In the naval battle off Toulon Port, four of the British Mediterranean Fleet's capital ships had sunk, two had been captured, and nine more had been badly damaged.
The French Grand Orient Fleet, however, had lost nine capital ships, including its flagship, and eleven more had been badly damaged. Countless other auxiliary vessels had also been lost.
Yet in the end, Edward Clinton had been forced to abandon two of his own capital ships and flee the battlefield. Judging by the casualty figures, the British were far ahead, but the French had committed their entire main force and still held an overwhelming advantage in numbers.
Most crucially, the Gallic Roosters who had fallen into the sea hadn't turned into drowned rats. They were still swimming desperately toward the British ships, trying to climb aboard.
Worse still, the Greeks' poor-quality coal produced so much waste that it clogged the boilers. Running at full power, the two most advanced paddle steamers had broken down before the fighting even began.
One of the four ships sunk was also a paddle steamer. Once it was hit, its paddle wheel stopped working, leaving it a sitting duck for the French.
Edward Clinton knew there was no point in continuing the battle. He was unwilling to admit it, but the French had indeed won. Still, they wouldn't be so lucky next time.
Although the French Grand Orient Fleet had suffered terrible losses, in a sense the British had lost more, because the capture of two advanced paddle steamers could very well lead to military secrets being exposed.
But in Edward Clinton's view, paddle steamers were useless civilian vessels. Their paddle wheels were too large and extremely vulnerable. Worse still, knocking out just one side was enough to cripple the entire ship.
With one side knocked out,