On the 23rd of June Admiral Keppel's fleet came in sight of that of the French under the command of the Comte D'Orvilliers. After an engagement of some hours, the French fleet took to flight during the night, and escaped into Brest. It is impossible to relate the numberless gallant actions which from this period took place for many years between the ships of Great Britain and her enemies. In consequence of charges exhibited by Sir Hugh Palliser against Admiral Keppel for his conduct in the engagement just mentioned, a court-martial was held at the governor's house at Portsmouth to try him, when the following sentence was pronounced:--"That in their opinion the charge against Admiral Keppel is malicious and ill-founded, it having appeared that the said admiral, so far from having, by misconduct or neglect of duty on the days therein alluded to, lost an opportunity of rendering essential service to the State, and thereby tarnished the honour of the British Navy, behaved as became a judicious, brave, and experienced officer." On the following day Admiral Keppel received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament. Not long after this the "gallant _Arethusa_" was wrecked upon the rocks near Ushant, in pursuit of an enemy. The crew were saved, and treated by the French with great humanity. On the 15th of June, 1779, his Royal Highness Prince William Henry embarked on board his majesty's ship _Prince George_, 90 guns, to serve as a midshipman in the navy. The next day a proclamation was issued to commence hostilities against Spain, in consequence of the hostile attitude that country had assumed. The first Spanish ship captured during the war was taken by the _Pearl_, of 32 guns, commanded by Captain George Montague, during a cruise off the Western Islands. After an action which lasted from half-past nine till half-past eleven, she struck, and proved to be the _Santa Armonica_, a Spanish frigate of 32 guns and 271 men, 38 of whom were killed and 45 wounded. The _Pearl_ had 12 killed and 10 wounded. Admiral Byron, though a gallant officer, appears always to have been unfortunate. In the last engagement which took place while he commanded the British fleet on the American station, Comte D'Estaing managed to pass him and escape after severely mauling his ships, when 103 men were killed and 346 wounded, though the French loss amounted to 1200 men killed and 1500 wounded. At this time the want of active flag-officers was severely felt. Promotions were exceedingly slow, so that it was not until officers were nearly superannuated that they attained to that rank. The junior captain promoted in 1779 to the rank of rear-admiral was Sir John Lockhart Rose, who had been twenty-three years on the list of post-captains. Others had been a still longer time. The French ships also had a great advantage in being coppered, besides which, though respectively carrying the same number of guns as the British, they were much larger vessels.