ead through about the twelfth ship from the rear (or wherever
he[5] could fetch, if not able to get as far advanced). My line
would lead through about their centre; and the advanced squadron to
cut two, three, or four ships ahead of their centre, so far as to
ensure getting at their commander-in-chief on whom every effort must
be made to capture.

The whole impression of the British fleet must be to overpower from
two to three ships ahead of their commander-in-chief, supposed to be
in the centre, to the rear of their fleet. I will suppose twenty sail
of the enemy's line to be untouched; it must be some time before they
could perform a manoeuvre to bring their force compact to attack any
part of the British fleet engaged, or to succour their own ships;
which indeed would be impossible, without mixing with the ships
engaged.[6]

Something must be left to chance; nothing is sure in a sea fight
beyond all others. Shots will carry away the masts[7] and yards of
friends as well as foes; but I look with confidence to a victory
before the van of the enemy could succour their rear;[8] and then
the British fleet would most of them be ready to receive their twenty
sail of the line, or to pursue them, should they endeavour to make
off.

If the van of the enemy tacks, the captured ships must run to leeward
of the British fleet; if the enemy wears, the British must place
themselves between the enemy and the captured and disabled British
ships; and should the enemy close, I have no fears as to the result.

The second in command will, in all possible things, direct the
movements of his line, by keeping them as compact as the nature of the
circumstances will admit. Captains are to look to their particular
line as their rallying point. But in case signals can neither be seen
nor perfectly understood, no captain can do very wrong if he places
his ship alongside that of an enemy.

Of the intended attack from to-windward, the enemy in the line of
battle ready to attack.

[Illustration][9]

The divisions of the British fleet[10] will be brought nearly within
gunshot of the enemy's centre. The signal will most probably be made
for the lee line to bear up together, to set all their sails, even
steering sails[11] in order to get as quickly as possible to the
enemy's line and to cut through, beginning from the twelfth ship from
the enemy's rear.[12] Some ships may not get through their exact
place; but they will always be at hand to as