The order, however, which Grenier worked out--that of three lines of bearing disposed on three sides of a lozenge--was somewhat fantastic and cumbrous, and it seems to have been enough to secure for his clever treatise complete neglect.

It had even less effect on French tactics than had Nelson's memorandum on our own.

This is all the more curious, for so thoroughly was the change that was coming over English tactics understood in France that Villeneuve knew quite well the kind of attack Nelson would be likely to make.

In his General Instructions, issued in anticipation of the battle, he says: 'The enemy will not confine themselves to forming a line parallel to ours....

They will try to envelope our rear, to break our line, and to throw upon those of our ships that they cut off, groups of their own to surround and crush them.' Yet he could not get away from the dictum of De Grasse, and was able to think of no better way of meeting such an attack than awaiting it 'in a single line of battle well closed up.' In England things were little better.