ty or sixty miles westward of Cadiz; keeping up a
constant communication with the frigates in shore, by means of three or
four ships of the line placed at convenient intervals for distinguishing
the signals of each other. This distance from, the Enemy's port was
preserved by His LORDSHIP, to prevent them from being speedily
acquainted with the force of the Fleet under his command; and that he
might avoid the necessity of bearing up in bad weather, and running
with the Fleet through the Straits of Gibraltar when the westerly gales
prevailed: as the inconvenience of being forced into the Mediterranean,
had been felt by former Commanders in Chief; and would now have afforded
a favourable opportunity to the Enemy of effecting their escape from
Cadiz, or at all events have rendered their obtaining supplies less
difficult.

On the 1st of October Admiral LOUIS joined the Fleet, with a part of his
squadron (the Canopus, Spencer, and Tigre), from before Cadiz; and
departed the next day with those ships, the Queen, and the Zealous, for
Gibraltar, to procure a supply of provisions, stores, and water, which
they were much in want of. On the 4th he rejoined with his squadron;
having received intelligence from the Euryalus by telegraph, that the
French ships in Cadiz were embarking their troops, and preparing to
sail. Lord NELSON however conceived this to be merely intended as a
stratagem, to draw him nearer to Cadiz, for the purpose of obtaining a
knowledge of his force; and therefore directed Admiral LOUIS to proceed
in the execution of the orders before delivered to him.

Between the 7th and the 13th, His LORDSHIP was reinforced by the Royal
Sovereign, Belleisle, Defiance, Agamemnon, and Africa, from England, and
the Leviathan from Gibraltar. The Agamemnon, Sir EDWARD BERRY, joined on
the 13th;[1] with intelligence that she had been chased on the coast of
Portugal a few days before by an Enemy's squadron, consisting of six
sail of the line.

On the 13th in the evening, Sir ROBERT CALDER, in his Majesty's ship
the Prince of Wales, parted company with the Fleet, on his return to
England. His departure Lord NELSON had some days before evinced an
anxious wish to procrastinate, and was heard that very day to declare
his firm belief that the Combined Fleets would be at sea in the course
of ten days or a fortnight.[2]

On the 18th the Donegal, Captain MALCOLM, left the Fleet for Gibraltar.
On the 19th his Majesty's ships the Colossus