Amfreville with twelve, and Tourville bringing up the rear with seven.

The French were able to close up during the day, but Tourville was hampered by his efforts to save his flagship, Soleil Royal, which was in a pitiable condition.

The leading contingent, twenty-one ships, now under Pannetier, had rounded the cape and was in the Alderney Race, while the remainder, thirteen with Tourville and the other flag officers, were to the east.

The rest, ten ships, reached St Vaast la Hougue where they too were beached, joining the two of Nesmond's division that were already there.

Pannetier later reached Saint-Malo and safety, while Almonde and Ashby turned east to rejoin Russell at La Hougue.

The allies successfully deployed shore parties and fireships that burnt all twelve French ships of the line which had sought shelter there.

Following the battle, the French abandoned the idea of seeking naval superiority for its own sake, adopting instead a continental strategy on land and pursuing a war against trade at sea.

French losses were quickly made good, and by the following year Tourville was able to inflict a defeat on the Allies in the battle of Lagos.

[19] Although the French dropped their invasion plans for the rest of the conflict and switched to a guerre de course, this was a matter of policy rather than necessity.

He made skilled use of the tides, first to disengage his fleet and, later to escape, but with no ships lost on either side and the action ending with Russell in hot pursuit, it can be seen at best as inconclusive.

[20] Winston Churchill stated that: The battle of Cape La Hougue, with its consequential actions  ... broke decisively for the whole of the wars of William and Anne all French pretensions to supremacy at sea.