progress of time, so also have those between single vessels. At a period when many of the distinguished seamen of whom France is proud fought their battles, boarding was the species of attack which was exclusively preferred; but this has been discontinued for a long time, in consequence of the progress of naval improvements. At this time, more than ever, actions at sea are battles of artillery and of manœuvres, and the officer who, preoccupied with the idea of boarding, should not seek, and constantly endeavour to preserve, a position favourable for the use of his guns, would soon experience such injuries as would paralyze his bravery, by depriving him of the power of profiting of chances for boarding which might afterwards present themselves. The means of securing success in a sea-fight, is to use the guns skilfully; it is, therefore, indispensable that thorough attention should be given to their exercise beforehand; that the captains of guns and others should be good marksmen; and that the whole crew should be instructed in the best manner in the management of the ship, so that they may feel great confidence whenever anything is to be undertaken or executed. A ship, thus prepared, may suddenly approach an enemy with safety, or, if necessary, try her skill in inflicting gradual injury, by well-directed shot. If the vessel attacked is to leeward, it may be advantageous for her to steer with the wind abeam, under a press of sail, to compel the assailant to do the same, and perhaps interfere with the use of his guns, or, by repeatedly changing her tack, profit by the position of the enemy, who must approach end on. The assailant, if to windward, will determine whether it will be best for him to take a position on the weather-bow of the enemy, engage upon opposite tacks, then go about and place himself on the weather-quarter, which is often the best position; or stand across his stern and take a station upon the lee-quarter, notwithstanding the inconveniences of that situation: whichever may be adopted, it is proper to observe, that an injury inflicted early upon the enemy, by well-directed shot, may greatly shorten the action. If an adversary is allowed to take the lead in manœuvres, and to engage at that distance and under those circumstances which may be most favourable to him; or in an action, broadside to broadside, an enemy betrays any indecision, and an overwhelming fire shall have cleared his upper decks, then a change of the helm only, and a sudden movement, may be all that is necessary to finish suddenly, by boarding, an action already so far advanced by the effect of the guns. It may also happen that some failure in the evolutions of the enemy, or some new error, will present a favourable opportunity, which an able opponent will not fail to improve. In fleets and squadrons, in the disorder of a broken line and intermixture of friends and foes, opportunities for boarding will be more frequent and less difficult. The result will be in proportion to the energies of the measures adopted. Circumstances may occur, when, notwithstanding great disproportion of force, a vessel may save others, or obtain favourable chances for herself, by her devotedness or her boldness in closing so near an enemy as to inspire a fear of being boarded under circumstances favourable to the assail ant. As respects steam-vessels, it may be presumed that, as they facilitate sudden movements, they may second the ardour and boldness of the national character. For the purpose of engaging in certain predetermined modes, and to supply for certain details the insufficiency of signals, it sometimes happens that admirals can usefully confine themselves to plans of operations, of which they furnish complete explanations to the captains under their orders. These plans ought to be few in number, perfectly simple and clear, and the explanations short; for, if the main object belongs to the chief, the incidents of detail necessarily devolve upon those who are to carry it into execution. If the weather fleet has the great advantage of being master of its plans of attack, the lee fleet has sometimes the advantage of the faults of the other. Such may be the case when, regardless of breaking the line of battle, the lee fleet can be separated, without inconvenience, into two or three divisions; provided all act in concert, and under the inspiration of that cool bravery which usually leads to success. The most general remark upon this question is, that every plan of attack is good, if it renders a part of the force of the enemy useless; or, if it places a part of it under the fire of a superior force. The object to be desired being always, as has already been observed, to have the superiority upon some point, and then to profit suddenly by that advantage. A war of cruises, by detached divisions, within proper limits, and in connexion with some general plan of hostilities, may have its influence upon the final result of a war; this species of warfare requires that the squadrons should be commanded by able and active chiefs, who have great resources in themselves, and in their knowledge of the localities where they are to carry the war. Desirous to lay before our readers the best information on warlike operations, we shall give, entire, the illustrations of naval tactics by a late European author, which will be a new subject to many unconnected with the navy. By Naval Tactics is understood the art of arranging fleets or squadrons in such an order or disposition as may be most convenient for attacking the enemy, defending themselves, or of retreating with the greatest advantage. Naval tactics are founded on those principles which time and experience have enabled us to deduce from the improved state of modern naval warfare, which has occasioned not only a difference in the mode of constructing the working ships, but even in the total disposition and regulation of fleets and squadrons. We here propose to lay down the general principles of naval tactics, and to describe, as briefly as is consistent with perspicuity, the most improved systems which have been adopted in modern times. Ordinary Division of Fleets. Fleets are generally divided into three squadrons, the van, centre, and rear, each under the command of a flag-officer. The chief in command of a fleet leads the centre division, while the van is commanded by the second in command, and the rear by the third. Each squadron is distinguished by the position of the colours in the ships of which it is composed. Thus, the ships of the centre squadron carry their pennants at the main-top-gallant mast-head, while those of the van division have their pennants at the fore-top-gallant mast-head, and those of the rear at the mizen-top-mast-head. Each squadron, as far as possible, consists of the same number of ships, and, as nearly as may be, of the same force. In large fleets, the squadrons are sometimes again divided in a similar manner. In the usual mode of forming the lines, each commanding officer arranges his ships in the centre of his own squadron, and thus the chief commander of the fleet is in the centre of the line. When no enemy is in sight, the sloops, store-ships, fire-ships, and other small vessels, are dispersed to windward of the fleet, that they may be more easily supported, and more readily answer signals. The frigates lie to windward of the van and rear of the convoy; thus keeping a good look-out, and keeping the small vessels in their proper station. When the fleet sails in three columns, the centre still keeps in the middle, while the van and rear form the starboard or the larboard column, according to circumstances. These arrangements are called orders of sailing, and will be better understood from the following definitions. Definitions. The starboard line of bearing is that line on which the arranged ships of a fleet bear from each other on a closehauled line, whatever course they may be steering; so that when the ships haul their wind or tack together, they may be on a line close-hauled upon the starboard tack. The larboard line of bearing is that line on which the ships, when hauling their wind or tacking together, may be formed on a line close-hauled on the larboard tack. The ships of a fleet are said to be on a line abreast when their keels are parallel to each other, and their main-masts lie in the same straight line. Ships are said to be in a line on the bow or quarter when they are arranged in a straight line, cutting their keels obliquely in the same angle; so that, reckoning from any intermediate ship, the ships towards one extremity of the line will be on the bow of that ship, while those towards the other extremity will be on her quarter. When several ships in the same line steer the same course, while that course is different from the line of sailing, they are said to sail chequer wise. When the ships of a fleet, arranged in any of the orders of sailing, and on the same line, perform successively the same manœuvre, as each gets into the wake of the ship that leads the van of the line or squadron, tacking or veering, bearing away or coming to the wind in the same point of the wake of the leading ship, they are said to manœuvre in succession. Five Orders of Sailing. There are usually reckoned five orders of sailing, exclusive of the line of battle, the order of retreat, &c. In the first order (see Figs. 1 and 2), the fleet is arranged on the starboard or larboard line of bearing, all the ships steering the Fig. 1. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fig. 2. ممممممه same course. In these cases the fleet, by hauling the wind when in the starboard line, as in Fig. 1, will be ready to form the line on the starboard tack; and when ranged on the larboard line of bearing, as in Fig. 2, it will, by tacking, be ready to form the line on the larboard tack. The arrows annexed to the diagrams mark the direction of the wind, as in ordinary charts. Fig. 3. The first order of sailing is now seldom employed, except in passing through a narrow strait. In the second order of sailing, the fleet, steering any proper course, is ranged ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ 000 order, besides being in a line perpendicular to the direction of the wind, as in Fig. 3. This second equally defective with the former, is sub |