made the signal of the exact number of line-of-battle ships and smaller vessels composing it. At 3 h. 20 m. P.M. Sir Robert made the signal to engage the enemy; and at 3 h. 22 m., to tack together. At 3 h. 26 m. the same signal was repeated and annulled. At 3 h. 27 m. a signal was made for the starboard division to make all possible sail, and steer south-south-west.

At 3 h. 30 m. the same signal was made to the Hero, who probably had commenced tacking in obedience to the signal at 3 h. 22 m. At 3 h. 31 m. the signal was made to form the line of battle in open order; at 3 h. 53 in., to alter course one point to starboard; and at 4 h. 21 m., to tack in succession.

The signal to tack in succession appears to have been made by each commander-in-chief about the same time ; but, in the foggy state of the weather, neither fleet saw the commencement of the other's manoeuvre. The British tacked, to prevent their opponents escaping them on the opposite tack ; but the Franco-Spaniards, who had hauled close to the wind on getting within about three miles of the British fleet, wore, in consequence of the Sir�ne, which had the galleon in tow, making signals, by guns fired in quick succession, that the rear was in danger of being cut off.

This was occasioned by the bold approach of the Sirius, who, as soon as she had got sufficiently to windward to fetch into the wake of the combined line, had tacked, with the intention of attempting to carry, by boarding, the great object of the enemy's solicitude. While making the necessary preparation to effect his object, Captain Prowse discovered, through the haze on his lee bow, the enemy's van-ship, the Argonauta, approaching with the wind nearly abeam. The Sirius herself being now in jeopardy, Captain Prowse abandoned his design upon the galleon, and bore up to pass to leeward of the Franco-Spanish line. With a forbearance highly honourable to Admiral Gravina, the Argonauta passed the British frigate without firing ; and so did the Terrible and America. By the time, however, that the Sirius had got abreast of the Espana, which was at about 5 h. 15 m. P.M., the Hero, the British van-ship, then with royals set, hove in stays. Instantly the Spanish ships, all of whom had royals and courses set, hoisted their colours and commenced the action ; the Argonauta firing her larboard guns at the Hero, and the Espana hers at the Sirius, which ship, in consequence, had two men killed and three wounded.

At 4h. 30 m. P.M. the Prince-of-Wales had made the signal to engage the enemy's centre ; at 4 h. 45 m., to keep in close order and, at 5 h. 9 m., to engage the enemy as closely as possible. At 5 h. 20 m. P.M., which was about five minutes after she had tacked, the Hero opened a fire from her starboard guns. The reason of the Hero's having tacked without a signal was that her advanced station had enabled her to see, what the fog concealed from the ships in her wake, that the enemy had

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