Note 25 — Front matter (continued 2)
Reading edition
'De Grasse's action,' says Captain Mahan (The Influence of Sea Power upon History, p. 290), 'was justified by the court which tried him, in which were many officers of high rank and doubtless of distinction, as being "an act of prudence on the part of the admiral dictated to him by the ulterior projects of the cruise." Three days later he was signally beaten by the fleet he had failed to attack at disadvantage, and all the ulterior projects of the cruise went down with him.'