THE 17TII OF OCTOBER. 369 towards the forts her starboard, or fighting broad- chap. side. Even in the dead calm that there was on "^^^^^ that day, the moving of great ships by means of steamers lashed to their sides turned out to be a slow process ; * and, although the Queen, some nunutes earlier, had made such way as to be al- ready at anchor in the midst of the French fleet, it was not until half-past two o'clock that the Britannia and the vessels which followed her began to range in line of battle, and successively to open their fli'e.f If the ships of the French combined lleet and of Dundas's main division had ranged fornfea np in lines perfectly straight, their united array French would have formed an obtuse angle, at the point iisu fleets, where the French left was touched by the English right ; | but, there being by chance a slight bend in both the French and the English lines, the two formed together an arc. This arc enclosed the approach to Sebastopol, with a span nearly two miles in length ; but at a distance of more than 2000 yards from the entrance of the roadstead, and at a distance, also, of from 1600 to 1800
- There was great difSeulty in steering ships propelled in
this manner ; and even the single process of getting the ship's head into the right direction after weigliing anchor proved to be a tedious one. t It was at half-past two o'clock that the Britannia herself cast anchor (log of Britannia) ; but the Queen was in advance, and had anchored, some minutes before, amongst the Frencli ships with the Henry IV. on her bow. — Log of the Queen. The Trafalgar, the Vengeance, the Bellerophon, and the Rodney were close following, and preparing to range in prolongation of (he line.
- The French line being N.X.K., .and the English N.E.
VOL. IV. 2 A
