The British ships separated Preventing_or_letting and attempted to escape Escaping , but the French commander `` Contre-amiral '' Joseph-Marie Nielly simply split Destroying his forces in response , and although `` Canada '' was eventually able to outrun Escaping pursuit , `` Alexander '' was slower and was caught Getting by several French ships in succession .

Targeting the smaller ship , `` Waakzaamheid '' , King was able to outrun Arrest her in an hour and force Control her to surrender Surrendering without a fight .

The French squadron split Destroying up in the face of superior British numbers , the three vessels seeking to divide Cause_to_amalgamate and outrun the British pursuit .

By the time he realised Coming_to_believe that the approaching ships were actually a powerful naval squadron , he was too close to outrun Escaping the lead ship , Warren 's flagship HMS `` London '' .