The movement therefore continued as described, the opposing ships slowly “sliding by” each other until about 9.15, when the wind suddenly shifted back to south-east again.  The necessity of keeping the sails full forced the bows of each French vessel towards the enemy (Position 5), destroying the order in column, and throwing the fleet into echelon, or, as the phrase then was, into bow and quarter line.[119] The British, on the contrary, were free either to hold their course or to head towards the enemy.  Rodney’s flagship (5, a) luffed, and led through the French line just astern of the Glorieux, 74, (g), which was the nineteenth in their order.  She was followed by five ships; and her next ahead also, the Duke (d), seeing her chief’s movement, imitated it, breaking through the line astern of the twenty-third French.  The Glorieux, on the starboard hand of Rodney’s little column, received its successive broadsides.  Her main and mizzen masts went overboard at 9.28, when the Canada, third astern of the Formidable, had just passed her; and a few moments later her foremast and bowsprit fell.  At 9.33 the Canada was to windward of the French line.  The flagship Formidable was using both broadsides as she broke through the enemy’s order.  On her port hand, between her and the Duke, were four French ships huddled together (c), one of which had paid off the wrong way; that is, after the shift of wind took her aback, her sails had filled on the opposite tack from that of the rest of her fleet.[120] These four, receiving the repeated broadsides, at close quarters, of the Formidable, Duke, and Namur, and having undergone besides the fire of the British van, were very severely mauled.  While these things were happening, the Bedford, the sixth astern of the Formidable, perhaps unable to see her next ahead in the smoke, had luffed independently (b), and was followed by the twelve rearmost British ships, whom she led through the French order astern of the Cesar, 74, (k), twelfth from the van.  This ship and her next ahead, the Hector, 74, (h), suffered as did the Glorieux.  The Barfleur, which was in the centre of this column of thirteen, opened fire at 9.25.  At 10.45 she “ceased firing, having passed the enemy’s van ships;” that is, she was well on the weather side of the French fleet.  Some of the rearmost of Hood’s division, however, were still engaged at noon; but probably all were then to windward of the enemy.

[Illustration]

The British ships ahead of the Duke, the van and part of the centre, in all sixteen sail, had continued to stand to the northward.  At the time Rodney broke the line, several of them must have passed beyond the French rear, and out of action.  One, the America, the twelfth from the van, wore without signals, to pursue the enemy, and her example was followed at once by the ship next ahead, the Russell, Captain