disabled ship; but we must observe that by this time the ships ahead in the van of A may be engaged, and consequently, not having much headway, are nearly stationary, so that each ship astern, in attempting to bear down, as at D, D, may be confined to a certain course, and must run the risk of being raked in coming down before the wind, and consequently, of being disabled before coming up with the enemy.

Thirdly, the van of the fleet B having attained their station at A, abreast of the van of F, Fig. 52, and having begun the action, the van

as at H, followed by the rest of the fleet F, which, after ex

I

Fig. 53.

changing broadsides with

T the van of B, may draw

up in a new line two or

three miles to leeward, at I, I, Fig. 53.

Suppose, again, for further illustration, that B, Fig. 54,

Fig. 54.

B

A

H

represents a fleet putting before the wind, each ship intending, when brought to at a determined distance at A, to take up her particular antagonist in the line of the enemy, F, to leeward; and let F be supposed at rest, without any motion ahead. It is easy to conceive that, while the

alternate ships of F's line, under cover of the smoke, withdraw from battle to G, G, G, the intermediate ships left behind them in the line will be sufficient to amuse even the

Fig. 55.

whole of B's fleet, till the ships G shall form a new line H, as a support from the leeward. In such case B, after being disabled, and not having foreseen the manœuvre, will neither be able to prevent the intermediate ships with which he is engaged from bearing away to join their friends, nor, were he able, would it be advisable to follow them; for the same manœuvre, with equal success, can again and again be repeated. To explain the relative motion of these two fleets, let F, Fig. 55, represent a fleet of twelve ships in line of battle, a cable's length asunder, and suppose the length of each ship from the end of the jib-boom to the stern to be 36 fathoms. The whole fleet will occupy a space of two English miles; and if it be supposed to sail

in the direction F

B

D

1

G, at the rate of four knots an hour, it will in an hour have moved to G, four miles from its former position.

Now, let there be an opposite fleet B, also twelve ships, situated four miles to windward, and let the point A be a quarter of a mile right to windward of the point G. Then, if B, by bearing away in the direction B A, gain the point A at the same time

Secondly, in Fig. 56, if F, by carrying more sail, move at the rate of six miles an hour from F to G, then B, with a more slanting course, will have more difficulty in keeping the line abreast while coming down to the attack, owing to the additional obstruction which will attend each succeeding ship in such a slanting course. Again, if the leeward fleet shall lie up one point higher, as F G, Fig. 57, the rears of the

his ships in succession, may disable the van of A, and afterwards bear away at pleasure with little injury, as at H. Now B being supposed disabled, and having his rear D, distracted, will be unable to prevent F from escaping.

From these considerations, it appears that a fleet to windward, by extending its line of battle, with a view to stop and attack the whole line of an enemy's fleet to leeward, must labour under considerable disadvantages, and will scarcely succeed in the attempt.

New Mode of Attack from the Windward.

On these principles Mr. Clerk explains the reason why the French fleets so repeatedly escaped from the English without any serious defeat or loss, viz., by avoiding a general engagement, and disabling the English van as it bore down to attack them. He therefore recommends a different mode of attack from the windward, which we shall proceed to illustrate by proper diagrams.

Let F, Fig. 58, represent a fleet in line of battle, under easy sail, willing to avoid an action, but ready to receive an attack in the usual way, from another fleet B, three or four miles to windward, arranged in three columps. How shall

B make the attack on F, so as, without aiming at the impro

bable advantage of taking or destroying the greater part of this fleet, they may secure three or four of the sternmost ships? Mr. Clerk advises that a sufficient strength be detached to secure these ships, while the chief commander keeps aloof with the rest of his fleet, disposed as in the figure, ready to make the necessary observations, and give the requisite support to the detached ships. If F continues to avoid an action by standing on in line, the detachment, coming into the position B A, will secure the three ships at I; and if the headmost ships of F were to tack, and be followed by the rest in succession, as

in Fig. 59, not only

Fig. 59.

two more, as G, will be exposed to an attack from another squadron of B, at C. If all the ships of F tack together, as

in Fig. 60, the delay, and probably the confusion, consequent on this manœuvre, will still more endanger the sternmost

ships, or will bring on a general and close action.

F

Again, if

attempts to haul off, beginning with his sternmost ship G, and then runs to leeward, as at Fig. 61, he will expose his ships to a raking fire from B, and still endanger his sternmost ships, by getting too far to leeward for their support; or, if

M

the headmost ships at H, Fig. 62, veer first, and be followed

avoiding an attack from an equal or superior to windward, as here advised, by preserving the line, will risk the loss of three or more of their sternmost ships.

Fig. 64.

eee

Now, let us suppose that F, while standing on a line on the larboard tack, when threatened with an attack on his rear from B, veers and passes on opposite tacks to leeward. (See Fig. 63.) The consequence of this will be, that his headmost ships will be forced to leeward by B; and compelled to engage under disadvantageous circumstances; and the disadvantage to F will be

B

F

G

much the same, whether he again veers and resumes his

Fig. 65.

ee

former position, as at G, Fig. 64, or stands on before the wind as at P, Fig. 65.

We have hitherto supposed that the wind has been fixed to one point; but let us suppose it to shift,

and let us inquire what will be the effect of such a circumstance on the two lines F and B. While the fleets are in the former position, F in line, and B in four divisions, B, B, B, A,