73

71

at being exhaustive.)

If the enemy await your attack, or allow you to be the assailant, in line, you may attempt your concentration upon one flank or upon the Centre; on the other hand, he may first attempt such concentration upon your flank or centre. For this concentration, no change of direction is needed or at most a moderate echelon or oblique movement. If he persist in maintaining his order in line it would be possible to pass by one flank in column thus concentrating your fire, by successive vessels upon one or more of the flank ships. (There is a defect here in that the enemy is assumed to be infront or nearly so. If he should be made out on a flank or to the rear, the front must necessarily be changed. This last case emphasizes the need of look-out ships.) [diagram] This though it involves a change in the line of bearing of your fleet, does so by a simple change of formation of the easiest kind. If you consider that this attack has too much concentration of one kind and lengthens your fleet too much, and prefer to attack the wing D in front as well, you may keep a certain number of your ships A' on the original line of bearing and let them pass through the enemy's line; or you can resort to a manoeuvre indicated above (P. 68) and pass through in column of divisions. If ground is to be gained to the flank in order to make those movements feasible, it may be done by obliquing, or in the very act of