Thus the British very slowly closed with the enemy, Lord Nelson refusing to allow the _Temeraire_, his next astern, to take the lead, and thereby bear the brunt of the battle. His Lordship visited the decks of his ship, exhorted his men not to throw away a shot, and was received with cheers as he again went on deck. Having made every other signal to his fleet he thought necessary, he finished with that most celebrated one--"England expects that every man will do his duty,"--which, at 11.40, was hoisted at the "VICTORY'S" mizen-topgallant-masthead, and was received by most of the ships with cheers. This made, Lord Nelson's customary signal on going into action--"Engage the enemy more closely"--was hoisted at the main, and there remained until the mast was shot away. At noon, the action commenced by the _Fougoeux_ opening fire on the _Royal Sovereign_, on which the British Admirals hoisted their flags, and all their ships the white ensign, having also, each, two Union Jacks in the rigging. Twenty minutes later the enemy's ships ahead of the "VICTORY" began a furious cannonade on her, which killed in a short time amongst many others, Mr. Scott, Lord Nelson's secretary. Seeing Nelson's intention to break the line, the enemy closed up ahead of him, making an almost impenetrable line; but the "VICTORY" still held her course, and steered straight for the mass of ships grouped round the _Bucentaure_, a French 80, on board of which was Villeneuve, the French Commander-in-Chief, though he never showed his flag during the action. Nelson directed Captain Hardy to run on board any ship he chose, as it was evident they could not pass through the line without a collision, and at 12.30, not having as yet fired a single shot, the "VICTORY" passed slowly under the stern of the _Bucentaure_, so close as almost to be able to catch hold of her ensign, and discharge the port guns in succession right into her cabin windows, placing about 400 men _hors de combat_, by that one broadside, and almost disabling her from further resistance. The position of the ships at this moment is shown in the accompanying plan. [Illustration: BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR AT 0.25, P.M.] At the same time the "VICTORY" fired her starboard guns at two vessels on that side of her, and five minutes later ran on board the _Redoutable_, a French 74, hooking her boom iron into the Frenchman's topsails, and so dropped alongside, the "VICTORY" being on the _Redoutable's_ port side, and the latter closing her lower deck ports to prevent boarding. A tremendous cannonade ensued, the "VICTORY" firing her port guns at the _Bucentaure_ and _Santissima Trinidada_, her starboard ones being very fully employed by the _Redoutable_ which was so close alongside, that the men on the "VICTORY'S" lower deck on each discharge dashed a bucket of water into the hole made in the enemy's side by the shot, to prevent the spread of the fire that might have destroyed both ships indiscriminately.