ted
with the "Victory." Thus, throughout the dark hours, signal lights and
guns flashed across the waters to Nelson instantaneous information of
every noteworthy occurrence in the hostile order.

Since the morning of the 19th, the weather, fine for some days
previous, had become unsettled, working up for the southwest gale
which wrought so much damage among the victims of the fight. As the
night of the 20th advanced, the wind fell, and at midnight there were
only light westerly breezes, inclining to calm. The same conditions
continued at dawn, and throughout the day of the 21st until after the
battle; but there was also a great swell from the westward, the
precursor of a storm. At 4 A.M. the British fleet again wore, and was
standing northeast when the day broke.

After leaving Cadiz, in order to avoid separations during the night,
or in thick weather, the combined fleets had been disposed in five
columns, a formation whose compactness, though not suited to an
engagement, was less liable to straggling than a single long line, and
brought all parts more directly under the control of the
commander-in-chief at the centre. Of the five, the two to windward, of
six ships each, constituted a reserve, similar to Nelson's proposed
detachment of eight. It was commanded by Admiral Gravina, and was
intended to reinforce such part of the battle as should appear to
require it; an object for which the windward position was of the
utmost moment, as it was for all naval initiative in that day. This
advantage the allies did not have on the morning of Trafalgar. When
Villeneuve, therefore, formed the line of battle, these twelve ships
were at once incorporated with it, taking the lead of their order as
it stood to the southward, with the wind at west-northwest,--a long
column stretching over five miles of sea from end to end.

In a general sense, then, it may be said that, when daylight showed
the enemies to each other, the British fleet was heading to the
northward, and that of the allies to the southward; the latter being
ten or twelve miles east of their opponents. In the far distance, Cape
Trafalgar, from which the battle takes its name, was just visible
against the eastern sky. At twenty minutes before seven Nelson made in
quick succession the signals, "To form the order of sailing,"--which
by his previous instructions was to be the order of battle,--and "To
prepare for battle." Ten minutes later followed the command to "Bear
up,