that
the two southern Danes, by this concentration of fire upon them, would
be speedily silenced; and their immediate antagonists had orders, when
that was done, to cut their cables and go north, to reinforce the
fight in that quarter. The sooner to attain this end, a frigate and
some smaller vessels were told off to take position across the bows of
the two blockships, and to keep a raking fire upon them.

The dispositions for the other British vessels were more simple. They
were to follow along the outer side of their own engaged ships, each
one anchoring as it cleared the headmost ship already in
action,--number six ahead of number five, number seven of number
six,--so that the twelfth would be abreast the twentieth Dane. One
ship-of-the-line was of course thought equivalent to two or three
floating batteries, if opposed to them in an interval. By this
arrangement, each of the British was covered in its advance, until it
reached its prescribed antagonist as nearly fresh as possible, and the
order of the British column was reversed from end to end.[31] A
division of frigates and fireships, under Captain Riou, was held ready
for any special service. The bomb-vessels were to anchor in the King's
Channel, but well outside the line of battle, from which position
they threw some bombs. Alongside each ship-of-the-line was towed a
flat-boat, intended to carry soldiers in an attempt to storm the
Trekroner, if circumstances favored; and other boats were sent for
that purpose from Parker's division.

These orders were copied, and ready for distribution, by six in the
morning. Nelson, who was already up and had breakfasted, signalled at
seven for all captains, and by eight these had their instructions. The
wind had become so fair that ships anchoring by the stern would lie
perfectly well for using their broadsides at once. At this instant
indecision appeared among the pilots, who were mostly men of only a
little local experience, and that gained in vessels much smaller than
those they were now to conduct. Nelson, reverting afterwards to these
moments, said: "I experienced in the Sound the misery of having the
honour of our Country intrusted to pilots, who have no other thought
than to keep the ship clear of danger, and their own silly heads clear
of shot. At eight in the morning of the 2d of April, not one pilot
would take charge of a ship." There is in these words scarcely fair
allowance for the men's ignorance. At length one