'I mean to press hard with the whole force on the enemy's rear.'[10] Thus we see that at the very first opportunity Nelson had of enforcing his own tactical ideas he enunciated three of the principles upon which his great memorandum was based, viz.

breaking up his line of battle into three divisional lines, independent control by divisional leaders, and concentration on the enemy's rear.

All that is wanting are the elements of surprise and containing.
These, however, we see germinating in the memorandum he issued five years later off Toulon.

In that case he expected to meet the French fleet on an opposite course, and being mainly concerned in stopping it and having a slightly superior force he is content to concentrate on the van.

But, in view of the strategical necessity of making the attack in this way, he takes extra precautions which are not found in the general order of 1798.