Upon his death, the Toulon fleet was committed to Villeneuve.

Its sailing was to take place as nearly as possible at the same time as that of the Rochefort division.

They were to go to the West Indies, proceed at once, independently, to offensive operations, then to unite and return together to Rochefort.

Napoleon's calculation was that the British, impressed by this simultaneous departure, and uncertain about the enemy's purpose, must send at once thirty ships-of-the-line in pursuit, in order to secure all the different quarters they would think endangered.

This diversion, if realized, would facilitate the operations of the Brest fleet, which was to land an army corps in Ireland, and then to cover the crossing of the main body at Boulogne into England; the precise character of its movements depending necessarily upon conditions of wind at the moment of execution.
The Rochefort ships sailed on the 11th of January.