INSTRUCTIONS
Issued by Lord Nelson to the Admirals and Captains of his Fleet, several days previous to the Battle.
Victory, off Cadiz, 10th of October, 1805.
General Memorandum sent to the Commanders of Ships.
Thinking it almost impossible to bring a Fleet of forty sail of the line into a line of battle in variable winds, thick weather, and other circumstances which must occur, without such a loss of time that the opportunity would probably be lost of bringing the Enemy to battle in such a manner as to make the business decisive, I have therefore made up my mind to keep the Fleet in that position of sailing, with the exception of the First and Second in Command, that the order of sailing is to be the order of battle: placing the Fleet in two lines, of sixteen ships each with an advanced squadron of eight of the fast-
