[4] At about the same time as the British sailed, a French squadron under the command of Bailli de Suffren left France.

Due to the unexpected nature of the encounter, neither fleet was prepared for the engagement and the result was an inconclusive battle in which the French warships sustained more damage than did the British.

Homeward bound, she was at 10 Apr Barrabulla (a sandbank that forms near Kedgeree) on 12 April, and reached St Helena on 12 September.

Valentine left the Cape of Good Hope on 20 April, reached Madras on 29 June, and arrived at Kedgeree on 25 July.

Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 3 December, reached St Helena on 18 February 1790, and arrived at the Downs on 25 April.

[2] Captain Iver McMillan sailed from The Downs on 9 March 1792, bound for St Helena, Bengal, Madras, and Bencoolen.

[3] The British government held Valentine at Portsmouth, together with 38 other Indiamen in anticipation of using them as transports for an attack on Île de France (Mauritius).

[2] The Admiralty chartered Valentine as a troopship for Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian's expedition to the West Indies.

[3] She sailed for the West Indies on 9 December, but bad weather delayed the start of the expedition and the vessels had to put back to England.

[5] After numerous false starts aborted by weather issues, the fleet sailed on 26 April to invade St Lucia, with troops under Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby.