Isolated from them in point of time, it was none the less the seal of Nelson's genius, affixed later to the record he had made in the near past.

With equal truth it is said that England was saved at Trafalgar, though the Emperor had then given up his intended invasion; the destruction there emphasized and sealed the strategic triumph which had noiselessly foiled Napoleon's plans.
FOOTNOTES: [1] Thus Hermocrates of Syracuse, advocating the policy of thwarting the Athenian expedition against his city (B.C.

413) by going boldly to meet it, and keeping on the flank of its line of advance, said: "As their advance must be slow, we shall have a thousand opportunities to attack them; but if they clear their ships for action and in a body bear down expeditiously upon us, they must ply hard at their oars, and _when spent with toil_ we can fall upon them." [2] The writer must guard himself from appearing to advocate elaborate tactical movements issuing in barren demonstrations.

He believes that a fleet seeking a decisive result must close with its enemy, but not until some advantage has been obtained for the collision, which will usually be gained by manoeuvring, and will fall to the best drilled and managed fleet.

In truth, barren results have as often followed upon headlong, close encounters as upon the most timid tactical trifling.
[3] A ship was said to have the weather-gage, or "the advantage of the wind," or "to be to windward," when the wind allowed her to steer for her opponent, and did not let the latter head straight for her.