through the enemy's line.

'If the admiral wishes any particular conduct to be pursued by the
leader of the division, in which he happens not to be, after the line
is broken, he will of course point it out. If he does not it is to be
considered that the lee division after breaking through the line is
left to its commander.

'In performing this evolution the second astern of the leader in each
column is to pass through the line astern of the ship next ahead
[_sic_] of where her leader broke through, and so on in succession,
breaking through all parts of the enemy's line ahead [_sic_] of
their leaders as described in the plate.'

The plate represents the two columns bearing down to attack in a
strictly formed line ahead, and the ships, after the leaders have cut
through, altering course each for its proper interval in the enemy's
line, and the whole then engaging from to-leeward. The note proceeds:

'By this arrangement no ship will have to pass the whole of the
enemy's line. If however, in consequence of any circumstance, the rear
ships should not be able to cut through in their assigned places, the
captains of those ships, as well as of the ships that are deprived of
opponents in the enemy's line by this mode of attack, are to act to
the best of their judgment for the destruction of the enemy, unless a
disposition to the contrary has been previously made.

'It will be seen that by breaking the line in this order the enemy's
van ships will not be able to assist either their centre or rear
without tacking or wearing for that purpose.'

This from cover to cover of the Signal Book is the sole trace to be
found of the great principles for which Nelson had lived and
died. That Lord Keith or anyone else could have believed that it
adequately represented the teaching of Trafalgar is almost incredible.

To begin with, the wording of the note contains an inexplicable
blunder. The last paragraph shows clearly that the idea of the signal
is an attack on the rear and centre, as at Trafalgar; yet the ships of
each column as they come successively into action are told to engage
the enemy's ship _ahead_ of the point where their leaders broke
through, a movement which would resolve itself into an attack on their
centre and van, and leave the rear free to come into immediate action
with an overwhelming concentration on the lee division.

That so grave an error should have been permitted to pass into the
Signal Book is bad enough