As naval evolutions become more skilful, their importance grows from day to day.

To these evolutions there is needed a base, a point from which they depart and to which they return.

A fleet of war-ships must be always ready to meet an enemy; logically, therefore, this point of departure for naval evolutions must be the order of battle.

Now, since the disappearance of galleys, almost all the artillery is found upon the sides of a ship of war.

Hence it is the beam that must necessarily and always be turned toward the enemy.