Why is it that at sea a friendly greeting of this kind, expressed merely by a combination of flags, touches one’s heart so deeply, and speaks to it even more than salutes, cheers, or music? Why is it that until the signal has been actually hauled down every one looks at it, silently and intently, as if real words, instead of motley-coloured pieces of cloth, were fluttering in the breeze, and becoming wet with rain? Why is it that on the signal being hauled down every one turns away, quietly moving off to his duty, as if the last quiet handshake had been given, and “good-bye” had been said for ever? “Well!--how about the weather?” said some one--to break the silence. “Grand,” answered another with a smile. “If we get this all the way to Vladivostok, then thank the Lord! why, a general battle will be impossible.” Once more a signal was made to the fleet, and, having cast off the majority[2] of our transports at Shanghai, we take up our fresh and _last_ “order of march.” Ahead, in wedge formation, was the scout division consisting of three ships--the _Svietlana_, _Almaz_, and _Ural_; next came the fleet in two columns. The starboard column consisted of the 1st and 2nd armoured squadrons, _i.e._ eight ships--the _Suvoroff_, _Alexander_, _Borodino_, _Orel_,[3] _Sissoy_, _Navarin_, _Nakhimoff_. On the port side were the 3rd armoured and cruiser squadrons, _i.e._ eight ships--the _Nicolay_, _Senyavin_, _Apraxin_, _Ushakoff_, and the cruisers, _Oleg_, _Aurora_, _Donskoy_, and _Monomakh_. On either beam, and parallel with the leading ships, were the _Zemtchug_ and _Izumrud_, each accompanied by two torpedo-boats, acting as scouts for the port and starboard columns. In rear of, and between, the wakes of these columns steamed a line of transports which we _were obliged_ to take to Vladivostok[4]--the _Anadir_, _Irtish_, _Korea_, _Kamchatka_--and with them the repair and steam-tugs, _Svir_ and _Russ_, ready to render assistance in case of need. With the cruiser squadron were five torpedo-boats, whose duty it was to co-operate with the former in protecting the transports during the battle. Astern of all came the hospital ships, _Orel_ and _Kostroma_.