Trincomalee: close-action orders misread

Suffren overruled captains who opposed offensive action despite French superiority in ships, weight of shot, and allied strength ashore. A gun intended to reinforce orders to hold fire until close range was mistaken for the signal to begin long-range firing. The center then bore the battle, with Héros and two supporting ships facing six British vessels. Suffren even fired powder without shot after ammunition ran low to keep both enemy and reluctant allies uncertain. Darkness ended an action that again demonstrated the gap between his tactical intention and his squadron's execution.