102 NAVAL SCIENCES. 



and taking the wind in the proper sails, to return into the line. The other 

 ships following this, set their sails, according to the distance, in order to 

 come into the direction of the first ship. Fig. 17 shows the position, when 

 it is desired to change the line of battle without forming the ships into 

 columns. This is effected by turning all the ships at the same time, while 

 the last takes the wind on the other tack, and remains in its place, the other 

 ships falling off two points, and sailing on until they come into the direction 

 of the stationary ship. The last ship by this evolution takes the place of 

 the first, and the left wing of the right. But if the first order is to be 

 preserved, the first ship veers round in its place and strikes out the course 

 of the new line, on which it sails forward, while the other ships, one 

 after another, veer round in the same place and follow the direction of the 

 first. 



A very beautiful manoeuvre is the change from one order of sailing to 

 another. We will here illustrate two cases. Suppose that it is required 

 to change the sailing order into the line of battle in the same direction, 

 while the lee column remains as it was {pi. 28, jig. 18). In this case the 

 lee column keeps as close as possible to the wind, the centre column falls 

 off two points, and passes to the head of the new centre column, while 

 the windward column veers at once in its position, and with seven points 

 of wind sails to its new station on the wing. A second case, when the 

 line is formed from the sailing order in another direction, is represented 

 in fig. 19. Here the windward column commences the manoeuvre, turn- 

 ing about in column into the new line, while the centre and lee columns 

 remain stationary, until they also sail into the new line, and then tacking, 

 complete the new line of battle. 



The manoeuvre of forming columns from the order of battle is shown in 

 fig. 20. The right wing here forms the lee column, and the first ship tacks, 

 the others of the same column following. The first ship of the centre 

 which is now to form the windward column, proceeds with its column 

 in the line of battle until it arrives at the point where it can tack into the 

 new direction; it then leads its column into the right line, and at the proper 

 distance, while the left wing, w^hich is to form the centre column, follows 

 the windward column to the point where the first ship tacks and leads its 

 column into the open space. Fig. 21 shows the same manoeuvre, where 

 the columns are to be formed on another point. 



In our examples hitherto, we have supposed that during the manoeuvres 

 the wind remains unchanged. If the wind shifts ahead, it is difficult to 

 restore the order of battle, especially if the enemy's fleet is in sight. If the 

 wind comes from one up to six points ahead, and it is desired to restore the 

 order on the same point, each ship, after it has fallen off, adds a few points, 

 with the exception of the foremost, which diminishes the same number. 

 The number of these points is ascertained by deducting from eight 

 points half the points by which the wind has shifted ; for example, if the 

 wind shifts 5 points forward, 5|- points must be added to the course. 

 As soon as the first ship falls off and begins to sail in the new line, the 

 second and the rest follow, until the whole lie close to the wind in the new line- 

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