The Royal Sovereign was found unfit to make the voyage across the Atlantic, and went home from Lagos in May for thorough repairs, which were so effective that she carried Collingwood’s flag into action, before any other of the fleet, at Trafalgar.
The narrative begins at the Bay of Palma in Sardinia, amid general preparations throughout the fleet.
On the 4th of April the Admiral signalled “to prepare for action, as the enemy’s fleet from Toulon is at sea.” After this the fleet cruised for some days between Sardinia and Sicily, waiting for news of the enemy’s movements. If, as was thought possible, they were bound for Egypt, the position taken up by Nelson was a strong one. There were daily consultations of the admirals and captains on board the Victory. After about a fortnight of this uncertainty, “intelligence is gained” that the sixteen French ships of the line were spoken on the 7th of April, off Cartagena, going west. On the 18th this news was confirmed, with the addition that they had passed Gibraltar on the 9th, and were joined by five Spanish two-deckers, and had continued westward with fair winds. Now ensued an anxious time. The enemy were well started ten days in advance, with the wind behind them, while the British fleet were still battling with adverse winds in the Mediterranean. Every breeze is carefully noted in the log, and the slow progress evidently gave the greatest concern.
On the 22nd and 23rd of April, the distance made was only fifteen miles in all: “Extremely variable baffling winds and squally weather, tacking or wearing every two or three hours, the squadron very much dispersed.” Ordinarily the Victory was within half a mile, “but now four or six miles away.” Majorca was in sight at one time, and the African coast at another, but the progress towards Gibraltar must have been scarcely perceptible. The Rock was seen for the first time on the 2nd May, still twelve leagues away, and on the 4th they anchored in Tetuan Bay. Here was hard work to be done in getting fresh water and provisions on board. At Gibraltar on the 6th the Canopus did not even anchor, as the wind was at last fair, and their stay was only for four hours.
On May 9th, the Victory signalled “to prepare demands to complete provisions for five months,” which was accomplished off Lagos in Portugal by the morning of the 11th. Then the Admiral made telegraph signal, “Rendezvous Barbadoes,” and the whole fleet made sail for the West Indies.
With fair winds and a straight course, the distance of 3200 miles was accomplished by the 4th of June.
The sailing order of the squadron was:
| WEATHER LINE. | LEE LINE. | FRIGATES ON VICTORY’S WEATHER BEAM. | |||
| 100 | Victory. | 80 | Canopus. | ||
| 74 | Superb. | 74 | Leviathan. | ||
| 74 | Donegal. | 74 | Belleisle. | 32 | Amphion. |
| 74 | Spencer. | 74 | Conqueror. | 38 | Amazon. |
| 74 | Tigre. | 74 | Swiftsure. | 26 | Decade. |
There is very little in the log to indicate the intense expectation that must have been present as they made their entries of the diminishing distance.
“May 15.—Island of Barbadoes S. 64.46 W., dist. 877 leagues.