Shortly afterwards another fire-vessel approached on the starboard-quarter, but the _Ocean's_ guns cut away her main-mast, and wearing, she passed close alongside. For the remainder of the night vessels were seen burning on all sides. Daylight revealed the French fleet in a deplorable condition; the _Ocean_ on the mud at a distance of half-a-mile to the south-east of the anchorage in Aix Road; to the south-east of her, about fifteen hundred yards off, on a rocky bed, lay the _Varsovie_ and _Aquilon_, and close to them on somewhat better ground the _Regulus_ and _Jemappes_. The _Tonnerre_, already bilged, and her main-mast cut away, and most of her guns hove overboard, lay at the entrance of the Charente, and at some distance off the _Calcutta_, close to the wreck of the _Jean Bart_. The _Patriote_ and _Tourville_ also lay not far from the channel of the Charente. Four frigates were also on shore in the same direction. All the grounded ships were more or less on the heel--those on the Pallas Shoal in a very desperate condition. Thus, although the fire-vessels had not caused the immediate destruction of any of the French fleet, they had been the means of reducing nearly the whole of them to a comparatively defenceless state. Lord Cochrane, in the _Imperieuse_, being the nearest English ship, was the first to perceive their condition, and immediately telegraphed, "The fleet can destroy the enemy--seven on shore;" at 6:40, "Eleven on shore;" and at 9:30, "Enemy preparing to heave off." At first it was hoped that Lord Gambier would immediately stand in and complete the destruction of the helpless enemy; and there can be little doubt, had such men as Sir Sidney Smith or Lord Cochrane himself been in command, such would have been accomplished; but Lord Gambier, afraid of risking the loss of the whole fleet by venturing among the shoals, called his captains on board, held a council of war, and allowed the favourable time to pass by. The tide rising enabled several of the ships to get afloat, and run up the Charente out of the way of danger. The _Imperieuse_, without waiting for orders, after signalling for assistance, stood towards three of the French ships, the _Calcutta, Varsovie_, and _Aquilon_. After some time she was joined by some gun brigs and bomb-vessels, and later by the _Indefatigable_, and other frigates. She had, in the meantime, compelled the _Calcutta_ to cease firing, and the Frenchmen to abandon her. Lord Cochrane then sent a midshipman and boat's crew to take possession, when, without orders, the midshipman set her on fire, and in the evening she blew up with a tremendous explosion. The _Tonnerre_ was also set on fire by her own officers and crew, and blew up. The fire from the English ships compelled the _Varsovie_ and _Aquilon_ to submit at 5:30 p.m. Five other French ships lying on shore at the mouth of the Charente might also have been destroyed had there been any reserve of fire-vessels, but