men of actual experience, he had a twelve-pounder gun placed on the after part of the Queen Charlotte's quarter-deck, and hung a small target, with a very small bull's-eye, at the end of the fore-topmast studding-sail boom, at which all the captains of guns practised every day, so that they acquired not only the habit of laying and working their guns according to rule, but also the art of laying them to good purpose, and many of them became crack shots before they came within sight of the enemy.
The crews were thus kept active and elated; in good health, and filled with respect for the wisdom and knowledge of those in command, as well as with confidence in their own capacity to obey orders with promptitude, unity of action, and vigorous effect.
Half the battles of life, moral as well as physical, are gained by such confidence, founded on experience,—the other half are lost for want of it!
The fleet comprised five line-of-battle ships, two of which were three-deckers; three heavy and two smaller frigates, besides small craft. At Gibraltar they fell in with a Dutch squadron, consisting of five small frigates and a corvette, under Vice-Admiral the Baron Van de Capellen, who asked and obtained leave to co-operate.
There were the Queen Charlotte—110 guns—the flagship of Admiral Lord Exmouth, G.C.B., under Captain James Brisbane, C.B; Impregnable, 98—
