Gun weight and the battle-line matchups

Counting ships alone obscures the balance of gun power. Princess Royal, a 90-gun second rate, was the most powerful individual ship present. The French nevertheless had two 80-gun ships and an overall advantage of roughly 176 guns. Their strength in the centre and rear created several opportunities to pair a 50-gun ship with a stronger vessel against a British opponent. One French fourth rate had been a privateer escorting a merchant convoy before it was commandeered into the fleet, so the order of battle included an improvised addition. The often-repeated French total of 25 ships of the line is uncertain because only 24 can be identified by name at the battle. Nominal fleet strength, actual presence, and the local matchups each produce a different picture of tactical pressure.