posed to be in the centre) to the rear of their Fleet.
I will suppose twenty sail of the Enemy's line to be untouched: it must be some time before they could perform a manœuvre to bring their force compact to attack any part of the British Fleet engaged, or to succour their own ships; which indeed would be impossible, without mixing with the ships engaged. The Enemy's Fleet is supposed to consist of forty-six sail of the line; British, forty:[1] if either is less, only a proportional number of Enemy's ships are to be cut off; British to be one-fourth superior to the Enemy cut off.
Something must be left to chance: nothing is sure in a sea-fight, beyond all others; shot will carry away masts and yards of friends as well as foes: but I look with confidence to a victory before the van of the Enemy could succour their rear; and then that the British Fleet would most of them be ready to receive their twenty sail of the line, or to pursue them should they endeavour to make off.
- ↑ With such an inferiority of force as this, His Lordship confidently expected not only to gain a decisive victory, but (to use his own favourite phrase) "completely to annihilate the Enemy's Fleet!"
