So in this case, certain of De Grasse's ships were either so leewardly or so ill handled that the bulk of the fleet, which had gained considerably to windward, had to bear down to them, thus losing the ground won.
Thus they were less able than ships of later days to overtake an enemy, or to keep off a lee shore, while more intricate administration and more ships were required to maintain the efficiency of the squadron by a system of reliefs.
Where the enemy's ships werecaught in the act of turning, they drove into them with the stem, ramming and sinking them.
Ships were called in from the north, and about the middle of June the king stood over to Blankenberg on the coast of Flanders.
Taken at a disadvantage, and scattered at the moment of attack, the Monk's ships were overpowered in detail.
In the troubled times of the Lancastrian line the king's ships were few, but it does not seem that at any period he was wholly without some of his own.
The same misfortune befell others; by evening, the fire of the besieged gained a marked superiority, and by one o'clock in the morning the greater part of the battering-ships were in flames.
At every breach of the sea frontier, war-ships were entering.
Gifts of ships were made by cities, by corporations, and by private subscriptions.
For this urgent and critical service it was determined to concentrate the whole Channel Fleet at Spithead, where also the transports and supply-ships were directed to rendezvous.
As a diversion from the main effort, and to cover the crossing of the troops, two detachments of ships were ordered to pass the batteries on the Hudson and East rivers.
As it was now getting dusk the searchlights of the air-ships were turned on, and they swept along the southern line of battle flashing the signal, "Victory!
Howard's ships were soon in a position to resume the "fighting loose" tactics of the first battle, and the Spaniards knew that at this game they were the losers.
The orders were that as they closed with the enemy the ships were to bear up on to a course parallel to that of the Dutch and engage in line ahead, division to division and broadside to broadside.
This meant less fouling while the ships were waiting at their anchorage, and therefore better speed for the English when they put to sea.
They tried to ride out the gale, but anchors dragged and hundreds of ships were piled in shattered masses on the shore.
If I had had my fleet upon the sea, it would have been an easy matter to restore its discipline, but my ships were, in fact, only so many tents, into which entered freely all the bad influences of which I speak.
A number of merchant-ships were anchored in the harbor, and there was quite an air of stir, and thrift, about the quays.
Ships were frequently in sight, but they all proved to be neutral.
Drifting down on the Danish fleet Three together the ships were lashed, So that neither should turn and retreat; In the midst, but in front of the rest The burnished crest Of the Serpent flashed.
Then as together the vessels crashed, Eric severed the cables of hide, With which King Olaf's ships were lashed, And left them to drive and drift With the currents swift Of the outward tide.
As will presently be seen, men as well as ships were contributed by the Cinque Ports for the defence of the realm, and Tenterden received its charter in 1449, in order that it might assist Rye to discharge its obligations.
In 1667, again, fire-ships were employed in the daring raid made by the Dutch in the Thames and Medway.
Fire-ships were sent to destroy the English ships.
That if a Passage was made by any other Way than where the Ships were to be stationed to intercept the Boston Men, or they accidentally passed such Ships, the Viceroys might order a Look-out also to be kept.
Soon after the Gaut river was frozen, and Erling's ships were fast in the ice; and the bondes kept back the mulct, and lay assembled for some time.
But at last it came to this, that all King Olaf Trygvason's ships were cleared of men except the Long Serpent, on board of which all who could still carry their arms were gathered.
He gave the emperor all his ships; and the valuable figureheads which were on the king's ships were set up in Peter's church, where they have since been to be seen.
The sea-fight which followed was chiefly an artillery combat; most of the Zamorin's ships were sunk, and it is said that 3000 Muhammadans perished and not more than six or eight Portuguese.
Some of these men had gone over to the Muhammadan camp when the Portuguese ships were blockaded in the harbour of Goa in 1510, and the others had left Goa during the recent siege.
Long cruising in fleets had given our officers a complete knowledge of the qualities of their vessels as compared with others--a very necessary kind of knowledge indeed when a number of ships were to manœuvre together.
But the seamanship of officers and men was equal to the danger, and before night the war-ships were out of shoal water, and had rejoined the transports of the convoy, which had been kept out to sea.
Of these, ships were furnished by Chios, Lesbos, and Corcyra, infantry and money by the rest.
Fire-ships were, indeed, of far earlier date than the days of Richard the First.
The ordinary war-ships were triremes, or had three banks of oars.
The above list will hopefully provide you with a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "ships were" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this group of words.
