makes perfectly apparent the
point at issue, his own plan, the ideas running in his head as he made
his successive signals, the misconceptions of the juniors, and the
consequent fiasco. It must be said, however, that, granting the facts
as they seem certainly to have occurred, no misunderstanding, no
technical verbal allegation, can justify a military stupidity so great
as that of which he complained. There are occasions in which not only
is literal disobedience permissible, but literal obedience, flying in
the face of the evident conditions, becomes a crime.

At 8 in the morning, Rodney had made a general signal of his purpose
to attack the enemy's rear. This, having been understood and answered,
was hauled down; all juniors had been acquainted with a general
purpose, to which the subsequent manoeuvres were to lead. How he meant
to carry out his intention was evidenced by the consecutive course
of action while on that tack,--the starboard; when the time came, the
fleet bore up together, in line abreast, standing for the French rear.
This attempt, being balked then by de Guichen's wearing, was renewed
two hours later; only in place of the signal to form line abreast,
was made one to alter the course to port,--towards the enemy. As this
followed immediately upon that to prepare for battle, it indicated
almost beyond question, that Rodney wished, for reasons of the moment,
to run down at first in a slanting direction,--not in line abreast,
as before,--ships taking course and interval from the flagship. Later
again, at 11.50, the signal was made, "agreeable to the 21st Article
of the Additional Fighting Instructions, for every ship to steer
for her opposite in the enemy's line;" and here the trouble began.
Rodney meant the ship opposite when the signal was hauled down. He
had steered slanting, till he had gained as nearly as possible the
position he wanted, probably till within long range; then it was
desirable to cover the remaining ground as rapidly and orderly as
possible, for which purpose the enemy's ship then abreast gave each
of his fleet its convenient point of direction. He conceived that
his signalled purpose to attack the enemy's rear, never having been
altered, remained imperative; and further, that the signal for two
cables' length interval should govern all ships, and would tie them to
him, and to his movements, in the centre. Carkett construed "opposite"
to mean opposite in numerical order, British van ship