Exmouth treated the problem before him.  Furnished, thanks to his own foresight and Warde’s efficiency, with reliable information concerning the preparations of the enemy, he calculated the dispositions necessary to meet them and to crush their fire.  Having assigned to the hostile works, severally and collectively, the force needed to overbear them, and having arranged the anchoring positions for the vessels of his command with reference to the especial task of each, as well as for mutual support, he had substantially his plan of battle, afterwards communicated to the fleet before going into action; and the same data afforded the foundation for his statement to the Government of the number and character of ships needed for success.

To the surprise of the Admiralty, Lord Exmouth asked for but five ships-of-the-line, five frigates, and five smaller vessels, to which were added four mortar boats to play upon the town and arsenal.  When met with expressions of doubt, he replied, “I am satisfied, and take the responsibility entirely upon myself.”  To satisfy the hesitancy of the Government, he left with the Secretary to the Admiralty a written statement that his every requirement had been fulfilled, and that to him alone, therefore, would failure from deficient power be attributable.  On the eve of departure he said to his brother Israel, “If they open fire when the ships are coming up, and cripple them in their masts, the difficulty and loss will be greater; but if they allow us to take our stations, I am sure of them, for I know that nothing can resist a line-of-battle ship’s fire.”  He trusted to the extreme care of his preparations, which neglected no particular of equipment or organization, elaborating every detail of training and discipline, and providing, by the most diligent foresight and minute instruction, that each officer concerned should know exactly what was expected of him.  In short, it was to perfection of quality, and not to an unwieldy bulk of superfluous quantity, that Exmouth confided his fortunes in this last hazard.

The fleet sailed from England on the 28th of July, 1816, was joined at Gibraltar by a Dutch squadron of five frigates, whose commander asked to share the coming contest, and on the 26th of August was off the north point of Algiers Bay, some twenty miles from the town.  At daybreak the next morning, the weather being almost calm, a flag of truce was sent in, bearing the British demands.  During its absence a breeze from the sea sprang up, and the fleet stood in to a mile from the works, where it stopped to await the reply.  At two P.M. the boat was seen returning, with the signal that no answer had been given.  The flag-ship queried, “Are you ready?” Each ship at once replied, “Yes;” and all filling away together stood down to the attack, the admiral leading.