Thus explained, the movement was executed, but the favourable moment had passed.

It was not till 2.30 that the manoeuvre was evident to the British.
[Illustration] As soon as Keppel recognised his opponent's intention, he wore the _Victory_ again, (d), a few minutes after 3 P.M., and stood slowly down, on the starboard tack _off the wind_, towards his crippled ships in the south-south-east, keeping aloft the signal for the line of battle, which commanded every manageable ship to get to her station (Fig.

3, C).

As this deliberate movement was away from the enemy, (F), Palliser tried afterwards to fix upon it the stigma of flight,--a preposterous extravagancy.

Harland put his division about at once and joined the Admiral.