er before been the subject of a treatise.'

The whole system of tactics that he develops is based, like Russell's,
on the single line ahead and the independent action of squadrons. The
passages in which he elaborates the central battle idea of
concentration by doubling are as follows: 'The fleet which is the more
numerous will try to extend on the enemy in such a manner as to leave
its rearmost ships astern, which will immediately turn [_se
repliera_] upon the enemy to double him, and put him between two
fires. _Remark I_.--If the more numerous fleet has the wind it
will be able more easily to turn its rear upon that of the enemy, and
put him between two fires. But if the more numerous fleet is to
leeward it ought none the less to leave its rear astern, because the
wind may shift in the fight. Besides, the fleet that is to leeward can
edge away insensibly in fighting to give its rearmost ships a chance
of doubling on the enemy by hugging the wind. _Remark II_.--I
know that many skilful people are persuaded that you ought to double
the enemy ahead; because, if the van of the enemy is once in disorder
it falls on the rest of the fleet and throws it infallibly into
confusion.' And by the aid of diagrams he proceeds to show that this
view is unsound, because the van can easily avoid the danger while the
rear cannot. To support his view he instances the entire success with
which at the battle of La Hogue, Russell, having the superior fleet,
doubled on Tourville's rear.

'To prevent being doubled,' he proceeds, 'you must absolutely prevent
the enemy from leaving ships astern of you, and to that end you may
adopt several devices when you are much inferior in number.

'I. If we have the wind we may leave some of the enemy's leading ships
alone, and cause our van to fall on their second division. In this
manner their first division will be practically useless, and if it
forces sail to tack upon us it will lose much time, and will put
itself in danger of being isolated by the calm which generally befalls
in this sort of action by reason of the great noise of the guns. We
may also leave a great gap in the centre of our fleet, provided the
necessary precautions be taken to prevent our van being cut off. By
these means, however inferior we be in numbers, we may prevent the
enemy leaving ships astern of us. _Example_.--Everyone did not
disapprove the manner in which Admiral Herbert disposed his fleet when
he engaged the French in