Beschreibung:

A CONTEMPORARY MANUSCRIPT COPY OF THE SAILING ORDER OF BATTLE FOR TRAFALGAR written as a memorandum over two folded sheets with watermarks for T.W. 1803 , the first page headed Victory off Cadiz -- 19 th October 1805 with a descriptive prologue detailing the reasoning behind the order, commencing Thinking it almost impossible to bring a Fleet of Forty Sail of the Line into a Line of Battle in variable winds thick weather and of the curcumstances which must occur without such a loss of time that the opportunity would probably be lost of bringing the Enemy to Battle in such a manner as to make the business decisive. Paragraph two outlines the attack formation: I have therefore made up my mind to keep the Fleet in that Position of Sailing (with the exception of the first and second in command) that the Order of Sailing is to be the Order of Battle placing the Fleet in two Lines of 14 teen[?] Ships, each with an Advanced Squadron of Eight of the fastest Two Decked Ships... with instructions for the Second in Command and contingency arrangements should the enemy be hindward in Line of Battle , together with received intelligence about the enemy The Enemy's fleet is supposed to consist of Forty 4 Sail of the line.. and the effects in battle Something must be left to chance, nothing is sure in a Sea Fight beyond all others, Shot will carry away the Masts and Yards... and other detailed instructions, the outer sheet with over-inked pencil inscription reading Copy of the order of sailing before Trafalgar -- October 9 th 1805 , loosely bound together with green twine; together with an inserted half sheet with 'Britannia' watermark entitled Order of Battle and of Sailing , each sheet opened -- 13 x 15¼in. (33 x 38.5cm.) See illustration