exing
to leeward; so that in leading down to their centre I had both
their van and rear abaft the beam before the fire opened; every
alternate ship was about a cable's length to windward of her
second ahead and astern, forming a kind of double line, and
appeared, when on their beam, to leave a very little interval
between them, and this without crowding their ships. Admiral
Villeneuve was in the _Bucentaure_ in the centre, and the
_Prince of Asturias_ bore Gravina's flag in the rear, but the
French and Spanish ships were mixed without any apparent regard
to order of national squadron.

As the mode of our attack had been previously determined upon,
and communicated to the flag officers and captains, few signals
were necessary, and none were made except to direct close order
as the lines bore down. The Commander-in-Chief in the _Victory_
led the weather column, and the _Royal Sovereign_, which bore my
flag, the lee. The action began at twelve o'clock by the leading
ships of the column breaking through the enemy's line; the
Commander-in-Chief about the tenth ship from the van; the
second-in-command about the twelfth from the rear, leaving the
van of the enemy unoccupied; the succeeding ships breaking
through in all parts, astern of their leaders, and engaging the
enemy at the muzzles of their guns. The conflict was severe; the
enemy's ships were fought with a gallantry highly honourable to
their officers; but the attack on them was irresistible, and it
pleased the Almighty Disposer of all events to grant his
Majesty's arms a complete and glorious victory. About three
p.m., many of the enemy's ships having struck their colours,
their line gave way; Admiral Gravina, with ten ships joining
their frigates to leewards, stood towards Cadiz. The five
headmost ships of their van tacked, and standing to the
southward, to windward of the British line, were engaged, and
the sternmost of them taken; the others went off, leaving to his
Majesty's squadron nineteen ships of the line (of which two are
first-rates, the _Santissima Trinidad_, and the _Santa Anna_),
with three flag officers, viz. Admiral Villeneuve, the
Commander-in-Chief; Don Ignacio Maria D'Alava, Vice-Admiral; and
the Spanish Rear-Admiral Don Baltazar Hidalgo Cisneros.

After such a victory it may appear unnecessary to