FOOTNOTES: 

[1] Sir Harris Nicolas states that he took his text from an ’Autograph [he means holograph] draught in the possession of Vice-Admiral Sir George Mundy, K.C.B., except the words in italics which were added by Mr. Scott, Lord Nelson’s secretary:  and from the original issued to Captain Hope of the Defence, now in possession of his son, Captain Hope, R.N.’

[2] Lord Nelson originally wrote here but deleted ’in fact command his line and.’—­Nicolas.

[3] Lord Nelson originally wrote here but deleted ’I shall suppose them forty-six sail in the line of battle.’—­Nicolas.

[4] Originally ‘your’ but deleted.—­Ibid.

[5] Originally ‘you’ but deleted.—­Ibid.

[6] In the upper margin of the paper Lord Nelson wrote and Mr. Scott added to it a reference, as marked in the text—­’the enemy’s fleet is supposed to consist of 46 sail of the line, British fleet 40.  If either be less, only a proportionate number of enemy’s ships are to be cut off:  B. to be 1/4 superior to the E. cut off.—­Ibid.

[7] The Barham copy reads ‘a mast.’

[8] Originally ’friends.’—­Nicolas.

[9] This is the only diagram found in either of Nelson’s memoranda.  It is not in the Barham copy.

[10] Nelson presumably means the two main divisions as distinguished from the ‘advanced squadron.’  This distinction is general in the correspondence of his officers and accords with the arrangement as shown in the diagram.  The Barham copy has ‘division’ in the singular, as though Nelson intended to specify one division only.  It is probably a copyist’s error.

[11] In the upper margin of the paper, and referred to by Lord Nelson as in the text ’Vide instructions for signal yellow with blue fly.  Page 17, Eighth Flag, Signal Book, with reference to Appendix.’—­Nicolas.  Steering-sail, according to Admiral Smyth (Sailors’ Word-Book, p. 654), was ‘an incorrect name for a studding sail,’ but it seems to have been in common use in Nelson’s time.

[12] The Barham copy reads ‘their rear.’

[13] The Barham copy ends here.  The second sheet has not been found.

NELSON AND BRONTE.[1]

INSTRUCTIONS AFTER TRAFALGAR

INTRODUCTORY

The various tactical memoranda issued after Trafalgar by flag officers in command of fleets are amongst the most interesting of the whole series.  The unsettled state of opinion which they display as the result of Nelson’s memorandum is very remarkable; for with one exception they seem to show that the great tactical principles it contained had been generally misunderstood to a surprising extent.  The failure to fathom its meaning is to be accounted for largely by the lack of theoretical training, which made the science of tactics, as distinguished from its practice,