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Provenance
Thomas Agnew & Sons Ltd., London;
Montgomery Gallery, San Francisco;
Mrs. N. McLoughlin;
Sale, Christie's, London, Important British Pictures, 21 November 1986, lot 49;
Acquired from the above and thence by descent to the present owner.
The Ville de Paris in Port Royal Harbour fitting out with the other French Prizes after the glorious action of the 12th April 1782.
On 16 January 1782, Admiral Sir George Rodney sailed from Torbay on board the Formidable, and joined Admiral Hood at Barbados. Hood had been unable to stop the powerful French fleet from taking Martinique the previous year, and now they had captured St. Kitts, and were planning an attack on Jamaica. The Comte de Grasse was in command of the French fleet, and on 8 April he put to sea, pursued by Rodney. De Grasse attempted and failed to get through the Saints passage, and on the morning of 12 April, the battle began. The French line was pulverized and was unable to reform, and a rout ensued; by sunset de Grasse's flagship the Ville de Paris surrendered. Amongst other French ships captured were the Glorieux (74 guns), the Hector (74 guns), and the Ardent (64 guns).