A British merchant convoy repelled a superior French naval squadron through deception, preserving millions of pounds in trade goods.
Key Facts
- Date of battle
- 14 February 1804
- British commander
- Commodore Nathaniel Dance (EIC)
- French commander
- Counter-admiral Charles-Alexandre Linois
- French flagship
- Ship of the line Marengo
- Pursuit duration
- 2 hours after French retreat
- Outcome for cargo
- Entire convoy reached Britain without loss
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
French Admiral Linois sailed to the Indian Ocean in 1803 on a commerce raiding operation, targeting the 'China Fleet'—a richly laden EIC convoy departing Canton. Dutch informants in Batavia revealed the convoy's destination and departure date, enabling Linois to intercept it in early February 1804 with a squadron clearly superior to the merchant escort.
On 14 February 1804, Commodore Dance ordered his East Indiamen into a line of battle and flew flags implying Royal Navy warships were present. The bold formation unsettled Linois, who broke off combat after only a brief exchange of fire. Dance then pursued the French squadron aggressively for two hours until the convoy was safely beyond reach.
The French squadron was driven off without capturing any prizes, and the enormously valuable China Fleet reached Britain intact. King George III knighted Dance, and mercantile organisations awarded him large sums. Linois was widely condemned—by Napoleon and his own officers—for failing to press his advantage, and he was eventually captured in 1806 after ironically mistaking a British battle squadron for a merchant convoy.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Commodore Nathaniel Dance.
Side B
1 belligerent
Counter-admiral Charles-Alexandre Léon Durand Linois.