e _Intrepid_ without a signal, because it would
be breaking the order. These were all good men.

The Court, composed of four admirals and nine captains, the junior of
whom had over ten years seniority, give in their finding no shadow of
disapproval to the broad outlines of the action. There can be,
therefore, no doubt about service standards. The questions put to the
witnesses reveal indeed a distinct preference for forming the line of
battle _parallel_ to that of the enemy before bearing down, so that all
the ships may have the same distance to go, have a clear field ahead of
each, and the comparatively simple mutual bearing of "abeam" to observe;
but it refrains from censuring the admiral for forming on a line very
oblique to that of the enemy, which entailed the burden of changing the
relative positions during standing down, so as to arrive all together,
on a line parallel to his; while the course itself being oblique alike
to their own front and the enemy's, each preceding ship was liable to
get in the way, "to prove an impediment," to its follower,--as actually
happened. It was indeed impossible to fault the commander-in-chief in
this particular, because his action was conformable to the letter of the
Instructions, with which he was evidently and subserviently eager to
comply.

The decision of the Court therefore was, in substance, that in bearing
down upon the enemy Byng did not do wrong in starting upon a line
oblique to them; but that he should have steered such a course, and
maintained such spread of sail, graduated to the speed of the slowest
ship in the fleet, that all should reach point-blank range at the same
time, and be then ranged on a line parallel to that of the enemy. "When
on the starboard tack, the admiral should have tacked the fleet all
together and immediately conducted it on a direct course for the
enemy; ... each ship steering for her opposite ship in the enemy's line,
and under such sail as might have enabled the worst sailing ship, under
all her plain sail, to preserve her station." It is needless to insist with
any naval man, or to any soldier, that such an advance, in orderly
fashion, oblique to the front, is unattainable except by long drill,
while this fleet had been but a few weeks assembled; and the difficulty
is enhanced when each ship has not only to keep its station in line, but
to reach a particular enemy, who may not be just where he ought, having
respect to the British order. The