Some bad weather and adverse winds were experienced by the Victory in crossing the Bay of Biscay, and on the 27th Cape St. Vincent was seen.  Lord Nelson had dispatched the Euryalus ahead on the preceding day, to acquaint Admiral Collingwood with his approach; and to direct that no salute should take place, nor any public compliments be paid to his flag, on his assuming the command, as he wished the Enemy to be kept ignorant of a reinforcement being received by the British Fleet.  In the evening of the 28th, the Victory joined the Fleet; now consisting of twenty-seven ships of the line, including the Victory, Ajax, and Thunderer:  the city of Cadiz was seen distant about fifteen miles, with the Combined Fleets at anchor; and Admiral Louis, with five or six ships under his command, close in shore, watching the motions of the Enemy.

On the 29th, prompt and decisive measures were adopted to prevent the Enemy from receiving any supplies of provisions by sea, which His Lordship was informed they were very much distressed for:  cruizers were stationed off the Capes St. Vincent, St. Mary’s, and Trafalgar; and the frigates Euryalus and Hydra were ordered to keep off the entrance of Cadiz.  His Lordship now retired with the Fleet to the vicinity of Cape St. Mary’s, about fifty or sixty miles westward of Cadiz; keeping up a constant communication with the frigates in shore, by means of three or four ships of the line placed at convenient intervals for distinguishing the signals of each other.  This distance from, the Enemy’s port was preserved by His Lordship, to prevent them from being speedily acquainted with the force of the Fleet under his command; and that he might avoid the necessity of bearing up in bad weather, and running with the Fleet through the Straits of Gibraltar when the westerly gales prevailed:  as the inconvenience of being forced into the Mediterranean, had been felt by former Commanders in Chief; and would now have afforded a favourable opportunity to the Enemy of effecting their escape from Cadiz, or at all events have rendered their obtaining supplies less difficult.

On the 1st of October Admiral Louis joined the Fleet, with a part of his squadron (the Canopus, Spencer, and Tigre), from before Cadiz; and departed the next day with those ships, the Queen, and the Zealous, for Gibraltar, to procure a supply of provisions, stores, and water, which they were much in want of.  On the 4th he rejoined with his squadron; having received intelligence from the Euryalus by telegraph, that the French ships in Cadiz were embarking their troops, and preparing to sail.  Lord Nelson however conceived this to be merely intended as a stratagem, to draw him nearer to Cadiz, for the purpose of obtaining a knowledge of his force; and therefore directed Admiral Louis to proceed in the execution of the orders before delivered to him.

Between the 7th and the 13th, His Lordship was reinforced by the Royal Sovereign, Belleisle, Defiance, Agamemnon, and Africa, from England, and the Leviathan from Gibraltar.  The Agamemnon, Sir Edward Berry, joined on the 13th;[1] with intelligence that she had been chased on the coast of Portugal a few days before by an Enemy’s squadron, consisting of six sail of the line.